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Twitter Japan is Not a Safe Space for Minority Users · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

“Stop hate speech!” Poster created by the Japanese Ministry of Justice to address hate speech.
The absence of measures to control online hate speech discourages freedom of expression among ethnic minorities in Japan, especially resident Koreans, according to a series of reports published by Kanagawa Shimbun, a regional newspaper. The report details how online hate speech makes non-Japanese residents in the country uncomfortable online.
While various city, regional and national efforts have been made to address hate speech, Twitter Japan has been slow to respond, prompting demonstrators to gather on September 8 in front of Twitter's head office in Japan, asking for stronger measures against hate speech on the popular social media platform.
Kanagawa Shimbun, which serves the city of Yokohama and the rest of Kanagawa, Japan's second-most populated prefecture beside neighboring Tokyo, has been covering community efforts to fight against hate speech in the city of Kawasaki, which promotes multiculturalism with foreign residents accounting for 2% of its population.
In a December 1 article, Kanagawa Shimbun writes that while online hate speech in Japan targets almost anyone, it particularly impacts ethnic Koreans, and especially in real life. The article cites a survey showing a much higher ratio of survey takers of Korean origin refraining from internet usage for fear of seeing hateful comments.
Expressions of hate speech have stoked tensions between Japan and neighboring countries, leading to claims that Japan is not following its obligations under the UN's International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The frequent target of Japanese hate speech is resident Koreans, who, as media watcher Philip Brasor explains:
Most of whom (resident Koreans)were born and raised in Japan. Since they don’t have Japanese nationality, they are technically foreigners, though many have never stepped outside of Japan. The government has always insisted they can become Japanese nationals, and each year about 7,000 do, but in any case, many want to keep their Korean identity.
According to a 2017 Japanese government survey asking about the use of internet among foreigners, more than 40% of non-Japanese users in Japan have encountered xenophobic or discriminatory articles or online posts indicating the desire to evict foreign residents from Japan. Nearly 65% of them find online racism and xenophobia ‘unpleasant’, while nearly 20% of users said they have experiene of refraining from using the internet to avoid hateful content.
Han Tong-hyon, a permanent resident and sociologist of Korean descent analyzed the 2017 government survey's spreadsheet [download link], suggests that online racism has impacted more on long-term residents whose origins are related to Japan's wartime colonies:
「(1)日本に住む外国人を排除するなどの差別的記事、書き込みを見た」は全体では41.6 ％だが、国籍・地域別にみると中国が47.6%、韓国が67.7%、朝鮮が78.3%となる。在留資格別でも特別永住者が64.7%、日本での在留期間も「生まれてからずっと」が71.6%、「40年以上」が58.9%となる。
次に、「(2)上記のような記事、書き込みが目に入るのが嫌で、そのようなインターネットサイトの利用を控えた」は全体では19.8％だが、国籍・地域別で中国が21.9%、台湾が27.5%、韓国が37%、朝鮮が47.8%となる。在留資格別では特別永住者が31.9％、日本での在留期間も「生まれてからずっと」が36%となっている。
At a glance, out of internet using survey respondents, the percentage of those who came across discriminatory online articles and posts is 41.6%, but when you give a closer look, some areas are high in numbers. By nationality or territory, for survey respondents of Chinese origin the percentage of seeing such content becomes 47.6%,  67.7% among those of South Korean origin;  78.3% among those who identify as ethnic Koreans. Also, when you look at their types of residency, [the experience of seeing discriminatory content becomes much more common among longtime residents], it's 64.7% among special permanent residents of Japan,  71.6% among long-term residents who have been living in Japan “since birth”, and 58.9% among those who have been living [in the country] for “more than 40 years”.
Same can be said about refraining from using the Internet. While the ratio is 19.8% among survey respondents who encountered discriminatory content, if you break it down by nationality or territory, the ratio is  21.9% among those who identify as (Mainland) Chinese, 27.5% among those of Taiwan origin, 37% among those of South Korean origin and 47.8% among ethnic Koreans living in Japan. By residency type, it is 31.9% among permanent residents of Japan; 36% among respondents who reported living in Japan since birth.
The CEO of Twitter Japan seemed concerned about the hate speech on the platform but did not talk about taking an initiative as a company in a recent television interview:
ヘイト自体は残念ながら、僕らの社会の一つの側面だと思う。それ自体がないものだとしてしまっても、実際にはあるわけですから、それ自体を認識しなくて社会が変わらなくなるよりは、それはそれで、ひとつあるということを認識して、社会全体が変えていくことになればと思います。」
Unfortunately, hate speech exists as part of our society. It actually exists. We cannot act like as if it does not exists. As such it exists, so it is up to the society to change, rather than wanting not to see them and keep the society from changing.
Kanagawa Shimbun published an online article denouncing these remarks and highlighted a third-generation Korean-Japanese mother who used to enjoy Twitter until she and her son became victims of multiple defamatory comments. The Yokohama District Legal Affair Burea eventually ordered them to be deleted but she felt forced to stop using Twitter, after continuous hateful comments.
Renowned novelist Hirano Keiichiro, who read the article, echoed his disappointment toward Twitter Japan:
読んでると、本当にゲンナリする。差別主義者は勿論、ツイッター社ってどうしてこうなのか。 / 〈時代の正体〉さらばツイッター　ある在日コリアンの決別宣言 (カナロコ｜神奈川新聞ニュース)https://t.co/xBpyNPXGbo #NewsPicks
— 平野啓一郎 (@hiranok) December 1, 2017
“Reading the [Kanagawa Shimbun] article makes me feel weary. [Weary] of racists of course, but also [weary of] Twitter Japan responding this way.
In June 2016, the Japanese government enforced the Act on the Promotion of Efforts to Eliminate Unfair Discriminatory Speech and Behavior against Persons Originating from Outside Japan, after years of recieving recommendations to meet the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The law delegates local municipalities to implement measures to eliminate hate speech. The city of Kawasaki was one of Japan's first municipalities to compile guidelines aimed at preventing hate speech at public facilities operated by the city. However, when it comes to online hate speech, it is not clear to what extent government agencies have power.
Under the Act's supplementary resolution:
(iii) Measures shall be implemented relating to efforts towards the elimination of acts of encouraging or inducing unfair discriminatory speech and behavior against persons originating from a country or region other than Japan, etc. being committed through the Internet.
However, the law does not criminalize hate speech, and local municipalities claim they have little power or resources to address hateful online content.
While the Japanese government is also working on implementing an information technology strategy to match an already roaring digital civic sphere and make Japan “one of the world's most advanced IT nations”, so far little has been done to tackle online hate speech.
Japan is one the top five markets for Twitter in terms of active users, making the platform more popular than Facebook. Like in other countries, a lot of political discussion in Japan happens on Twitter, including the spread of misinformation, especially during elections.
Just like the recent accusations by female comedians against Facebook that they are silencing women while so many violent comments by men are left visible, some users in Japan speculate that Twitter Japan puts unfair pressure on progressive influencers, especially seeing racist trolls kept active, reminding users that Twitter is just another service of a private company rather than a public space for free speech.
Since October, Twitter headquarters in the USA has been working to update its rules for creating safer online spaces including measures to heighten transparency on political ads and provide clearer account suspension processes.
Twitter's global council of safety partners will implement these changes but Japan's partners are limited to suicide prevention organizations.
While this global council may be a good string behind Twitter Japan, the challenge for non-English speaking users in Japan is how these changes will come into effect at the local level.

author: Keiko Tanaka


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Art and Music Festival Brings Joy to Islamabad · Global Voices
Annam Lodhi

Vendors stand in front of their art exhibit at the art langar festival in Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo by Annam Lodhi, used with permission.
Islamabad is a city that loves order. Traffic in Pakistan's capital city is usually light and streets are barren after 9 p.m. Yet, the past month or so has been unusually chaotic for the city and its twin, Rawalpindi, just down the road. Members of religious political groups staged a month-long sit-in leading to heightened security and clashes with protestors.
The main entrance to the city was blocked during the protests, as were connecting roads between the twin cities. Needless to say, the political unrest in the city disoriented the lives of many. But a recent music festival called Art Langar has brought back joy at a time of political unrest. “We are used to it,” said Nawal Mannan, an architecture student who was attending the event, which took place on the first weekend of December in Islamabad.
Art Langar was inspired by the Sufi urs festival, usually held at shrines to mark the anniversary of the passing of a Sufi saint, and celebrated by devotees with music, poetry and food. Sab ka bhala Sab ki khair, or goodwill and good tidings to all, is its slogan. The concept behind Art Langar is to give back to people. “The whole idea is food for the hungry, be it the soul, heart or your stomach,” said Arieb Azhar, a Pakistani musician and the man behind the show.
The festival was filled with art installations by art students from various national universities, stalls that sold crafts from all over Pakistan, and food stalls. A bonfire and a stage for music to rock the night sat at the heart of it all. The festival was attended by over four thousand people from all ages and walks of life.
Over twenty bands played the festival, representing ethnic and regional music from all over Pakistan. Madiha Hamid, a clinical psychologist, attended the festival and tweeted about the diverse musical line-up:
Playing some of the forgotten instruments! What an amazing opportunity to listen to the music of #pakistan #artlangar pic.twitter.com/BYcQVCD9hL
— Madiha Hamid (@madihamid) December 3, 2017
Freeha Shaukat, a freelance journalist, shared her excitement about the festival before it began:
It's been a Really depressing week I was pretty broken until I got a sneak previw of @ArtLangar yesterday where a privileged few were able to hear and sing along with Arieb Azhar and Saakin band will post a few video clips to remind us of Love Laughter Longing & Beauty of Humans
— نمی دانم Freeha (@NamiDaanam) November 27, 2017
People danced the evening away, a refreshing break from the previous week's upheaval and unrest, but the event wasn't easy to put together. “Because of the political unrest people do buy tickets in advance. They wait until the very last minute to see if things are okay,” said Arieb Azhar.
I love diversity about Islamabad. People here not only understand the differences but celebrate it in most beautiful way possible. #ArtLangar pic.twitter.com/XbIaaBmGHc
— Aqse Zahra (@Aqseyy) December 4, 2017
Azhar was about to the call the event off as the situation of the city was unstable just a few days before the event, but decided against it. “My team pushed me to carry on with the event citing that this is what the city needs at the moment,” he explained.
An exhibit with beautiful traditional ethic embroidery at Art Langar festival, Islamabad. Photo by Annam Lodhi.
The thousands of young people who attended the festival agreed. “Such events are very important, they help create a social life and allows us to relax,” said Laiba, who was showcasing her artwork.
Tickets for Art Langar started at Rs. 500 (4.50 U.S. dollars) for students and Rs.1000 (9 U.S. dollars) for the rest, making it easier for students to attend. “If the tickets cost more we have to think twice before attending an event,” said Soha Azeem, a student.
There are only a handful of recreational spaces available for the residents of the two cities, such as the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) and Lok Virsa. However these spaces aren’t adequate, according to Ammar Khalid, a member of Theatre Wallay, an independent theatre company battling for more public spaces for arts. “There is a visible coloration between fall in cultural activities and rise in intolerance in the country,” he said.
Events like the Art Langar, which are affordable and safe, are very well received by people but will continue to face challenges due to Pakistan's unpredictable politics.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Annam Lodhi


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#FindRaza: Social Media Campaign Launched for the Safe Return of Pakistani Human Rights Activist · Global Voices
Anushe Noor

Poster released for the search of missing peace activist, Raza Mehmood Khan. Used with permission
On December 2, 2017, human rights activist Raza Mehmood Khan went missing prompting fears for his safety. Khan was last seen at an open event on extremism in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Khan, aged 40, was a member of the Aghaz-e-Dosti (Beginning Of Friendship) group, which is working towards building peace between the people of Pakistan and India.
Khan’s family claims that he has been unlawfully detained by the security agencies, as he has been critical of them. Thus far, the security agencies have denied these allegations.
Having searched privately, 24 hours after his disappearance, Khan’s friends and family lodged a First Information Report (FIR) with the police.
Human rights activist Raza Mehmood Khan. Used with permission.
As his family awaits his safe return, activists have launched a social media campaign to build pressure for the authorities to take action. The hashtag #FindRaza is being used to demand his recovery.
Netizen Awais Masood tweeted:
A society with a conscious would nurture and celebrate its organic intellectuals, not make them disappear! #FindRaza pic.twitter.com/iXWHppnTwX
— Awais Masood (@AwaisMasood) December 13, 2017
Fellow activists held peaceful gatherings for his recovery. Journalist and human rights advocate Marvi Sirmed tweeted:
#FindRaza
Please spread this message. Raza khan, a young activist from Lahore went missing on Dec 2. We request you to kindly join us in finding him and raising voice in asking the state to find him. pic.twitter.com/RqUiKiCLWv
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) December 9, 2017
Journalist Umer Ali tweeted a photo from a protest held in Lahore:
In the Lahore protest against the abduction of a peace activist, Raza Khan, a lawyer asks:
“who's turn is it next? Yours or mine?” #FindRaza pic.twitter.com/WqXVE4lPCD
— Umer Ali (@IamUmer1) December 13, 2017
Saeeda Diep, an activist who had been working with Khan, appealed to Pakistan's president and prime minister for Khan’s recovery through a video message and Naya Daur, an initiative to establish a progressive Pakistan, tweeted:
Raza Mahmood Khan, human rights activist has gone missing from Lahore. Renowned Indo-Pak peace activist, Saeeda Diep has appealed to the President and Prime Minister for recovering Raza Khan. We stand with Raza Khan and @DiepSaeeda. #FindRaza #RecoverRaza https://t.co/ZNg2GEXh8g pic.twitter.com/o4Q9yzdRFK
— NayaDaur (@nayadaurpk) December 5, 2017
As a result of the campaign and the filing of the writ by his family, the Supreme Court of Pakistan summoned the police over the missing peace activist's case. One Reuters report stated that:
The Lahore High Court took up the case on Wednesday and the presiding judge, Anwar ul Haq, asked for the officer in charge of the police station handling the case to appear at the next hearing on Dec. 19.
The issue of enforced disappearances is not new to Pakistan. In early 2017, five social media activists went missing. Like Khan, they were critical of state and military institutions. After 21 days, the bloggers were finally released.
Since their return, they have publicly spoken about torture at the hands of government agencies while in detention. Their interviews allege how military institutions held them hostage along with hundreds of other men in the same detention center, and subjected them to constant abuse and sleep deprivation, along with other forms of physical, sexual and psychological torture that went on for days.
There are 1,498 cases of enforced disappearances pending, with an investigative commission set up by the government to address the situation, according to a report submitted to Pakistan's Supreme Court.
There was also widespread speculation that they were abducted on account of committing blasphemy, a criminal offense under Article 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which grants the death penalty to the offender. Yet, there was no proof of these claims, and no-one took responsibility for their disappearances, which brought hundreds of people onto the streets to participate in peaceful demonstrations to demand the activists’ safe return.
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), commonly known as the cybercrime law, was passed in 2016 in order to control the levels of cybercrime in the country. But, as feared by civil society organizations, the law has since been used to curb freedom of speech by restraining dissent on online platforms.
Secular Pakistanis argue that religion has become a weapon for anyone to silence dissent. They argue that laws  — such as the cybercrime law — are being used to derail people from expressing their views against the atrocities of state and security agencies.
These sentiments have a place in history: when British colonial rule concluded in the subcontinent 70 years ago, two independent nations came into existence — Pakistan and India. The penal code that was eventually enacted in Pakistan was originally drafted by British rulers in 1860.
While this was rehashed to suit Islamic principles, the gist of the legislation remained the same and after several amendments, the current version is the concoction of Islamic jurisprudence under the shadow of English laws, reinforcing the British colonial mindset and the protection they put forth to control citizens.
One example of this was the amendments to the Constitution of Pakistan in 1985. The infamous dictator, Zia-ul-Haq, who was known for his Islamist sentiments, enforced this law. This not only strengthened the banned militant groups, it harmed the democratic system of Pakistan. These laws, even though they were periodically passed and protected in the name of safeguarding citizens’ constitutional rights, have been, in practice, sheltering the vested interests of the rich and powerful in public office to this day.
Pakistan has long been ranked one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists, and with the decades-long ‘War on Terror’ that the country has witnessed, people's mobility and freedom of expression have been further reduced to the margins of the imagination.
The most viable way that citizens find themselves manifesting their concerns to a larger audience — and to the lawmakers in particular — has been through online platforms. However, recent attacks on online dissent, in the name of protecting national security or the glory of Islam, have caused fear amongst the public.
The crackdown on dissent and the enforced disappearances of human rights activists is validation enough that the passage of draconian laws and their out of context implementation frequently scrape what is left of freedom of expression for the people of Pakistan.
In the midst of political upheaval, anger over persistent injustice, and attempts to silence the few and vulnerable voices offering alternative narratives to the largely conservative discourse, the last thing citizens of any country might want is to fear for their safety. Yet, in Pakistan, it seems they must.

author: Anushe Noor


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Honduran Electoral Controversy Resolved, but the Crisis is Far from Over · Global Voices
Melissa Vida

“Hondurans expressing their opposition to Manuel Zelaya and Hugo Chavez.” Photography taken in 2009 by Enrique Galeano Morales, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.
After days of violent protests, crackdowns, and challenged curfews, the vote recount in Honduras named Juan Orlando Hernandez the incumbent president.
Hernandez's campaign had been contested by Salvador Nasralla from the opposition party who claimed to have won the election after a series of significant irregularities during the vote count. The recount process put the country in suspense for over a week.
Protests continue as Salvador Nasralla and his supporters claim to have won the elections and denounce fraud.
Since November 26, the day of the elections in which both candidates claimed to have won, the confrontation sparked massive demonstrations in which tens of thousands of Hondurans took the streets of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) claim at least 16 people have died in clashes with security forces, 115 injured, and many protesters have been detained.
¡Yo vine porque quise, a mí no me pagaron! #FueraJOH#ladictaduravacaer#FraudeElectoralEnHonduraspic.twitter.com/s95HMt9F0l
— Natalia Díaz (@natyMondragon) December 3, 2017
I came because I wanted to. No one payed me.
#FueraJOH
Blvd FF.AA#cacerolazoHonduras @SALVADORNASRALA @SalvadorAlianza @unetvhn pic.twitter.com/pHzb2zKD4c
— Jürgen S. Flores (@jurgensteven) December 5, 2017
Despite the recounting results, the election controversy has re-opened wounds that were not yet healed after the coup d'etat of 2009. Suspicion lingers in the air with strong allegations of irregularities both in the counting and the recounting process.
Salvador Nasralla, the 64-year-old television presenter who leads the Opposition Alliance against Dictatorship (La Alianza), a coalition of parties opposed to Hernandez, had called on his supporters to flood the streets to “defend the vote,” refusing to recognize the outcome of preliminary results.
During a curfew set to control the protests, security forces were amped up. International journalists were deported and protestors were killed (at least 16 people) in a series of crackdowns that were deemed “illegal and dangerous” by Amnesty International.
Parts of the security apparatus, notably the elite COBRA police unit, went on strike, refusing to enforce the curfew in a bid to stay neutral until the political situation resolved. At the same time, despite the curfew, people were banging pots and pans inside their houses in mass cacerolazos, a popular form of protest across Latin America, which then continue out onto the street:
Así se escuchan las cacerolas en Tegucigalpa #CacerolazoHonduras pic.twitter.com/tFKqTpcv8d
— Noti Bomba (@notibomba) December 7, 2017
This is the sound of pans in Tegucigalpa.
The contested election has plunged the nation into one of the worst political crises since the 2009 coup d’état, when former president Manuel Zelaya organized a referendum to authorize his running for a second term, which is prohibited in the Honduran constitution.
The Supreme Court ordered the Honduran army to expel Zelaya, a curfew was placed, and the crisis resulted in one of the worst human rights’ violations in Honduras’ recent history. As a result, the coup ushered in almost a decade of National Party rule in Honduras. The situation seems to repeat itself today, as Juan Orlando Hernández is also seeking to run for a second term in spite of the limitations set by the constitution, and also under the shadow of constant attacks on journalists, human rights defenders, and environmental activists.
In an interview with Upside Down World, Bertha Oliva, co-founder and director of the Honduran human rights organization COFADEH, believes Hernández has contributed to the consolidation of a dictatorship:
On one hand, he has absolute control of all of the institutions of the state. On the other hand, he has created and strengthened military forces. Instead of having schools, instead of having medical centers, instead of securing work and healthcare, what you have is more military units, more soldiers in the battalions, with very sophisticated weapons to fight as if we were in war. What we have also seen is (the creation of) detention centers, prisons, as well as other penitentiaries we call permanent torture centers. The people are in the streets because they can’t take it anymore. Because they denied people their rights.
For certain analysts, the crisis of Hondura's democracy has tight links with US influence. The countries are long-term allies, and this has been translated into aid to strengthen elite armed forces in Honduras as well as political alliances to control organized crime, drug trafficking, and migration.
In recent years, president Hernandez has been backed up by the United States in a “military-led crackdown” against gang violence.
Meanwhile, Honduran society is deeply divided. In contrast to other leaders who at least allude to unity, Juan Orlando Hernandez speaks only in terms of his own political party against the others. His campaign speeches have often included appeals to a “united blue front,” a reference to the color of the National Party, and seldom reaches out to everyday citizens.
Media outlets are similarly polarized, with the majority of organizations supporting the National Party agenda while a minority are staunchly oppositional, leaving no source that is widely trusted by both sides.
Supporters of La Alianza, Nasralla's party, accuse the other side of ushering in an authoritarian regime by hypocritically abandoning their previous opposition to re-election and having little regard for democratic norms and processes.
However, National Party supporters widely see Nasralla as a puppet of Manuel Zelaya, a central figure inside La Alianza, and frequently use Venezuela as a cautionary tale of what they say will happen if their leftist policies are enacted.

author: Melissa Vida


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Political Uncertainty as Protests Spread in Ethiopia · Global Voices
Endalkachew Chala

Students in Nekemte, a town in Western Ethiopian mourning for people killed in Chelenko, used by permission
At least 15 people were killed on December 11, 2017, when members of the Ethiopian Defense Force fired on peaceful protesters. The demonstration was prompted by the killing of an individual by members of security forces of Ethiopia’s Somali Region, in the latest chapter of a longstanding border dispute between Ethiopia’s two largest states — Oromia and Ethiopian Somali in Eastern Ethiopia.
According to reports from local authorities, one person died after being transferred to the hospital following the attack, and more than 12 were injured in the violence which began in Chelenko, a district town in eastern Oromia:
As journalists managed to get more details, this news from the BBC Afaan Oromoo says five people of the same family were among the #Chelenko victims in east Hararghe of #Oromia region who were shot dead by members of the national defense forces on Monday https://t.co/2kP7K7UdDL pic.twitter.com/cvfhWSoKgM
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) December 14, 2017
Reports on social media said that members of the Ethiopian Defense Force fired live bullets on peaceful demonstrators. The Ethiopian government has released a belated statement on the incident, but in an unusual move, the party governing Oromia — the Oromo People Democratic Organization (OPDO), a member of Ethiopia's governing coalition, the Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) — released a strong statement accusing members of the Ethiopian Defense Force of violating the Ethiopian Constitution and vowing to investigate the killing of peaceful protesters:
In a single presser, Oromia regional communication bureau slams PM Hailemariam and defense force for causing Chelenqo massacre. The bureau has called the Oromia region's security forces to prepare for any kind of sacrifice. #Ethiopia #OromoProtests pic.twitter.com/KkkKgTmn3C
— Atnaf Brhane (@AtnafB) December 15, 2017
Some suggested that the statement is merely a symbolic initiative. Others considered it as a signal of the power struggle raging within the multi-ethnic governing coalition, the EPRDF, which comprises four ethnic-based parties: the Tigrayan People Liberation Front (TPLF), the Oromo People Democratic Organization (OPDO), the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) and the Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (SEPDM):
TPLF's sham coalition EPRDF in disarray—OPDO walked out of the CC meeting, ANDM also followed today. This TPLF machination has certainly run out of steam. TPLF must go! The country needs orderly transition before it's too late. #OromoProtests #OromoRevolution #Ethiopia
— Girma Gutema℠ (@Abbaacabsa) December 12, 2017
The power struggle involving the four EPRDF parties has been simmering since last summer. The row between the Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO) and the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), was exposed when Abdula, the speaker of the Ethiopian Parliament and a prominent member of the OPDO, resigned from his position in October:
The TPLF apartheid like regime propagandist redefines the English definition of a ‘minority’. To misquote the famous saying, “two things are infinite: the universe and TPLF'S stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.” pic.twitter.com/fVSJNzZoo6
— Ethiopian Think Tank (@EthiopianThinkT) December 15, 2017
Power is heavily concentrated among members of the TPLF. However, there is some fear that if the OPDO continues down this road, it will be looking to defend itself using weapons, which could plunge Ethiopia into a civil war that will make the current conflict seem like just fisticuffs:
#Ethiopia‘s TPLF leadership should seriously consider requesting US Government mediation to organize a conference among all parties that will produce new democratic dispensation – before law and order collapse completely.
— Herman J. Cohen (@CohenOnAfrica) December 12, 2017
Despite the fact that the Oromo and Somali people who live along the border of Oromia and the Ethiopian Somali regions share close familial, religious and cultural ties, tensions are high along most of the disputed 1,000 km border. A brutal crackdown on the Oromo community living in Ethiopia’s Somali region has triggered a massive humanitarian catastrophe in eastern Ethiopia. By now, roughly 50,000 Oromos have fled into Ethiopia’s historical town, Harar, since last August.
Protests raged elsewhere in Ethiopia as well. A clash between followers of two football clubs from Ethiopia's northern states, Amhara and Tigray, led to the death of a football fan from Tigray, which in turn caused episodes of violence in three universities located in the Amhara, Oromia and Tigray regional states. Last week saw one particularly violent night at Adigrat University (situated in the Tigray region), where a student from the Amhara region was killed. Gruesome images of the victim subsequently went viral on social media:
Political uncertainty in #Ethiopia as fresh #OromoProtests spread in response to state-sponsored killings of civilians in Oromia and student clashes in parts of the Amhara state. https://t.co/bW7DRGh9aX
— Mohammed Ademo (@OPride) December 12, 2017
In what appears to be reprisals, two students from Tigray were reportedly killed at Welega University, located in the Oromia region. The number of incidents and casualties, as well as the number of people involved and the ethnic tone of the conflict over the past few days, has raised the prospect of even greater violence in Ethiopia, according to analysts. The Ethiopian government grudgingly characterizes the recent unrest as ethnic conflict, but also points the finger at diaspora-based activists and social media. However, opposition groups argue that Tigrayan politicians instigated the violence as a tool to maintain the status quo:
Commenting on the recent clashes inside univ. campuses he said they were different from previous demands of univ students that were attended to by the gov. The recent clashes have taken a clear ethnic dynamics & have resulted in the killings of students, Dr. Negeri further said. pic.twitter.com/GCtAeQiNJs
— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) December 15, 2017
On December 13, mobile internet services and social media services were cut off in most parts of the country in an attempt to avert the deepening crisis.

author: Endalkachew Chala


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#FreeNganang: Cameroonian Writer Patrice Nganang Detained in a Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

Patrice Nganang at the Paris Book Fair, by Georges Seguin CC BY-SA 3.0
The writer Patrice Nganang was detained on Wednesday 6 December in Douala, Cameroon for publishing an online report about a visit he made to his home country. His report highlighted the tense situation in a region accused by President Biya of Cameroon of being a base for terrorist groups.
The crisis in the Anglophone region began at the end of 2016 when its representatives complained of the under-representation of their regions in the principal institutions of the country such as schools and government departments. Twenty percent of Cameroon's population is Anglophone (English-speaking) while the rest are mainly French-speaking.
The crisis has become entrenched with Anglophone lawyers and teachers striking over demands for more respect for the English language as the nation's official language used in all government documents. In October 2017, protests led to violent breakouts causing the death of at least seventeen people.
Patrice Nganang is well known for his trenchant positions on numerous subjects of Cameroonian and African society.  For example, his book ‘Contre Biya’ (‘Against Biya’), encourages young Cameroonians to “demonstrate their citizenship:” Nganang writes:
We don't need to teach courage to the young.  They already have it.  I see so many people go to prison for their ideas.  To accept tyranny is to abdicate.
Nganang has also questioned development matters in other African nations, including the decision of civil society activists such as Aminata Traoré (Mali) to come out in favor of pro-coup elements among the soldiers.
Patrice Nganang was detained at Douala airport in Cameroon just as he was about to embark for Harare, capital of Zimbabwe. He faces charges of threats against the president of the republic, illegal immigration, and fraud.
Solidarity with the writer-activist is being organized via social media.  A petition demanding his immediate release has been published by a collective of writers and has already been signed by 6,992 users as of 15 December.  A crowdsourcing platform has also been set up to help his friends meet lawyers’ fees.
The following Al Jazeera video published on 13 December 2017 summarizes the facts leading up to the writer's arrest:
The petition from a group of mostly African writers describes Patrice Nganang's impact and personality:
Critique féroce et conscience qui ne s’agenouille pas, il a fondé le mouvement « Génération Change » et entreprend depuis plusieurs années tout un travail aussi bien sur le terrain que dans son écriture, dénonçant les immobilismes, fustigeant les pouvoirs corrupteurs. On peut le traiter de fou, on peut ne pas être d’accord avec lui mais il est inacceptable de continuer à traiter ainsi ceux, artistes, écrivains ou autres, qui accomplissent ce qu’ils croient être juste, un devoir citoyen de sortir son pays du marasme où il se trouve.
A fierce critic and an unbending conscience, he founded the movement ‘Generation Change’ and has for some years laboured away, on the ground as much as in his writing, at exposing the political stalemate and castigating corruption in power.  You can call him mad, you can disagree with him, but it is unacceptable to continue to mete out such treatment to those artists, writers or others, who fulfil, as they see it, their rightful civic duty to drag their country out of its current mire.
Boris Bertolt, a Cameroonian journalist for Actu Cameroun (News from Cameroon in English) and a friend of the writer, addressed the following open letter to him:
Voilà bientôt une semaine que tu as été kidnappé dans des conditions grotesques et es détenu par l’appareil répressif et oppressif de la plus vieille tyrannie d’Afrique. Quand je pense tous les jours, toutes les nuits à toi, à ta douleur, à ta souffrance. J’ai mal de mon impuissance de te sortir par tous les moyens des bras de la tyrannie. Le Cameroun a véritablement besoin d’intellectuels engagés résolument au service du peuple, des opprimés. Au Cameroun, tu appartiens à cette catégorie. Les intellectuels libérateurs. Ceux-là qui sacrifient leur temps, énergie, leur argent, la famille, les enfants pour construire le changement.
It will soon be a week since you were kidnapped in grotesque circumstances, and locked up by the repressive and oppressive machinery of the oldest tyranny in Africa.  When I think daily, nightly, of you, of your grief, of your suffering, it is with painful awareness of my powerlessness to pull you free, by whatever means, from the hands of tyranny.  Cameroon so needs intellectuals resolutely committed to the service of the people, the oppressed.  In Cameroon, you belong to that category:  liberationist intellectuals.  Those who sacrifice their times, their energy, their money, their families, their children, to build change.
Jean-Michel Devésa, a Professor of French Literature in France, has also written an open letter, addressed to the French President Emmanuel Macron:
Sa famille et ses proches sont sans aucune nouvelle de lui. Le sort de ce collègue avec lequel je travaille et que j’ai édité cette année m’inquiète au plus haut point. Je vous demande par la présente de faire en sorte que notre pays interroge par voie diplomatique, et selon les usages, la Présidence camerounaise afin d’avoir des nouvelles de Patrice Nganang, de savoir s’il est sain et sauf, et de connaître son lieu de détention s’il est détenu.Je vous prie en outre de faire le nécessaire pour que Patrice Nganang soit libéré sans plus attendre, attendu que sa « disparition » et le cas échéant sa détention arbitraire porte atteinte à ses droits fondamentaux.
His family and his friends are without any news of him.  The fate of a personal work colleague, whose work I had the privilege to edit this year, is of the highest concern to me.  I urge you by this letter to hold the Cameroonian Presidency to account, through all the usual diplomatic channels at our country's disposal, for sharing news of Patrice Nganang, so we may know if he is safe and sound, and his place of detention, if he is detained.  I ask you further to do what you can to secure Patrice Nganang's freedom without further delay, seeing as his “disappearance” and, if such is the case, his arbitrary detention, stands in violation of his basic rights.
Nganang is confirmed to be detained in the Maximum Security Prison of Kondengui in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
A few Twitter users have voiced their concerns via the hashtag #freengagang. Cameroonian influential tech expert Rebecca Enonchong wrote:
People! This could be any of us tomorrow! When regimes start silencing intellectuals, they silence truth. Let’s stand up for @nganang! #Cameroon. https://t.co/13BnSYNvF0
— Rebecca Enonchong (@africatechie) December 7, 2017
Julie Owono, Cameroonian Global Voices contributor also wrote:
Cameroonian writer, professor, activist Patrice @nganang was arrested in Douala, Cameroon, and taken to undisclosed location. This important voice in the #anglophonecrisis must be released, #activismisnotacrime #freeNganang pic.twitter.com/2wDSQHmupM
— julieowono (@JulieOwono) December 7, 2017

author: Rakotomalala


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Initiatives for Environmental Activism Take Off in Cuba · Global Voices
Periodismo de Barrio

The Center for Education and Promotion for Sustainable Development (CEPRODESO) is an environmental coalition with a legacy of commitment to policy influence (Photo: Ramón Crespo. Used with permission)
*This article was originally published in Barrio Journalism (Periodismo de Barrio). Read the original version here and other articles by Ramón Crespo Hernández here.
The Center for Education and Promotion for Sustainable Development (CEPRODESO) first launched its efforts in the early 2000s in communities within protected areas around Vueltabajo, a tobacco-growing region in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio. At that time, locals were asked to cease logging and hunting but were not offered viable alternatives in harmony with their customs.
Those individuals had accumulated a lifetime of knowledge through co-existing with nature, and our work was to (re)build a wider collective knowledge. Our aim was to dismantle harmful behaviors, so we started by asking them what changes they wanted at that present moment and constructing a plan for their future
said Juan Francisco Santos Estévez, organization coordinator. He added:
We define environmental education as a process that enables people to raise their level of competence in order to establish forms of sustainable interaction with the world.
The organization perceives nature as a relationship among equals and asserts that it's the ideal way to build a society that loves and respects all forms of life and, in turn, respects itself.
“Political ecology,” explains Santos, is “to regard nature as subject to the same rights as human beings, a concept that can be difficult because it challenges the anthropocentric view to which we have become accustomed.”
Santos continued that Western culture sees the environment as a source of goods made available for humanity’s use. Therefore, people have a tendency to talk about natural resources using economic terms, when in reality they are referring to living organisms and ecosystems, not objects for consumption.
To change that mentality, CEPRODESO bases their educational philosophy on the tenets of Brazilian pedagogue Paulo Freire.
With a more developed campaign than the early days of its inception, CEPRODESO offers children’s workshops, accompanies delegates from people’s councils, and promotes academic research and an alternative communication program, all in the quest to boost social responsibility mobilization.
Created in 1999, CEPRODESO still comprises six specialists who share a commitment to participatory environmental management and political ecology. A subsidiary under the Center for Environmental Services, the group has been involved with dozens of ventures, movements and organizations across Cuba and the Americas for the last 18 years.
Their well-known “big brothers” are TECMA (Environmental Street Theater) and CREA (How I Build Environmental Education), collectives trained in popular environmental education methodology that work within in the greater national network of educators at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in the United States.
Santos explains:
What we do requires a multi-front effort from organizations, entities, and civil society.
In addition to these activities, CEPRODESO convenes the biannual Latin American Meeting of Experiences in Popular Environmental Education to discuss issues pertinent to the common agenda of Cubans.
The seventh conference brought together over one hundred people from across the Caribbean and Latin America. Representatives of organizations such as the Landless Rural Workers Movement, the World Women’s March, the Saddlebag Network and Friends of the Earth International attended to speak face to face with Cuban counterparts.
Despite low media turnout due to hosting its sessions in western Pinar del Rio, far from Havana, Cuba's capital, the meeting addressed some of the most urgent environmental problems for the region such as the commodification of nature, salinization, biodiversity loss, environmental public policies, and anti-extractivism of minerals and other ressources.

author: Periodismo de Barrio


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The Campaigning Dead: Deceased Users’ Profiles Post Pro-Putin Messages on a Russian Social Network · Global Voices
Alexey Kovalev

Hundreds of identical pro-Putin messages were posted on Vkontakte, a Russian social network; many of the users whose profiles posted these messages are deceased. Collage by author Alexey Kovalev
On December 6, before Vladimir Putin’s annual press conference when he finally announced he will run for president in 2018, Vkontakte, a major Russian social network, was awash with messages praising the president. Quotes from the news conference were posted by hundreds of Vkontakte users with the hashtag #ПутинКрут (#PutinIsCool).
There was just one problem: many of those users have long been dead. Those who knew the owners of these reanimated Vkontakte pages when they were alive were shocked to see their friends’ and relatives’ pages resume activity after months and years since their final messages.
One woman, whose Vkontakte profile featured a recent pro-Putin message, hasn't posted anything for years. A few days ago, however, her profile suddenly came back to life, posting a Putin quote with the hashtag #ПутинКрут on several Vkontakte community pages. Someone, presumably her relatives who still had access to her account, posted a message informing her followers that Lyudmila passed away in 2013.
Most of these Vkontakte accounts belonging to deceased Russians now posting pro-Putin messages have been promptly suspended. When approached by reporters for comment, Vkontakte’s management said these accounts had been hacked by unknown perpetrators.
Unsurprisingly, many Russian users were unimpressed with such questionable campaigning tactics:
История с массовой публикацией тега #ПутинКрут во Вконтакте с аккаунтов умерших людей настолько мерзкая, что я даже не знаю, что они там будут творить когда кампания официально начнется. Так-то дно уже пробито.
— Wylsacom (@wylsacom) 17 декабря 2017 г.
The case of mass posting of messages with the hashtag #ПутинКрут on Vkontakte from dead people's profiles is so disgusting that I can't even imagine what filth they'll come up with when the campaign officially kicks off. In any case, we've hit rock bottom long ago.
«В российской соцсети обнаружили записи с хештегом #ПутинКрут со страниц давно умерших людей»
Поистине народная поддержка, даже мертвые за царя
— Сталингулаг (@StalinGulag) 17 декабря 2017 г.
“Messages from long deceased users with the hashtag #ПутинКрут were found on Vkontakte, a Russian social media network”.
This is what truly popular support looks like: even the dead are for the tsar.
Many of the images with Putin quotes posted by dead users’ profiles bore the logo of Molodaya Gvardiya (The Young Guard of United Russia), the youth arm of Russia’s ruling party. Responding to reporters’ questions about the incident, the organization's spokesperson Anna Rogacheva denied any involvement and blamed the “zombie” messages on ‘unknown provocateurs’.
Molodaya Gvardia's history as a pro-Putin youth movement has been mired in controversy. In 2010, two activists, one of whom later went on to become a member of the Russian parliament, were exposed after setting a bush on fire and pretending to put it out while furiously tweeting about it— amid a national wildfire crisis.
One of the movement's leaders, now a major political operator in the ruling party, is alleged to have ordered a brutal attack on a prominent journalist.
Looking back at Molodaya Gvardia's checkered reputation, not many were convinced by spokesperson Rogacheva's argument:
\\МГЕР заявила о непричастности к распространению данных от лица умерших пользователей\\
Кто бы сомневался.Конечно это мертвые с косами воскресли, только чтобы в сетях выразить свою любовь к вождю. Чет “Мертвые души” вспомнились.Комедь?
— IrinaKingsize (@irina_kingsize) 17 декабря 2017 г.
\\Youth Guard of United Russia claims they have nothing to do with messages posted from dead users’ accounts\\
But of course. The dead rose from the ground with their scythes in hand just to express their love towards our leader. [Nikolay Gogol's famous novel] The Dead Souls comes to mind. It's such a comedy?

author: Alexey Kovalev


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The Hypocrisy of the Philippines National Police Human Rights Mobile App · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

The PNP “Know Your Rights” mobile app's Google Play app store page.
On December 4, the Philippine National Police (PNP) launched a human rights mobile app that purportedly aims to help police and civilians know their rights. But human rights activists criticized this move as “a perfect example of hypocrisy” that cannot whitewash the PNP’s notoriously bad human rights record.
Downloadable from the Google Play Store, the PNP app contains information on the Miranda doctrine that refers to a suspect’s right to remain silent, rules on conducting checkpoints, crowd control operations, implementing arrest warrants, search warrants, custodial investigations, the right against torture, and the rights of those arrested, detained, or subjected to custodial investigation, among others.
PNP’s “Know Your Rights” app was launched a day before President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police force back to his brutal “war on drugs,” just two months after he excluded them from the campaign following an uproar over the killings of teenagers.
International human rights day protest in Manila last December 10. Photo by Ron Mesa, used with permission.
Human rights groups say the anti-drug campaign, Duterte's centerpiece program, has claimed the lives of approximately 13,000 people accused of small-time drug peddling or suspected drug use who were brutally murdered by police and state-sponsored vigilantes.
The PNP app does not impress human rights advocates amidst the continual pile-up of murders linked to Duterte’s “war on drugs,” anti-Moro “war on terrorism,” and “all-out war” counterinsurgency operations against the country’s communist revolutionary movement.
Cristina Palabay of the human rights group Karapatan says:
Their ‘Know Your Rights’ app is a perfect example of hypocrisy because the only application that is known to the PNP is the application of torture, the application of the policy of extrajudicial killings, the application of illegal arrests and trumped up charges, the application of injustice, and overall, the propagation of the virus of impunity.
Majority of the victims of tokhang (anti-drug operation) are urban poor residents. Photo by Ciriaco Santiago, used with permission.
Netizens and the country’s Commission on Human Rights have also raised concerns over the app’s alleged intrusion into the user’s right to privacy. Tech writer Art Samaniego, Jr. asked in a Facebook post why installing the app requires special permission to access the user’s phone calls and phone log, SMS messages, and even photos and other media files:
I see red flags in “Know your rights” app of the Philippine National Police. If it's purpose is just to “provide relevant information for the general public and all PNP personnel on human rights” then, why does it need to access my SMS, check my phone logs and view and use my photos and videos?
The Department of Information and Communications Technology has since reportedly asked the PNP to update the app so that it no longer asks users access to private information. But even as the tech news beat have vetted the app to be relatively safe for download, the bigger issue Filipino rights advocates maintain remains the Duterte administration’s blatant disregard for human rights:
It doesn’t matter how many online apps the PNP intends to launch on human rights, nor how many copies of human rights manuals they disseminate. These cannot erase the irrefutable fact that offline and on the ground, they are among the foremost rights violators in the country.
Students depicting repression of people's rights under Duterte during the December 10 international human rights day rally in Manila. Photo by Ron Mesa, used with permission.

author: Karlo Mongaya


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For Those Seeking Refuge in Trinidad and Tobago, State Support Is Lacking · Global Voices
Jason Nathu

Screenshot from the YouTube video of the 2017/2018 Human Rights Law Clinic Schools Tour.
The history of the Caribbean is one that has always been rooted in migration. The First Peoples traveled from island to island to support themselves. The Europeans crossed the Atlantic for conquest and colonisation. Slaves and indentured labourers were brought to the region from Africa and India. And in the modern era, there has been movement throughout the islands in the spirit of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), a development strategy that allows the free movement of skilled CARICOM nationals as a means of deepening regional economic integration.
But in Trinidad and Tobago, this history doesn't mean that there are all the essential structures in place to welcome those who migrate. When it comes to refugees and asylum-seekers, Trinidad and Tobago currently has no legislation to deal with them, regardless of its assession to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees. Despite a 2014 draft policy on the issue, refugees and asylum-seekers cannot legally work, have a bank account, or get a driver's licence, and there are problems with refugees and asylum-seekers accessing health care, affordable shelter, and many basic human rights, including rights of redress if a crime is committed against them.
The plight of migrants in Trinidad and Tobago has come into sharp focus recently thanks to the story of a group of Cuban migrants living on the street in an apparent protest outside the local office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). And as the crisis in nearby Venezuela deepens, there is growing concern that the Caribbean region will experience an influx of refugees as never seen before.
In an October 2017 article in the Forced Migration Review, authors Rochelle Nakhid and Andrew Welch gave some insight on the issue of asylum seekers and refugees in Trinidad and Tobago:
Asylum seekers and refugees in Trinidad and Tobago come from six main countries – Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Bangladesh, Jamaica, Colombia and Nigeria – representing a mix of both regional and extra-regional refugees. Previously, the majority hailed from Cuba and Syria but as of 2017 Venezuelans became the second largest group of asylum seekers. However, refugees and asylum seekers also represent many other countries of origin such as Pakistan, Congo, Mali, Sudan and Uganda. More widely, according to UNHCR statistics dated March 2017, the number of refugees and asylum seekers in the Caribbean region rose by 50% between 2015 and 2016. The top ten countries of origin in descending order are El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Syria, Jamaica and Bangladesh.
Nakhid is the Coordinator of the Living Water Community's Ministry for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (LWC), which is an implementing agency for UNHCR and provides critical support for an ever-increasing number of people seeking safe haven in the country.
Under the Trinidad and Tobago Immigration Act, when asylum seekers register with UNHCR through LWC, the Immigration Division grants them an order of supervision with a reporting requirement. This allows asylum seekers avoid detention so long as they comply with the country's laws and seems a better approach than the previous requirement of paying a bond.
However, a recent case from the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago has indirectly called into question the legality of the current use of orders of supervision for asylum seekers and refugees. The stakeholders are due to meet to discuss the implications of this decision and to look at alternative solutions.
In its editorial of Sunday December 17, 2017, the Trinidad Express newspaper called for an update to the country's refugee policy:
It is one thing to declare doors and arms open to those in need, but the welcome needs to be anchored in an integrated and effective support system that addresses such matters as housing, education, physical and mental health, financial support and services of all kinds.
Instead of leaving them to fend for themselves with the support of family and friends, the State should have seen a critical role for itself in ongoing monitoring, support and facilitation.
The perception that some refugees and asylum-seekers are responsible for increases in crime, decease job opportunities for nationals or are a “burden on the state” can lead to discrimination against and victimisation and persecution of displaced people in general.
Human rights advocates have been striving to change that perception in Trinidad and Tobago.
Attorney-at-law and human rights blogger, Jean-Marc Morris, commented on the issue from a human rights perspective:
Human rights are intrinsic to all human beings. The rights of all human beings, especially those most vulnerable, for example refugees, ought to be fearlessly protected. Thankfully, the general public here in Trinidad and Tobago has not resorted to the uninformed rhetoric that refugees and migrants are here to steal jobs and increase the crime rate. For the most part, it can be said that we have been very welcoming. Incorporating refugees and migrants into our society, many of whom are highly skilled professionals and experienced entrepreneurs, will undoubtedly have a positive impact on our society and economy.
But it has been reported that asylum-seekers and refugees have been abused, harassed and disrespected (even by the Trinidad and Tobago police), faced racial and religious discrimination, and been exploited as illegal workers in the underground economy.
The Cubans who are protesting outside the Port of Spain UNHCR office may even find that their actions have the potential to fuel the negative stigma associated with migrants. Nakhid, in a  recent newspaper interview, said the Cuban refugees had an “excellent” lodging arrangement at the Mount St Benedict monastery, where they were paying TT $500 (about US $74) per month for eight to 10 people. However, they “took advantage of the situation” by being loud, having parties and being “disrespectful”, and were given two months’ notice to leave. Nakhid explained, “The group wants us [LWC] to do everything for them. We encourage them to be self-reliant.”
The article went on to say that a local spokesperson for the group told the newspaper that they received an interview with UNHCR recently, but they are refusing to leave until they see movement with the processing of their documents.
The contentious issue of accepting “foreigners” into the country is not a new one. After the passage of Hurricane Maria in September 2017, national debate sparked after the country's prime minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, offered accommodation to Dominican hurricane victims whose homes had been destroyed.
In 2017, the Human Rights Law Clinic of the Hugh Wooding Law School, which is is working with LWC on various projects to bolster advocacy on the issue of national integration of refugees and asylum-seekers, chose this issue as its central area of focus for the 2017/2018 academic year.
Among its projects are the creation of a cultural orientation curriculum for asylum-seekers; a website to provide critical information about seeking asylum as well as a secure space for migrants to obtain accommodation, health and educational opportunities; and a documentary exploring the difficulties involved in accessing schooling for migrant children.
Students of the clinic visited eight schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago to discuss — in a user-friendly format — the concept of human rights as it relates to those forced to flee their home country:
The law students also advocated for the rights of asylum-seekers and refugees on local television:
Finally, the future attorneys created a series of public service announcements in an attempt to dispel the misconceptions associated with refugees and asylum-seekers in Trinidad and Tobago. But while public education remains critical in the assisting persecuted migrants to assimilate into society, there remains a substantial responsibility on the shoulders of the state to ensure that national obligations are met:
Nakhid and Welch concluded:
Arguably, like any other State, Trinidad and Tobago should ensure that basic legal obligations are met and access to asylum facilitated, despite not yet having domestic legislation in place. It should provide humanitarian assistance to those in need in a way that respects the dignity and security of all persons. While putting its existing capacities and resources to use to effectively and efficiently guarantee the protection of refugees and all persons on its territory, its own limitations as a Small Island Developing State should be acknowledged, including its ongoing recession. Where Trinidad and Tobago falls short of being able to provide protection for the growing number of asylum seekers, the international community should consider how to provide appropriate, adequate support to ensure that those protection needs are met. The entire Caribbean could certainly benefit from additional international support.

author: Jason Nathu


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In Lebanon, Civil Society Groups Are Launching a New Waste Management Coalition · Global Voices
Christophe Maroun

Photo of the press conference announcing the launch of the Waste Management Coalition on December 14, 2017. Photo by Bassam Khawaja, used with permission.
Just over two years after the country was halted by an uncontrolled waste crisis, a new waste management coalition has been announced in Lebanon which aims to pressure the government to find sustainable solutions for the still unsolved trash problem. The coalition, which will go by the simple name, ‘Waste Management Coalition’, consists of multiple environmental organizations and civil society groups, according to the Francophone daily L'Orient-Le-Jour.
The groups participating in the coalition are Beirut Madinati, the volunteer-led campaign to elect a municipal council of politically unaffiliated individuals in May 2016, as well as several NGOs and Civil Society groups such as: Cedar Environmental, Green Area, Greenpeace, AUB Nature Conservation Center, Recycle Lebanon, TERRE Liban, Badna Nhaseb (We Want Accountability), Choueifat Madinati, Sohet Wladna Khatt Ahmar (Our Kids’ Health is a Red Line) and Muntada Insan.
Logo of the Waste Management Coalition. Source: Website.
Also joining the coalition is the ‘You Stink’ Movement, a loosely organized protest movement that started in 2015 in response to the government's inability to replace the Naameh landfill that received waste from Beirut and the Mount Lebanon's region (an area where roughly half of the Lebanese population resides).
The announcement was made during a press conference at Greenpeace's Beirut headquarters at the same time the government was debating and postponing the decision to expand the two coastal landfills in the Costa Brava and Borj Hammoud areas that were part of the authorities’ short-term emergency plan to deal with this crisis in March 2016.
News of the coalition came just days after the release of Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s report and video denouncing the waste crisis’ health impacts.
The report, released on December 1, focused on the health effects from the burning of open dumpsites that have proliferated since the waste crisis. This type of open waste burning is linked to severe impacts on human health, from heart conditions and cancer to skin diseases, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses.
The coalition's main objective is to pressure the authorities responsible for solid waste management in Lebanon to produce and apply a sustainable strategy that relies on integrated solid waste management. The group is demanding that the government implement the reduction of waste generation at the source, the reuse and recycling of waste and finally disposal using the appropriate techniques that comply with national and international environmental regulations.
Press conference at Berytech: @BeirutMadinati launches with other groups a Waste Management Coalition to advocate for viable solutions. Amazing when citizens are so competent and their rulers not! pic.twitter.com/LQ8ZLY0VOY
— Mona Fawaz (@mona_fawaz) December 14, 2017
Soulaïma Chamat, a professor at the faculty of medicine at the public Lebanese University, asserted during the press conference that the coalition will use all its available means to pressure the government and concerned administrations to adopt and implement an efficient strategy for waste management, insisting on the negative effects this crisis has on public health and on the importance of raising awareness in the future work of the coalition.
Despite numerous warnings, the Lebanese government is still in denial about the possibility of a new trash crisis. With the Minister of Environment recently denying the existence of such a trash crisis, stating that people should not be alarmed as trash would not come back to the streets.
The activist group ‘Megaphone’ released a photo of the Minister's quote in English and Arabic with the caption:
The Minister of Environment's statement ignores that in 2018 the temporary landfills (originally scheduled for 2020) will reach capacity
The Minister's quote published by ‘Megaphone’ on their Facebook Page on December 10, 2017. Used with permission.
Speaking to Global Voices, Bassam Khawaja, Lebanese researcher at Human Rights Watch said that “the government should listen to what this coalition and the Lebanese people are saying,” adding that:
They want a long term sustainable waste management solution that respects people’s right to health and a safe environment—not more short term emergency plans that leave most of Lebanon littered with burning piles of garbage.
Hanadi Nasser, an activist with the ‘You Stink’ movement, explained to Global Voices why the planned incinerators are not the way to go:
The [planned] incinerators will jeopardise people's lives with their toxic ashes and its not clear what they're going to do about them and where they are planning to get rid of them. You Stink wants to be part of the coalition to pressure the government and the municipalities to work on our demands and to establish sustainable environmental solutions based on recycling, and reducing waste.
As for Greenpeace, this was their statement to Global Voices:
Greenpeace Arab World and all members of the WMC hope that by mobilising enough people power and by using all available tools such as legal actions, peaceful protest, awareness campaigns and on-ground initiatives, enough pressure will be applied on the authorities leaving them no choice but to back down from their current and planned activities (coastal dumps, incinerators…) which are nothing less than an ecocide.
According to their website, the coalition's objectives are divided into four main categories.
First, on the technical level, the coalition wants to put up a fight against the incinerator proposal and the open burning currently taking place, pressuring the government to instead adopt a strategy of waste reduction at the source.
Second, on the legislative level, the aim is to pressure the government to abide by and enforce the international environmental conventions it is part of and punish any violations.
Third, on the management level, the coalition seeks to return the waste management file to the Ministry of Environment, which will prepare a comprehensive vision, policy, projects and long and medium term plan in all matters related to the environment, including a proposal for implementation steps and a plan to monitor the implementation based on a participatory approach.
And lastly, on the social development level, they wish to continue awareness campaigns to promote the basic principles of reduce, reuse and recycle.
Finding a solution for Lebanon’s trash problem is getting urgent once again as the two temporary landfills of Bourj Hammoud and Costa Brava are due to reach capacity in 2018, and the added pressure of the Waste Management Coalition might put this into gear.
Interested organisation and individuals can become members of the coalition through their website.

author: Christophe Maroun


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Jamaicans Mourn the Passing of a Media Icon Who Celebrated Achievement in the Face of Adversity · Global Voices
Emma Lewis

Screenshot taken from a YouTube video of the popular television show ‘Profile’, showing the host, veteran journalist Ian Boyne.
December 18, 2017 was a bright Monday morning, but the mood in Jamaica — among media practitioners in particular — was somber, after news broke that veteran journalist Ian Boyne had passed away at the University of the West Indies Hospital having suffered a heart attack.
At the time of his death, Boyne was deputy chief executive officer at the government-owned Jamaica Information Service (JIS) and a columnist at Jamaica's top-selling Sunday Gleaner. He was best known for his Sunday afternoon interview programme on Television Jamaica, “Profile”. He also hosted a show called “Religious Hard Talk”, in which “men of the cloth” fired verbal slingshots at each other across the table, with Boyne the eager referee in many heated debates.
Boyne never shied away from a war of words. One journalist recalled his battles with a fellow columnist:
Gordon Robinson (@TheTerribleTout) v Ian Boyne. Reason to grab the #SundayGleaner. #BooklistBoyne. Don't think Boyne never used to respond in the subtlest of ways. And a suh Robinson fire back. #RIPIanBoyne
— Jovan Johnson (@jovanthony) December 18, 2017
Gordon Robinson (@TheTerribleTout) versus Ian Boyne. Reason to grab the #SundayGleaner. #BooklistBoyne. Don't think Boyne never used to respond in the subtlest of ways. And it's just so that Robinson would fire back. #RIPIanBoyne
The general manager of Television Jamaica remembered the first airing of “Profile” and its first interviewee, a prominent businessman. The show gradually evolved to focus on Jamaicans who had excelled in their field despite obstacles.
Boyne himself came from a fairly humble background, going to school in the Pembroke Hall area of Kingston. Like another influential journalist, Wilmot “Mutty” Perkins, he was not college-educated — but unlike the acerbic, anti-establishment “Mutty”, Boyne soon became a member of that establishment at JIS. In 2009, Boyne was recognised for his contribution to journalism with the award of the nation’s fifth highest honour, the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander.
Upon his passing, there was an outpouring of shock and sadness on social media, especially from his colleagues. Notably, many younger journalists described how much Boyne had influenced them. Two television journalists compared notes:
And lets not even get into the five hours (it seems that way I'm exaggerating) that he takes with his guests before taping…what a man meticulous…we joked about it being the interview before THE INTERVIEW…I swear guys I wasn't ready for this ???
— Janella Precius (@jahnellabella) December 18, 2017
They shared memories and video clips of weekly, pre-programme conversations in the makeup room:
Many don't know but many wonderful ideas are borne out of the TVJ makeup room. Mr. Boyne despite his seniority was always open to new ideas and he was never too big to say Thanks. Friday afternoons won't be the same #behindthescenes #SIP #IanBoyne @MsDadrian ? pic.twitter.com/5mTdNlyZKt
— Janella Precius (@jahnellabella) December 18, 2017
A young broadcast journalist tweeted:
A giant has departed.
In addition to all the richly deserved encomiums – above all, a good and decent man who was always supportive of his colleagues & friends. Forever grateful.#IanBoyne.
RIP Sir. pic.twitter.com/LyMmoq3YCo
— Abka Fitz-Henley (@AbkaFitzHenley) December 18, 2017
Commentator Clyde Williams also paid tribute:
R.I.P Ian Boyne. You came, you saw, you contributed and have left an indelible mark. The Sunday Gleaner will never be the same! Yours was a life filled with achievements, love and hearty laughter!
— Clyde Williams (@ClydeWilliams46) December 18, 2017
Champion sprinter Usain Bolt expressed sadness, posting a photograph of himself being interviewed by Boyne:
Wow.. #RIP #Profile pic.twitter.com/Hk577SZpUV
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) December 18, 2017
Another Olympic champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, pointed to her upcoming autobiography — a collaboration with Boyne — as she expressed her condolences on Facebook.
One past interviewee shared a series of heartfelt tweets:
Waking up to such disheartening news about Mr. Boyne. He fed families with inspiration through the profiles of Jamaican and Black Excellence.
Immeasurable impact on the psyche and aspirations of many, including my own. A life well spent and well lived, Ian. #RIPIanBoyne
— Krystal Tomlinson (@kryticalmind) December 18, 2017
Political leaders past and present weighed in almost immediately. Many knew Boyne well from his work at the government information service. Prime Minister Andrew Holness described Boyne as “the consummate communicator” whose work ” represents the power of good journalism”.
The Governor General added, in a rare tweet:
Ian Boyne’s passing has saddened Lady Allen and I and the staff at King’s House. A giant in journalism who inspired, uplifted and mentored others to greatness. He is forever etched in our memory. Condolence to his family, staff at JIS and colleagues in the media fraternity. pic.twitter.com/xjGst3oWMg
— King's House (@GGSirPAllen) December 18, 2017
Young politician Floyd Green summed up the feelings of Jamaicans of his generation:
Personally, because of Profile, I grew up hoping that I would meet Ian Boyne. Watched every Sunday. The stories gave me so much hope and belief. Fortunately I got the chance to tell him a few weeks ago the impact he had on my life. #RIPIanBoyne
— Floyd Green (@floydgreenja) December 18, 2017
Naturally, Boyne also had his critics, but the criticism came mostly in the form of humorous digs — in particular at his interviewing techniques:
I’ve made lots of quips about Ian Boyne & his interview style. He even became a meme on here. But he made very watchable tv & he was an institution. Respect….Walk good sir, & go interview all the ‘gets’ you never got.
— The Honey Badger (@The_Badger_jm) December 18, 2017
Another parodied Boyne's style, imagining a Christmas interview with Jesus:
Ian: So you were born in a Manger? Beside sheep and goat?
Jesus: Yes. There was no room for my mother.
Ian: A remarkable Christmas story. From Stable to Star-boy. #ProfileInHeaven https://t.co/92gw3kA223
— Strictly 2k December 30th (@twittatimes) December 18, 2017
Boyne himself never lost his sense of humour. Journalist Rodney Campbell, who had posted a hilarious spoof of the “Profile” show a few months earlier, tweeted:
I did an interview with Georgia Crawford today on @Nationwideradio about how I remember Ian Boyne…I can't even recall what I said, but I'm going to fulfill the promise to him to spoof Religious Hard Talk…he deserves to keep giving that raucous laughter in heaven
— Rodney Campbell (@rodneytwit) December 19, 2017
One regular tweeter summed up the essence of ‘Profile’ very well:
Profile, though it also evolved into a parody of itself, served the public good.
It sold the most valuable commodity that a country such as ours needed.
Hope in the face of adversity.
— BigBlackBarry (@BigBlackBarry) December 19, 2017
Another well-known media personality and chair of the RJR/Gleaner group, J. Lester Spaulding, died on November 17, 2017 — Rodney Campbell humourously imagined Boyne interviewing Spaulding up in heaven:
J Lester Spaulding will now have to subject himself to an in-depth two part interview from Ian Boyne about his experience in the after life…”sooo tell us Lester…”
— Rodney Campbell (@rodneytwit) December 19, 2017
One thing is clear: Ian Boyne will be missed, not only as a one-of-a-kind journalist, but also as a warm-hearted and empowering Jamaican.

author: Emma Lewis


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‘Love Wins for Today’ as Indonesian Court Rejects Petition to Criminalize Gay Sex · Global Voices
Juke Carolina

LGBT scrabble blocks. Pixabay. CC0.
The Indonesian Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusional or MK) has rejected the petition of an Islamic conservative group to outlaw extramarital and gay sex.
Activists believe the proposal to amend several articles of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) is aimed at persecuting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
The petition was filed by Love Family Alliance (AILA) which asked the court to make a judicial review of Article 284 (extramarital sex), Article 285 (rape), and Article 292 (pedophilia).
The group wanted the law to consider homosexual sex as rape. It also wanted to include punishment against minors who engaged in prepubescent sex. Basically, the conservative group was demanding to ban all sex outside heterosexual marriage. Same-sex marriage is not currently recognized in Indonesia.
Voting five against four, members of the constitutional court rejected the petition because AILA was proposing the creation of new laws which is not the court's mandate. The majority said the issues raised in the petition should be addressed to the legislative body.
Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority nation, has a secular state which advocates a moderate view in interpreting and implementing Islamic teachings. However, Muslim conservatism in recent years has been on the rise. A report by Front Line Defenders warned that LGBT rights advocates are increasingly facing attacks in the country.
AILA is led by Bachtiar Nasir, a radical cleric who successfully led a campaign for the removal of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama (Ahok) after the latter was accused of disrespecting Islam. Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia.
Nasir is criticized by some activists for preaching hate against minority groups in Indonesia, including the LGBT community. Last year, he was linked to a money laundering case involving the militant group ISIS, but this was not conclusively proven by the police.
Some Twitter users acknowledged the decision of the court as a win for LGBT rights:
Thank you the five Supreme Court justices who thwarted another effort to persecute Indonesia's LGBT people. Our fight for equality is not over, but for today #lovewins. pic.twitter.com/3r8vMUvMZz
— Magdalene (@the_magdalene) December 14, 2017
Lgbt is NOT a crime. Indonesia, you're doing amazing sweetie! ?
— ` (@njheronedale) December 14, 2017
I don't support LGBT, but I don't think Indonesia should criminalize it. And I'm glad for your win. It's privacy matter, just like my opinion. Congrats!
— Tesa Fiona (@tesakaban) December 14, 2017
Other news, They finally says NO on criminalize lgbt and any sexual relationship outside marriage. 5 out of 9 says no. While it’s a relieve but still something worth of your attention to come
— FATM Indonesia (@FATMIndonesia) December 15, 2017
Congratulations Indonesia for their great move on decriminalisation LGBT and sex outside marriage! A huge steps for LGBT out there!
— TWT_LGBT | Name (@twt_LGBT) December 15, 2017
But some saw the court's decision as a sin that would only lead to tragic consequences:
Setelah keputusan MK melegalkan LGBT, Kumpul Kebo dan Zina siap siap Indonesia di timpa bencana apa yang di perbuat oleh oknum punguasa dzalim selamat bersuka cita menanti datang nya teguran sang Pencipta
— Vian's (@novian_sulaiman) December 15, 2017
Following the MK's decision to legalize LGBT, living together out of marriage, and extramarital sex (zina), Indonesia should brace for disaster thanks to our atrocious leaders. Have fun being rebuked by the Almighty.
On December 15, West and Central Java were jolted by a strong undersea quake. Some conservatives blamed the court's decision favoring the LGBT for causing the disaster. Some Twitter users were quick to refute hate speech:
An earthquake just occurred in Java and Muslim conservatives blame it on the failed effort of criminalizing of LGBT people and those who wish to have sex out of marriage. They used the word “legalizing LGBT” to spread hate.
— DEA (@DeaSB) December 15, 2017
apparently bigots went like “OMG GEMPA KAN KARENA LGBT” “GEMPA KARENA DWP”
no guys dont ur teachers told u that gempa is getaran seismik yang terjadi saat pergeseran lempeng bumi? but i guess they dont teach that kind of stuff in bigot school
— netsch? (@nesinox) December 15, 2017
apparently bigots went like “OMG LGBT caused earthquake”, “DWP [one of Indonesia's biggest dance music festivals] caused earthquake”. No guys, didn't your teachers told you that earthquake is a seismic activity that happens due to shifting earth plates? I guess they don't teach that kind of stuff in bigot school.
buat manusia2 eshol yg ngait2in kejadian alam kaya gempa barusan sama hal2 duniawi manusia kaya model keputusan MK sama LGBT dan DWP; ini list gempa indonesia diatas 6 SR selama setahun terakhir.
tolong klo bikin stupid statement itu otak bodohmu ditaker dulu.. pic.twitter.com/oYvoFqyZhD
— Jonnesy (@jnessy_) December 15, 2017
To the a-holes who link natural disasters to human actions such as MK's decision on LGBT or DWP, here's the list of earthquakes above 6 on Richter Scales that happened in Indonesia in the past year. Please, ration your stupid statements.
AILA has vowed to continue its mission of upholding what it calls family values in Indonesia. This is a challenge for the LGBT community and other concerned citizens to remain vigilant and to counter the rising tide of conservatism in the Indonesian bureaucracy.

author: Juke Carolina


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Pakistan’s Digital Rights Foundation Launches Online Safety Network for Journalists · Global Voices
Anushe Noor

Women gather at DRF's Advanced Training for Online Safety for Women in Media. Photo by DRF, used with permission.
Last week, Digital Rights Foundation, a not-for-profit working on digital rights in Pakistan, launched the “Network for Journalists for Digital Rights.” The network seeks to help journalists keep safe while working online by providing them with resources and training.
The network is seeking news members in order to ensure that reporters across the country are thinking of their digital security and are empowered with tools to help them to do their work more securely.
The network launched with a two-day digital security training attended by more than two dozen women journalists from across the country. Pakistan ranks 147 out of 180 in the world rankings of Reporters Without Borders’ 2016 World Press Freedom Index. “Journalists are targeted by extremist groups, Islamist organizations, and Pakistan’s feared intelligence organizations,” stated the RSF.
The safety issues faced by women journalists range from harassment in workplace to threats and intimidation in retaliation for their reporting. Last year, at a consultative dialogue on Safety Challenges for Female Media Professionals, reporters spoke about the lack of mechanisms in place to help with instances of sexual harassment at workplace. Meeting leaders urged media organizations to have an established code of conduct to deal with issues of harassment with media houses and to implement these guidelines immediately.
The network hopes to empower journalists to practice and promote online safety within media houses and to raise awareness regarding digital rights issues in mainstream media.
Also Read: Digital Activists Are Disappearing in Pakistan
In 2016, Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) launched the country's first cyber harassment hotline, a free service that provides legal advice, digital security support, and psychological counseling to victims of cyber harassment.
DRF now regularly publish reports about the nature and degree of online harassment in Pakistan, based on the findings of the hotline staff:
According to our findings in the first four months of its operation the helpline received 513 individual complaints. The total number of calls were 535, with 406 of them being individual cases. 62% of the calls were made by women, whereas 37% of the callers were men. The platform where people face the most harassment was found to be Facebook and most of the complaints were regarding fake profiles, non-consensual use of information, blackmailing, unsolicited messages and hacked accounts or devices. Majority of the cases received by the Helpline were from Punjab (41.3%) whereas 23.90% individuals did not disclose their location. The helpline also got calls from Sindh (17.8%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (4.70%), Balochistan (1.30%), Azad Kashmir (0.70%), Federal Territory (10.10%) and outside Pakistan (0.20%).
The cases reported to the helpline are filed with Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), the government authority responsible for dealing with cyber crimes.
Although Pakistan's Cyber Crime Law addresses online harassment, digital rights organizations argue that these laws are being used against activists, bloggers, and journalists using online spaces for commenting against the state and security agencies.
Despite the odds, the network has raised news hopes that by bringing journalists together and raising their awareness of these issues, they can help each other to stay secure online, fight online harassment and effectively report on issues of online safety.
Author Anushe Noor Faheem participated in the launch meeting of the network.


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Robbie Williams’ Bottom Ignites Online Firestorm in Uzbekistan · Global Voices
Eurasianet

Robbie Williams. Uploaded to Flickr by MariaAndronic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The following is a partner post from EurasiaNet.org. Republished with permission.
British pop singer Robbie Williams has sparked online rage in Uzbekistan by pointing at his bottom during a concert in the capital, Tashkent.
Those unfazed by the singer’s mildly saucy gesture, meanwhile, are bristling with irritation at the cost of tickets for the December 15 show.
Williams’ performance, which was organized by Uzbek-Russian billionaire and co-owner of London football club Alisher Usmanov, was a rare event for Uzbekistan. Prominent Western artists rarely make it to Uzbekistan, and those that have gone there in the past have done so at a cost to their reputation. This show was seemingly intended to demonstrate how the country is opening up since the death last year of dour authoritarian President Islam Karimov.
Williams began his concert by emerging onto the stage in an Uzbek-style khalat, or robe, and briefly introducing himself to the crowd in his characteristically irreverent manner.
“This is my band,” he said, pointing to the back of the stage.
“[And] this is my arse,” he added, turning around and throwing up his robe to expose his underwear. “Tonight your arse is mine,” he summed up, eliciting a volley of confused shrieks and laughter.
In the English provinces, from whence Williams hails, the act of flashing one’s buttocks in public is accepted — not to say encouraged — in a spirit of Hogarthian exuberance, but the stunt has gone down poorly in chaste Uzbekistan.
Enraged social media users called immediately after the concert for a campaign to uproot morally dubious foreign influences.
“We need to filter out Western culture, if you can even call this culture!” fumed Saiyora Hodjayeva.
Mukimjon Halmatov went further and suggested that the concert has left Uzbekistan prone to a wave of potential destruction that he likened to an onslaught of disease and terrorism.
“Some people bring in the swine illnesses [sic], some people bring AIDS or even the sickness that is [the Islamic State]. They now want to infect Uzbekistan with the disease of democracy. Evidently that is what Robbie was brought here for,” Halmatov wrote, without any apparent irony.
While these might be extreme and colorful positions to take, it is clear that Williams badly misjudged his antics and failed to do even basic homework.
Uzbekistan is a broadly conservative society and the authorities have occasionally sought drive this point home with broadsides against the perceived ills of imports like hip-hop. And some prominent local performers have fallen foul of morality monitors with output deemed excessively sexual in content.
Kamariddin Shaikhov, editor of popular online Uzbek-language news website Qalampir.uz, said his publication was inundated with indignant messages following the Williams concert.
“It is odd that the singer would come out on stage in a robe while not wearing trousers,” Shaikhov wrote. “He showed lack of respect to our culture by lifting his robe and revealing his rear parts to the people sitting in the audience. What is this, a sign of his education? Is this what you call respect for the Uzbek people?”
Still, it was hardly as if the average Uzbek could even have afforded to get to attend the concert anyway. Tickets were selling in the eye-watering, for Uzbekistan, range of $190 to $225. Official average monthly salaries in Uzbekistan are around $125.
For all that, the concert hall was completely packed.
Despite the vocal grumbling over the bottom-flashing, Williams’ fans came to his defense. It was the ticket prices that annoyed them.
Zarina Ubaidullayeva, a Tashkent resident and an admirer of the British performer, said that the furor was quite overblown.
“It was just a joke. It isn’t like he ran around naked onstage. There is no call for judging him so harshly,” Ubaidullayeva told EurasiaNet.org. “But then there was the other matter of the expensive tickets, which meant that I couldn’t afford to go to the concert. Since Usmanov was sponsoring this, then could have made entry free or at least set symbolic prices.”

author: Eurasianet


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The Story Behind China’s Online Literature Boom · Global Voices
Jack Hu

Public domain image via Pixabay.
The e-book market is exploding in mainland China. According to official estimates, there were 353 million online literature readers by June 2017 and more than 90 percent of them — nearly 327 million — access literature through their mobile phones. Although the popularity of online literature means emerging authors have an opportunity to showcase their work to a growing audience, for some writers and readers alike, this new publishing model is creating some unforeseen negative effects.
One big indicator of this explosion in online readership has been the market value surge of China Literature, China's biggest online literature platform and a subsidiary of IT giant Tencent. The company's value skyrocketed in the Hong Kong stock market after its initial public offering in November.
The company has a 70 percent share in China's online literature market, with 9.6 million online works — primarily in the fantasy, palace-fighting, tomb-raiding, conspiracy, romance genres — created by 6.4 million writers to serve an average of 192 million monthly users.
Its income not only comes from readers’ content payment, but also from copyrights on the website's most popular works, such as “Legend of Concubine Zhen Huan”, “The Secret of the Grave Robber” and “The Journey of Flower”, which have been adapted into TV dramas.
The company claims China's online literature market has become one of the world’s four biggest cultural moneymakers after Hollywood blockbusters, Japanese comics and South Korean idol TV dramas. Such rhetoric promotes the business of online literature as a national project that exhibits China's commercial power.
In China, the copyright of a hot online novel can be sold for millions of yuan because a large fiction fan base can guarantee the popularity of an adapted TV series or a movie. In fact, in recent years, China’s TV and video market have increasingly been dominated by from online novels adaptations.
For example, “The Journey of Flower”, a martial arts fantasy novel published on a literature website, Jinjiang wenxue city, in 2009, has become one of China’s most successful works and later published in book form. The tale, about a god and goddess fated to kill each other who then fall in love in the afterlife, has turned into a franchise that includes a video game, a movie and a hit television series that has become the first drama in China to pass 20 billion views online.
Popular writers who release their works on the China Literature platform must sign contracts with the company, stipulating copyright ownership in China Literature's favor and listing a set of “self-censorship” guidelines that must be followed.
The contract writers are paid through a pyramid pay-for-words model which is highly exploitative as the algorithm allocates a higher pay rate per word and varies based on the popularity of the writer. In 2016, China Literature paid nearly RMB 1 billion yuan — approximately US$150 million — for 5.3 million writers in which just over one hundred top authors gained more than 1 million yuan. The average payment was less than two hundred.
At the same time, the payment system does not encourage good quality work because writers tend to churn out large number of words in order to increase their income under the pay-for-words model. Hence, a typical online novel contains one million Chinese characters or more. China Literature's writers published a staggering 41.4 billion words in 2016.
Moreover, writing has become an interactive process with pressure from reader feedback dictating the creative writing process. To woo readers, many writers have to invent bizarre plots as well as update a few thousand characters every day, or readers cancel subscriptions. Many writers have to suspend their publications because they are unable to fulfill their former plot designs or because they can’t stand the pressure of updates.
An online literature writer expressed his anxiety on Twitter:
作为一个网络文学作者，自认为有点不称职?别人每天一万两万字的作业量，我竟然只能写四五千字?也不知该如何惩罚自己一下?
— 许小焕焕 (@wwz19740609) November 11, 2017
As a online literature writer, I am not as capable as others. They could write up to 10,000 or even 20,000 words per day while I can only write up to 4,000 to 5,000 words. How should I punish myself.
An industry report conducted by Hu Run Net on top 85 online literature writers summed up  a number of characteristics that these Chinese online writers seem to share:
1. Average age is 37-year old;
2. The youngest writer in the top 50 is just 26-year old;
3. 65 percent of the top 85 writers are male and 35 percent female;
4. On average each writer produces 5000 words daily, although that number can reach nearly 20,000 words per day. Most of them spent over 8 hours on their work.
Twitter user @Yolanda_23333, also an online literature writer, points out that the monopoly problem has harmed the literature field:
如今的网络文学是被垄断的，这条路愈来愈不好走了，重复太多，抄袭太多，各类问题此起彼伏。我不知道还能走多久，但我尽力把每一篇文都写好，绝不会触犯禁忌。今天下了决心把《将离》全部删除重新写成长篇，添加了许多情节，故事也有所丰富，变得太多，不知道读者能否接受。我不求别的，但求无愧于心。
— 祠夢餘生 (@Yolanda_23333) November 14, 2017
Now, online literature is highly monopolized and it makes everything difficult. The works are repetitive, too many copycats, problems keep popping up. I don't know how far I can carry on [my career] but I would try hard to do my best in writing and avoid all the taboos. Today I have made up my mind to delete my work “About To Leave” and rewrite it into a long piece. I have added many sub-storylines to enrich the original. Not sure if the readers can accept the changes. I just follow my heart.
The monopoly of online literature also restricts readers’ choice. One reader complained on Weibo:
刚刚试图看哈《霍乱时期的爱情》，换了七八个小说阅读器搜了半天都没搜到，很失望，现在的小说阅读器充斥着网络文学，垃圾文学。没有多少能够滋润人们心灵的经典文学，失望，失望，好失望
I tried to access the novel Love in the Time of Cholera, I have explored 7-8 novel reading apps but failed to find a copy in search. I am so disappointed. Now all the novel reading apps are full of online literature, crappy literature. There is no classic that can enrich people's spirit. So disappointing…

author: Jack Hu