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Lebanon: Presidential Elections Debate Continues · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

Yesterday, November 22, was officially Lebanon’s Independence Day. Today is the constitutional deadline for the election of a new president of the republic. After several postponements, parliament is expected to assemble today, November 23, to elect a new president. It is hoped that postponing the elections till the last minute will give the opposing parties ample time to reach a concession on a new president. That has not happened yet. Many countries are now involved in this political event. The involvement and interference of so many countries has prompted some bloggers to question Lebanon’s independence. As for the election, bloggers reflections range from optimistic and pessimistic analysis of what is happening and what is expected to the effect of all this on the average Lebanese citizen.
Starting with this optimistic note from Lebanese Inner Circle who sees that the ongoing negotiations taking place between opposing parties will have a positive effect on the country in the long run:
Discussions between the Opposition and the Government is still going strong. This observer feels ongoing collaboration will truly be very helpful on the long term, regardless of the final decision on a candidate’s name this Friday.
With the last crucial two days ahead in the hope that it would probably conclude a two year struggle in Lebanon, and settle for ‘normal’ progress.
On the other hand, David Kenner writes that a consensus president risks perpetuating the deadlock of Lebanese politics:
On the major issues of the day — the international tribunal, Syrian influence in Lebanon, Hezbollah's weapons — he can be expected to do nothing at all. That is, after all, why he is a consensus candidate. The “consensus” is to do nothing.
What about the average Lebanese? How is the election affecting them? Liliane has some answers:
Many people are delaying big purchases such as apartments or cars till after the elections. Others are postponing payments of monthly bills or installments till the end of the month. One case I've heard is postponing a wedding and buying furniture for their house. I personally postponed buying a ticket to a concert till next week.
It may seem that the Lebanese are equally split into two opposing groups in this political deadlock. But Abu Muqawama explains that they are actually split into three. With the third group made up of people who are sick and tired of the on-going political bickering:
Abu Muqawama mentioned polls showing the Lebanese population evenly divided between the ruling March 14th coalition and the Hizbollah-led opposition. While that's true, that doesn't tell the whole story. A growing number of Lebanese are simply sick and tired of the bull%$#@ and don't support either faction. They just want a responsible government that will go about the people's business without all the patronage networks and infighting that usually accompanies what passes for “governance” in Lebanon.
Antoun Issa starts his post by criticizing Lebanese politicians and the time it is taking them to solve their presidential election issues and then elaborates on the positions of the various national and international factions involved:
I think the world is getting sick of waiting, as are the Lebanese people. This has dragged on for far too long. Lebanese politicians have a habit of embarrassing the country in front of the world's eyes, but this is simply beyond ridiculous.
Bech writes about the clerical power in Lebanon and about why all diplomatic efforts can not solve the issue of electing a new president without returning to the major religious figures:
If we step back for a moment and try to think about this, you may agree that it is kind of weird. How come all these virtuoso politicians that have been through so much history, how come all the diplomatic initiatives involved from west to east cannot solve a problem that a few monks living a somewhat ascetic life in Bkerke can? You'll tell me, this is the confessional system, the respect of religious authority, the legitimacy they inspire, etc But I would say these are vague answers at best. I am pretty damn sure that most politicians do not have transcendental respect for the views of the clerics, and even if there are some that do, why is it that everyone including Aoun who claim to ‘reject confessionalism’ find it necessary to ‘play by the rules'?
McDara has an Independence Day post with a list of headlines showing how much foreign involvement there is in the upcoming election:
In honour of Lebanese Independence I want to post some of the headlines which just show how independent Lebanon is and how much its leaders their responsibilities.
Abu Kais criticizes foreign involvement in Lebanon which he describes as unconstitutional and detrimental to the independence of Lebanon:
There is nothing more revolting that the sight of 4 European diplomats begging a crazy politician to withdraw his candidacy for the presidency. Not only is it unconstitutional for foreigners to try to convince a candidate to call it quits, but these efforts are backfiring on the parliament's majority. In one week, Aoun moved from being an irrelevant megalomaniac and Hizbullah's cover into a major player, prompting his equally crazy supporters to predict the exact time of his election on Friday. The diplomacy of begging boosted his self-importance and weakened the position of both March 14 and Nabih Berri, whom the French ironically entrusted with reaching a compromise with Hariri.
Jeha goes back in time and takes a look at Lebanese generals and the presidential elections:
As I hear Lotsa talk about lists, candidates, paper maneuvers… I like to pause a little, and look back at the country’s past. Back when similar (though lower level) turmoil was averted with the rise of the Shehabis… The Lebanese elite is scared of them, but to most people, they evoke a golden age.
Across the Bay writes an analysis of the Syrian involvement in the elections and the alternatives for the opposition in the case of no election:
Stalemate is the name of the game.
The net result of events up to this point is that the Syrians and Hezbollah are just as stuck as everyone else.
The Syrians put forth the following equation: Michel Edde (possibly for two years to keep Aoun on board) or Army commander Michel Suleiman (or possibly, a military takeover).
This indicates Syria's inability to impose things as it could in the past.
On rumors, vacuum management and the possibility of another postponement of the election session, here's what Beirut Spring says:
Much of what is being said and written in Lebanon is more likely to be rumors than not. For example, each and every one of the Presidential hopefuls has received many calls to “congratulate him” for “the good news”.
But one bit of information seems to be more leak than rumor. It is the statement by many politicians that  tomorrow’s voting session “could” be postponed.
Finally, Bob posts about the dangers of waiting for the last minute before holding the elections:
Once again the Lebanese, and their respective foreign patrons, cannot find an agreement until the very last moment, when they are all standing on the edge of a dark tortuous and bottomless abyss…
Edges are fraught with dangerous problems, any misstep and you are in free fall, and once you are on an edge it is very, very difficult to get back safely.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lebanon: State of Emergency..Or Not · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanon is in a political limbo after parliament failed to elect a successor for President Emile Lahoud today.
Hours before the end of his term, Lahoud ordered the army to take charge of security, leaving rival factions responsible for naming a president and leading to international calls for calm.
Lebanon's bloggers were quick to react, with M Bashir describing the situation as follows:
…so basically the situation can be summarized as follows: effectively at midnight tonight, Lebanon is without a president; the government (that is, granted its legitimacy is not contested) is resigned, the parliament’s session for electing a new president is postponed till the 30th of November, and the army is in charge of the security of the land.
Mustapha  further clarifies the situation on the ground and writes:
An important clarification for outside observers who are overstating Mr. Lahhoud’s statement.
The outgoing Lebanese President did NOT declare a state of Emergency or Martial law. The statement that caused the confusion was this: “the threats that require a state of emergency prevail over Lebanon”.
What Mr. Lahhoud effectively did was assign the Army to take care of the security on the ground. A redundant procedure given that the Seniora government had already done that.
If anything, the statement by the soon-to-be ex-President reveals his incapacity to do anything more serious. All comparisons with Pakistan, Jordan, or Egypt, where the Army heavy-handedly represses the people, should immediately be removed from your heads.
Liliane, meanwhile, wonders whether what is happening in her country is constitutional .. or not. She further adds that the day was the “most contradictory” Lebanon has ever witnessed for the following reasons:
1- 109 Parliament members including opposition arrive to the parliament at noon.
2- Session postponed till November 30th in order to elect a president agreed upon from all sides
3- Post the canceled session, deputies talk back to each other through the media
4- The Cabinet is in session since 6:30pm discussing the latest updates
5- The president (till 11:59pm on November 23, 2007) Emile Lahoud declares a state of emergency starting 24 November 2007
6- The Cabinet denies it, based on the constitution, explaining that only the cabinet after passing it to the parliament as well and the majority's signature can declare such state. (That was at 8:30 pm today)
Blacksmith Jade also sheds light on the situation here.
Stay tuned for more blogger updates from Lebanon.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Lebanon: Unconstitutional State of Emergency · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The government is going to announce that the state of emergency is unconstitutional because apparently the constitution says that the government must announce it and it should be signed by the Minister of Defense, reports Lebanese blogger Eliedh.


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Mexico: Michoacan Elections · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Matthew Søberg Shugart of Fruits and Votes provides his run-down on the elections in Michoacan, Mexico.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Morocco: Women’s Stories from Around the Globe · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

The blogoma is abuzz this week with a smattering of posts about issues affecting Muslim women, with topics ranging from work programs for women in Morocco to the mistreatment of gynecologists in Iraq.  We'll start off with a post from The View from Fez which unveils an initiative to improve women's standards of living in the blog's namesake city:
The first project is a training and qualification centre for women and will provide them with training in income-generating professions such as cooking, hairdressing, IT, embroidery and weaving. The budget for this project is estimated at USD 361,000.
The project, to be built on an area of 950 square meters, will also provide orientation and awareness raising, with an ultimate goal of eradicating poverty and exclusion of rural populations.
Moving north to France, Laila Lalami talks about Joan Scott's The Politics of the Veil, quoting her own article in The Nation:
In her keenly observed book The Politics of the Veil, historian Joan Wallach Scott examines the particular French obsession with the foulard, which culminated in March 2004 with the adoption of a law that made it illegal for students to display any “conspicuous signs” of religious affiliation. The law further specified that the Muslim headscarf, the Jewish skullcap and large crosses were not to be worn but that “medallions, small crosses, stars of David, hands of Fatima, and small Korans” were permitted. Despite the multireligious contortions, it was very clear, of course, that the law was primarily aimed at Muslim schoolgirls.
Next,Myrtus shares a link about Israel's first female bus driver.  Margot the Marrakesh Mystic comments:
We've had women police [in Marrakesh] for three or four years now, but they are not allowed to carry guns (unlike the men) and they are not allowed to work overnight.
It seems I heard last year about the first woman taxi driver in Marrakesh. I haven't seen her, and she probably isn't allowed to work after a certain time at night, either.
Myrtus also comments upon an article about the mistreatment of male Iraqi gynecologists:
I'm having difficulty wrapping my mind around this … I mean, the thinking behind what's going on here. On the one hand, gynecologists are being threatened and murdered in Iraq for supposedly violating the sanctity of Muslim women; and on the other hand, they are being murdered for not circumcizing girls. Somehow, to the militants, preventive medicine and health care are violations of Muslim females, but cutting off part of their genitalia is not. How does that work exactly unless it's about really hating women?
On the Regular Comments Based on Issues Raised by BBC World Have Your Say blog, Abdelilah discusses the discrepancy between punishments for rape in Saudi Arabia and the United States:
In Saudi Arabia there was a strange incident in which woman who was a gang-rape victim who was sentenced to 200 lashes and six-months in jail. Seven men from the majority Sunni community were found guilty of the rape and sentenced to prison terms ranging from just under a year to five years. While a rapist is prosecuted and the victim is compensated, here we have the case of both parties subjected to punishment. This is worse than punishing a person simply on intent. At least the would-be victim will be spared being hurt by the aggressor and “disciplined” by the law.
To make a comparison, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was sentenced to six year imprisonment, of which he served three years for rape, although the victim was with him in his hotel room at 02:00 a.m. So in Saudi Arabia, instead of the young women being fairly treated and receiving counselling, she is thrown in prison as a criminal.
Finally, and a bit more lighthearted, is a post by A Moro in America regarding a discussion on popular Moroccan-American site Wafin about the Moroccan male desire to marry a younger woman.  Adil quotes a bit of the discussion, sharing his own comments.  Here is a selection:
A female by the screen name of Lamiaafikri lashes out at the “male supremacy and ignorance” :
“Posted By: lamiaafikri
I can't help but notice that in almost every ad. about trying to find the other half, the guys are requesting younger women. Seriously, what and who gives you guys that right?, and what's the reasoning if any behind it? well beside arrogance, ignorance and male supremacy???
I am yet to hear a smart, selfless ,convincing answer from either a man or a woman.Please, try to really think about it! thanks”
A male reader got technical on Lamiaafikri and started talking about Guess, Omega and all the clock-ticking that comes with a female body. He also believes Islam promotes timeliness and watching clock-ticking bodies :
“Posted By: freddie mercury
Hi there, the answer to your question lies in a science called biology, a religion called Islam and a concept called the biological clock. Hope you get it.”
Another reader said the world is not fair and everyone is free to pick his own number:
“Posted By: laamiri1
men in general like younger woman, and our culture allows it
but what u can do is post an ad for yourself and request men within ur desired age bracket and stop insulting and being too concerned about other's preferences .
mr.s”
Creative Commons-licensed photo by make_change

author: Jillian C. York


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Pakistan: The biggest problem · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Pakistani Spectator on illiteracy in the country and why the government needs to take quick action.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Palestine: Impact of Fuel and Electricity Cuts on Gaza · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Israeli human rights organization Gisha has just issue a fact sheet on Israel’s collective punishment of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the impact of the electricity and fuel cuts, reports Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah, who provides a link to the article.


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Paraguay: Result of National Survey · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Cumplir [es] reviews the results of the National Survey 2007 in Paraguay and people's perceptions of corruption.  In addition, the survey also found a very favorable perception of the Catholic Church, partly because of the ex-bishop Fernando Lugo, who will be running for President.


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Philippines: Media on Suicide · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Philippine Commentary looks at the media-led stampede of “jumping to conclusions” on the suicide by a 12 year old girl.

author: Preetam Rai


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Qatar: Dubai Closes Pakistani TV Stations · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“One of the ugly fallouts of the state of emergency in Pakistan was the media crackdown by Musharraf's regime,” writes Qatar-based blogger Abdurahman Warsame, who adds that the UAE closed down two Pakistani television stations.


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Slovenia: “Elections Explained” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping with Pengovksy explains “what is it with Slovenes that they seem to run politicians from power for no apparent reason.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Slovenia: Last Combat’s Dormant Battles · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On Last Combat, Slovenia is, so far, a rather obscure place, writes The Glory of Carniola. Russia is a pretty busy battlefield, though.


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Slovenia: Postojna Cave · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Glory of Carniola posts a link to a 1970s “guided recording through Slovenia’s famous Postojna Cave complete with eerie background music and an unintentionally humorous pronunciation of ‘stalagmites’.”


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Slovenia: Real Estate · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dr. Filomena offers comprehensive analysis of Slovenia's real estate market – here, here and here.


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Slovenia: “The Lord of Bluff”? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Dr. Filomena writes on how Slovenia's prime minister “stopped the down-with-the-government campaign before it could begin.” Sleeping with Pengovsky has more on the government's maneuvering – here, here and here.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Notable Caribbean Books  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Antilles reports that The New York Times has selected four works by Caribbean authors as part of its annual list of “100 Notable Books of the Year”.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Turkmenistan: New Foreign Education Programs · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Conquistador reports that the US embassy has been sponsoring a number of educational programs recently, offering to take Turkmen students to the United States for better education.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Turkmenistan: Turkmenbashi’s Hidden Wealth · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Steve LeVine reflects on the article, in which a very interesting question is being raised: whatever happened to the first Turkmeninstan's President Saparmurat Niyazov's fortune, which reportedly accounts for billions of dollars.


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Venezuela: Blog About Constitutional Reform · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Venezuela's Constitutional Reform is a blog that was created “by a group of bloggers to explain to the outside work why the Venezuelan constitutional reform is dangerous for Venezuelan democracy.”


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Armenia: Demise of the Dollar · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Life Around Me reports that the Armenian Dram continues to strengthen against the Dollar. While many in Armenia continue to believe that the change is connected with the upcoming presidential election, the blog notes that it is set to continue as the New Year approaches and many Armenians exchange dollar remittances from abroad to pay for the celebration.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: HaShiSh · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Life in the Armenian Diaspora reports that HaShiSh, an Armenian punk rock band from South America, is touring the U.S. Meanwhile, Unzipped posts an account of former System of a Down frontman, Serj Tankian, performing in London.


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Armenia: Telethon · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Run by an immigrant from Armenia now living in the United States, Blogian urges its readers to make a donation to the annual Thanksgiving Day Telethon held in the Diaspora. A day after the fund raising, The Armenian Observer reports that the telethon raised over $15 million.


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Bahrain: Sad News  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Qassem Abdulrasool mourns the death of a friend in this post.


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Bahrain: The Comeback Podcast  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz posts his ‘weekly’ podcast after a long break. In his bilingual (Arabic/English) chat, Mohammed Al Maskati  touches on local politics and the value of work.


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China: Recently, Can You Afford Meat? · Global Voices
Meng Zhang

“Recently, can you afford meat?” Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao asked when he visited a group of  poor people living in an old residential area of Beijing. On the very next day, the National Bureau of Statistics reported that China's October inflation rate had reached 6.5 percent which was the highest during the last 10 years. Additionally, the food prices jumped 17.6 percent compared to the same month in 2006, while the price of pork, a staple for Chinese people, soared 54.9 percent.
Although Huanqiu Zaixian (环球在线）, subordinate to China Daily which is the first and only national English paper in China, preached Wen's visit “let the people live more comfortably”, public voices from Internet were different in their tones. QQ.com has started a discussion in the recent food price increase with an eye-catching title: “Recently, can you afford meat?“
Until Friday, the number of  comments has reached 4766, in which people expressed their own views on Wen's visit and other news related to the soaring consumer prices:
作者：游客
甘肃金昌。现在猪肉五花肉13。后腿肉14。精肉１５　．牛肉１３．羊肉１４．而且菜价没有低于一圆钱以下的．比往年这个季节高出一倍还多．这还不算其它物价上涨．涨，涨，涨都在涨就是工资不涨．不知这些东西还涨不？
Author: guest
In Jinchang Gansu Province, the streaky pork is 13RMB (per half kilogram), pork of hind leg 14RMB, fine pork 15RMB, beef 13RMB, mutton 14RMB and all the vegetable prices are above 1 RMB which is higher more than 1 time the same season before. And some other item prices also increase. Increasing, increasing, increasing, everything is increasing except the wages. Will all of those continue increasing?
作者：游客
我一个月工资就1000.公务员2000多.咱老百姓能吃肉吗?
Author: guest
I can only earn 1000RMB a month and the officials can make more than 2000RMB. Can we common people afford meat?
作者：游客
作秀！！！ 我一个月就800块，除了交房租，我连饭都吃不起了！！还说肉！？？？ 我是一个大学毕业生！！~
Author: guest
It's a show!!! I get 800RMB a month, so after paying for the rent, I can hardly afford the regular meals!!! How can I think of meat!??? I am a university graduate!!~
作者：游客
为什么各地区生活物价水平都差不多高,可工资水平拉巨这么大,最低生活老金大城市一千多可中小城市才六七佰.太不公平了.
Author: gust
Why is that the consumer prices are almost the same in different regions, but the salary gap is so large? The minimum pension is more than 1000RMB in big cities but in the small and medium cities it would be only 600 or 700RMB. It's so unfair.
作者：游客
最近，什么都涨价，虽然说是食品类的东西涨价，但很多人就趁这个时候乱涨价，连衣服都涨价。涨来涨去，我觉得，最难过的还是农民。粮食涨价是有好处，但，其它东西都在涨价，对于农民来是，我觉得根本就没多大用处了。肉价那么高，不吃肉是不可能的，但，我明显感觉到，多数人，也就是多数农民都不多吃了。唉，这到底是怎么回事我也不清楚，但，总让人很担忧的感觉，涨价的速度太快了，未免有些离谱。
Author: guest
Recently, everything is increasing in price. Although the spike is mainly happening in the foodstuff area, a lot of people take advantage of the trend and hike up other prices arbitrarily, even including clothes. With the soaring price, I think it's famers that have suffered the most. The grain price increasing does benefit them, but the prices of many other things are also rising, so to the farmers, they actually get nothing from the inflation. Despite the high price of meat, it's impossible to completely stop eating it, but I definitely feel that to most of the people, especially the farmers, they can't eat meat as much as before. Alas, I can't figure out all of these things, but the situation does make people worried. It's terrible to see the consumer prices increase so sharply.
作者：游客
总理有信心就好。其实再大的问题都可以解决，只要有信心。所以要相信我们社会现有的大问题在不久的将来都会解决。不要说等得太久，大家也要有耐心才行。有个老太太买彩票，买了50年终于中了大奖，要不是有耐心，她能发那大财吗？相信吧，司法腐败，物价暴涨，青年失业，犯罪增加，豆渣教育，豆渣工程，这些都会解决的。我相信不到100年，这些大问题都不会再让人民揪心。
Author: guest
It's nice too see Premier's confidence. In fact, we can solve any problems as long as we have confidence. So we must believe the current big social problems will be all solved in the near future. We should not wait too long but everyone should also have some patience. An old woman kept buying lottery tickets for 50 years and finally won a grand prize. Without patience, could she make it? Believe it that the judicial corruption, price booms, young unemployment, high  project, jerry-built education and projects will be solved. I believe, less than 100 years, all of those big issues will not bother people any more.
作者：游客
我们新疆的企业职工工资是每月700_900元,物价却在飞涨,工资一分都没加,怎样生活?只能吃青菜了.”肉”?夜里做梦想一下还可以.
Author: guest
We workers of enterprises in Xinjiang province are on a salary of 700-900RMB a month. Even though the consumer prices are soaring, our wages do not increase any more. How can we live a life now? The only choice is only eating vegetables. Meat? We can think of it in the night dreams.
作者：耿子痞
天天物价涨,前一个星期还是5角二个小包子,今早一去7角二个,天天说工资上涨,反而我们这帮打工仔涨的不是工资,而是物价上涨,还是大学毕业的,领那几百块钱工资,还被别人取笑:读大学出来有什么用,连自己都养不了!!贫富拉距越来越大,对这社会真是心酸!
Author:Geng Zipi
The prices are increasing in every day. Last week two small stuffed buns sold for 5 jiao (1 jiao=0.1RMB) and this morning the price has jumped to 7 jiao. It's said all day that the wages are going to increase. Paradoxically, what increase to us temporary employees are only consumer prices. Additionally, I'm a graduate with a salary of some hundred RMB which is laughed at by others. To go to university is totally useless, because I can't even feed myself!! The gap between the  rich and poor is greater and greater. I feel so distressed about the society!
作者：游客
看着这个标题都郁闷，去年的这个时候我还周末在家自己灌香肠吃那，买肉一次怎么不买个5斤10斤的，但是今年从5、6月份到现在炖骨头只吃了1次，而这之前是1－2周1次。随便买一点肉都觉得心疼。以前我们买肉都是去超市，现在到农贸市场也不舍得多买。 唯一好的是现在去超市买鸡蛋没有多少人排队了，前提是鸡蛋价格比去年同期涨了将近100％，至少也是50％以上。
Author: guest
Just the title can make me depressed. At the same time of last year I could still cook sausages at home on the weekend and each time I bought meat I'll take at least 5 or 10 jin (1 jin=0.5 kilogram), but this year, by now I only ate the bone stew for one time from May or June, before which I would eat it once every one or two weeks. No matter to buy how much meat, it will make us reluctant. In the past, we always went to the supermarket to buy meat while now we went to the farmer's open market and can't buy too much. The only advantage now is we don't have to stand in line to buy eggs in the super market. The condition is the egg price has risen by almost 100 percent than the same time of last year, at least more than 50 percent.
In spite of the current price hike which have strongly affected Chinese people's daily life, the mainstream media in China keep quoting some economists’ opinions, claiming that the situation is not as serious as people think and China is not trapped in a nationalwide inflation but a reasonable structural price rise. “The new index data of consumer price in October is not unexpected. According to the range of price rise, it's only the foodstuff especially the meat, poultry and egg prices that go up too fast and the increase rate of non-foodstuff price remains an extremely low level of 1 percent. So, the current consumer price rise is structural but not an overall inflation making people insufferable,” reported China Securities Journal, which is sponsored by Xinhua News Agency.
Blogger Alan titled one of his articles by “Premier, thank you for asking but I still can't afford meat” and showed his criticisms on the mainstream media's opinions about consumer price index (CPI):
……
物价连连上涨不是自然灾害，用总理的一点可以让人落泪的问候是解决不了问题的。砖家们的声音是那么的令人颤抖。某首席经济学家说道：尽管CPI上涨了，但是核心CPI还是安全的。就是说尽管你得了乳腺癌，但是你暂时还死不了，赶紧把乳房割了，你还是可能活的。就是说马马虽然到了悬崖，但是还没有掉下去，暂时还不着急去拉的
……
…
The continuing increase of consumer price is not a nature disaster. The problem will not be solved by Premier's a little moving regards. The experts’ voices make people so shocked. Some chief economists said: Although the CPI rises, the CPI at the core is still safe. That is to say though you have got breast cancer, you will not die temporarily, and by cutting the breast you may still keep alive. That is to say the horse has reached the edge of cliff, not falling yet, so temporarily we don't have to be anxious to curb the halter.
…
In blogchina, Cai Shenkun, who used to work in trades such as the media, real estate, finance, securities, movie & TV, etc. for many years, directly pointed out that China is faced a serious inflation that should not be covered up:
针对我国价格总水平出现大幅上涨等涉及民生的问题，无论是发改委还是统计局，都异口同声地宣称目前物价上涨不是全面通货膨胀，只是结构性上涨。让我们来回顾一下今年CPI的大致走势。5月，CPI增速首次越过3%的年初预定线，达到3.4%；6、7、8月一路由4.4%达到令人瞠目结舌的6.5％；9月份微降为6.2%，10月份再度抬头。
可以说，到今天，保守的数据已经明确告诉我们，通胀不但存在，而且已经非常严重。无视通货膨胀的严重性，其实就是无视民众的疾苦。可以毫不含糊地说，现在的物价上涨已经全方位影响百姓的生活生计了：比如，食品类价格同比涨17.6% ，其中猪肉价格上涨54.9%，连最基本的食盐价格都大升了40%。面对如此坚挺的升势，还对通胀玩弄词汇，说什么“风险”、“压力”，“结构”之类不关疼痒的话，不但不实事求是，甚至是对百姓和民生的漠视。
……
对于来势汹汹的通胀危机，经济学家郎咸平指出：“粮油等牵涉基本民生的支出通胀的深层原因，乃是内地腐败势力的大量存在。腐败势力为牟求私利而不择手段用公币投资，导致经济畸形过热，使国家经济出现结构性危机，最终令全体人民不得不每吃一餐都要多付百分之十几的支出来为腐败埋单。”
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尽管国务院总理温家宝也对物价问题亲自过问，几度上街临市问价，宽慰民心。国家发改委也发出通知，一方面要求各地政府不得干预物价，另一方面要求市场主体不能价格垄断、联合提价。然而，面对歇斯底里的经济和社会走势，政府显然已无计可施，所能动用的政策手段似乎越来越少。
As to the overall price increasing in our country and other problems related to people's life, both NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) and NBSC (National Bureau of Statistics of China) declared that the present rise of consumer prices is not an overall inflation, but only structural increase. Let's review the rough tendency of CPI of this year. In May, the CPI increasing rate came to 3.4%, firstly exceeding 3% which was the scheduled level at the beginning of this year; in June, July and August the rate surprisingly jumped from 4.4% to 6.5% and then slightly dropped to 6.2%. In October, the rate rose again.
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We can say, until today, the conservative data has clearly told us not only does inflation exist, but has been very serious. To disregard the severity of inflation is actually a neglect of people's sufferings. Obviously, the present rise of consumer price has thoroughly affected people's life  and livelihood: for example, the foodstuff prices increased by 17.6% compared with the same period of last year, while among them the price of pork went up by 54.9% and even the most basic salt had soared 40%. Being faced with such a strong uptrend, the authorities still played with vocabulary on the inflation, saying some “risks”, “pressure” and “structure” such trivial words. It's not only an action that flies in the face of facts but even an indifference to people's livelihood.
…
Regarding the violent surge of inflation crisis, economist Lang Xianping indicated: ” the deep reason of expenditure inflation of the basic necessities like grain, oil etc, is the existence of large amount of corruption in mainland. In order to seek private profit, the corrupt force make the investment with public money by hook or crook, causing the economy abnormally overheat and making national economy appear structural crisis. Finally, all the people have to pay more than ten percent than usual in each meal for the corruption bills.
…
Although Wen Jiabao, the Premier of State Council, paid his close attention to the price problems and repeatedly went to the streets and markets to inquire prices in an effort to soothe the public, and the NDRC on one hand required the local governments not to interfere with the consumer prices and on the other hand asked the market players not to monopolize or jointly lift the prices, faced with hysterical tendency of economy and society, the government has been clearly at it's wits’ end and has fewer and fewer policy means to use.
Because of the soaring consumer prices, sales promotion more or less has become a hot focus in people's life. A discount activity will sometimes attract a large amount of people and even cause chaos. Blogger Fenghuang Shunǚ (means phoenix lady) expressed her concerns on a recent tragedy happening in a supermarket:
10日上午，重庆沙坪坝区家乐福商场内，发生一起因争抢特价食用油造成的踩踏伤亡事故。目前已造成3人死亡，31人受伤。有3名轻伤人员已出院回家，7名危重伤员仍在全力抢救。据悉，有关此次事故的调查取证工作也同期展开。(11月11日人民网）  重庆家乐福卖场为了促销而降底10块钱，以３９．９０元的价格卖掉原来需要50块一桶的菜油,为了这减少的10块钱,就有上千人去排队,最后演变成一场人和人的踩踏,最终酿成一场悲剧.
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…… 我觉得，此次最大的问题，是暴露出来人们、尤其是下岗、待业、退休人员对物价上涨过快表现出的强烈反弹，因为他们收入不高，在其他人眼睛里不起眼的十块钱，连一包好烟都买不起，但对他们来说，就是一家人的两顿饭，或者是几斤大米，多少个馒头。最近物价涨的太快了，蔬菜、猪肉、食油轮番涨，老百姓心理承受有了压力，为了不至于让自己一家人生活水平下降太大，这些人只好去排队，去挤，没想到，有的人为此而付出生命。这真是悲剧！
……
重庆家乐福踩死人的恶性事件，是给政府和管理部门敲的警钟，仅仅是为了区区１０块钱，就出现抢购，拥挤和踩踏失去了好几个人的生命，并踩伤了那么多人，如果物价继续上涨，那么不知道还为了抢购什么东西再踩到人呢！这物价上涨的速度已经超过了群众的基本生活承受力，也超过了群众的心理承受力，对人们心理产生了压力甚至恐慌，这一点才是我们需要认真注意的问题。
On the morning of November 10, 3 persons died and 31 injured when people thronged Carrefour supermarket to grab a discounted rapeseed oil in Sha Pingba district, Chong Qing. There are 3 slightly injured people who have already left hospital and go home. 7 severely injured are still under emergency rescue. Allegedly, the related investigation has started at the same time. (November 11 People.com)    For sales promotion, Chongqing Carrefour supermarket sold a kind of rapeseed oil which valued at 50RMB per barrel by 39.90RMB, cutting 10RMB. For the reducing 10RMB, more than one thousand people went to purchase the oil and then the shopping rush caused chaos, finally becoming a tragedy.
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…I think, the greatest lesson exposed in this accident is people, especially those laid-off, unemployed or retired workers had given a strong reaction to the spike prices. In other people’s eyes, ten yuan is not a big deal which even can not buy a packet of good cigarettes, but to those who have a low income, ten yuan means two meals for a family, amounts of rice or a number of steamed buns. Recently, the consumer prices are rising too fast while vegetables, pork and cooking oil are increasing in relays, which definitely makes the ordinary people bear pressures. To maintain the family’s living standard, those people have to stand in line and rush to the crowd, but unexpectedly, someone died for this. It’s a tragedy!
…
The malignant accident in Chongqing Carrefour is a warning for the government and administrative department. Just 10RMB could cause panic buying, crowd and chaos which made some persons lose the life and a group of people injured. If the prices continue rising, I don’t know how many people will be hurt in the shopping rush! The increasing rate of consumer price has been beyond people’s basic bearing capacity of living and psychology, causing pressures and even scare. That is a problem for us to seriously deal with.

author: Meng Zhang


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Georgia: Media Petition · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Resistance Georgia reports that Georgian journalists on both sides of the political divide are signing a petition to protest Imedi TV beign taken off the air during the recent clashes in Tbilisi.


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Georgia: Russian Peacekeepers · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Steady State looks at how the Georgian authorities use public concerns over tensions and clashes with Russian peacekeepers stationed in the breakaway region of Abkhazia for its own political ends.


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Iran:Students were beaten up in prison · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In Allameblog,Ali Tavakoli says[Fa] that his brother, Majid Tavakoli, and Ahmad Ghasabian,two jailed student activists,were beaten up by security agents in prison and were injured seriously.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Jordan: How Can Women be Leaders? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Nasimjo accuses women in his country of being selfish and wonders how they can aspire to become leaders.


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Lebanese: Indentification by Sect · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger m. accuses the BBC of following the crowd, and identifying people it interviews by their sects.


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Mexico: Free Wi-Fi for the Capital · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Vivir México [es] writes about the agreement signed by Mexico City government and a the ZTE Corporation to provide free wi-fi throughout the city.


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Mexico: The Finances of Fox · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The Mex Files discusses the recent investigations into the finances of former Mexican President Vicente Fox.


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Slovenia: 70,000 Workers Protest in Ljubljana · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping with Pengovsky writes about “the largest gathering of people since the end of World War II” in Slovenia's capital: “70.000 (yes, seventy thousand) workers demanded a rise in basic wages. The constant tug-of-war between the unions and the employers was fueled by rising inflation […] which hit those with small incomes hardest. Employers of course will hear nothing of it […]. If unions’ demands are not met, they will call a general strike. Which will make the 70.000-strong crowd seem like a picnic.”


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Slovenia: Radovljica Pictures · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Adventures in Wheelville posts pictures of Radovljica's staro mesto.


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Slovenia: St. Martin’s Day in Ormož · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Jennifer Dorroh writes about and posts pictures and video of the celebration of St. Martin’s Day in Ormož.


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Ukraine: Luzhkov and Chernomyrdin on Holodomor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov said this about the vandalized Holodomor exhibit in Moscow: “It seems to me that this exhibit had one purpose: to disunite and alienate the Russian and Ukrainian peoples.” Ukrainiana applies Luzhkov's logic to the Holocaust: “Do they keep those Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Treblinka museums just to incite hatred between Jews and Germans?”


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African prostitution and human trafficking in Europe · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

la plume plus posts an article featuring first-hand accounts of human trafficking and the prostitution of African women [Fr] in Europe.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Ahmadinejad and Chavez: “Love is in the air” · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Last week, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez made his fourth visit to Tehran in two years to sign more economic agreements with Iran. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Chavez, say they “admire” each other. Ahmadinejad calls Iran a second home for the Venezuelan president, and Chavez offers support to the Iranian government.
Last year, several left wing Iranian students and blogs criticized the friendly relations between “socialist” president Chavez and the Islamic Republic, where thousands of socialist militants were executed in the past.
Jomhour, a well-known blogger from Iran and Anthony Loewenstein, a blogger and writer from Australia, wrote about the Chavez-Ahmadinejad relationship and Nikahang, a leading cartoonist and blogger, published the cartoon above.
Which peace, what security?
Jomhour says [Fa] that Ahmadinejad after having met with Chavez, exclaimed: “We have plans to extend peace and security for all nations.”
The blogger writes:
it seems that the meaning of peace and security get really changed or redefined! How Ahmadinejad and Chavez can bring security and peace to other nations when they impose problems and danger on their own people! …In these two States, words do not mean what they should. When Ahmadinejad claims that there is absolute freedom in Iran, and security and peace will be extended to other nations, it sounds like a joke.
The blogger says Chavez has created problems for democracy and freedom in his country, and that Ahmadinejad’s government violates basic human rights and represses regular civil society activists.
“Shameful”
Anthony Loewenstein writes:
During my visit to Iran in June this year, I noted the unhealthy relationship between the Latin American left and the regime of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The international Left have remained generally quiet on this issue, refusing to chastise Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez for cosying up to the Islamic Republic.
My friend, journalist Rodrigo Acuna, has expanded on this argument:
“Although it might be natural for Venezuela, as a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, to have political and trade relations with another OPEC country like Iran, awarding Ahmadinejad the Collar of the Order of the Liberator — Venezuela’s highest honour for visiting dignitaries — as Chávez did in September last year, is not only embarrassing, it is shameful.”
He adds, “for Venezuela’s hard-core supporters in the international Left however, the singing President can do no wrong. The words ‘contradictions’ and ‘inconsistencies’ are not a part of their vocabulary.”


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Armenia: Elephant Controversy · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian reports that another controversy is brewing in attempts to find a companion for Hrantik, Yerevan Zoo's only elephant. Because of concerns with conditions in the zoo as well as Armenia's climate, the decision by the Sri Lankan government to present an elephant as a gift to the zoo is to be considered by the country's Supreme Court.


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Armenia: World Bank Corruption · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following last week's visit to Armenia by Dr. Beatrice Edwards, Director of International Programs for the Government Accountability Project (GAP), Blowing the World Bank Whistle alleges that corruption in the international financial organization reached the highest levels at its Yerevan office.


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Bolivia: About the Latest in Sucre · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ciudad de Patas [es] is an up-to-date blog about the recent developments in Sucre, Bolivia, including news of unconfirmed and confirmed deaths as a result of clashes with the police.  In addition, there is news about the approved draft of the new Constitution.


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Bolivia: Tension in Sucre Remains · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Based in Sucre, Bolivia, Ciudad de Patas [es] continues the updates from various local sources.  In addition to reports that citizens have taken control of the local airport and departmental police station, he is requesting photographs from citizens documenting the occurrences in the streets.


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Brazil: On the “Che e-mails” and credibility of journalism · Global Voices
Paula Góes

In the beginning  of October, the well established Brazilian magazine Veja ran a cover story to mark the 40th anniversary of Che Guevara's death [pt]. A week earlier, the magazine's international news editor, Diogo Schelp, had contacted Jon Lee Anderson, foreign-affairs reporter for a well established American magazine, The New Yorker, and Guevara's biographer.
Anderson agreed to give the requested interview but it went no further; the feature on Che was published and the American, on reading it, sent a letter to the editor of Veja stating his opinion on the production and quality of the piece  – according to him an “OpEd piece camouflaged as a piece of accurate journalism” – and forwarded the message to a few other contacts he had in Brazil.
This affair in other times would not have had as much as an audience among colleagues at both news offices, but the e-mail exchange has leaked into the blogosphere where the correspondence fueled a juicy, public and open debate about the quality, impartiality and credibility of Brazilian journalism.
Blacklisting
In an open letter answering Anderson [pt], published on one of Veja‘s blogs, Schelp complains about the New Yorker reporter's lack of ethics in making the correspondence public and finishes off stating: “You can rely on the fact that you are not going to appear in the pages of this magazine again”. In other words, he admits: Veja practices blacklisting.
Pedro Doria [pt] was the blogger who scooped the story, first publishing the critical letter by Anderson, followed by Schelp's reply. Then he wrote an analysis of Veja‘s behaviour and published a third e-mail in which Anderson replies to Schelp's public letter. All together, these four posts have amassed nearly a thousand comments. In the piece below, discussing Schelp's reply, he comments on the most concerning fact of all:
Por fim, ele reconheceu publicamente que Veja tem uma lista negra: quem cai lá não sai na revista. Não é o único órgão de comunicação grande que tem uma lista dessas, mas há um motivo pelo qual ninguém assume sua existência. É que não pode ter. Noticia-se, sempre, o que é notícia; e procura-se, sempre, quem melhor pode informar a respeito de um assunto. Quando uma publicação reconhece que tem uma lista negra, está dizendo que não tem pudores de usar sua influência para fazer com que alguém suma do mapa da relevância, independentemente de ser notícia ou não. (Não que, neste caso específico, Anderson vá sentir falta.)
Finally, he acknowledged publicly that Veja has a blacklist: those who fall onto it are not featured in the magazine. This is not the only major media company to have a blacklist, but there is a reason why nobody admits to having one. It is the fact that you can't have one. You report on what is news and should always look for sources who can better inform you about a subject. When a publication acknowledges that it has a blacklist, it is saying that it has no shame in using its influence to make someone vanish from the map of relevance, regardless whatsoever of what is news or not. (Not that in this particular case Anderson will miss out on anything.)
Carlos Brickmann [pt] still on blacklisting in two different moments:
Pior: quando se falava em “lista negra”, sempre se pensava no comando supremo do veículo, ou da empresa. Nunca se pensou que um repórter, por melhor que fosse, por mais alto que estivesse na hierarquia da reportagem, pudesse incluir nomes na lista negra.
Even worse, whenever a “blacklist” is mentioned, it is the supreme command of the media outlet or of the company that springs to mind. It was never thought that a reporter, no matter how good he is, or how high he has reached in the reporting hierarchy, could include names on a blacklist.
Lista negra é o oposto do jornalismo; é a negação da imprensa livre. A opinião é livre, mas levar ao leitor “all the news that’s fit to print” é a obrigação de cada jornalista.
A blacklist is the opposite of journalism, it is the negation of the free press. Opinion is free, but taking to the reader “all the news that's fit to print” is the obligation of every journalist.
Clarice Gontarski [pt] compares journalism with an amateur football game:
Que bonito, né? O pessoal mostra como está preparado para o debate de opiniões e a visão pluralista da sociedade. A verdade é a seguinte: imprensa no Brasil é que nem bola de jogo de pelada – é minha e só joga quem eu deixar.
Nice, isn't it? These folks show how prepared they are for a debate of opinions and for the pluralistic view of society. The truth is: the press in Brazil is like the ball in a kick about, it is mine and those who get to play are the ones I let play.
Debating attitudes towards journalism
Some bloggers discussed the tone in which Veja reacted to the affair answering Anderson through Reinaldo Azevedo, one of Veja‘s in-house bloggers. Daniel Lopes [pt] had been following closely the e-mail exchange and decided to contact Anderson himself about Schelp's open letter. This generated a counter-reply last week, which he publishes in both, English and Portuguese. He calls Veja‘s attitude arrogant.
Reinaldo tentou desqualificar os argumentos do jornalista gringo, juntamente com “a canalha” que concorda que a matéria de Veja foi péssimo jornalismo. Com a arrogância costumeira, indiretamente acusou Pedro Doria de “petralha” e dono de um “blog mixuruca”.
Reinaldo tried to disqualify the gringo journalist's arguments, along with “the scoundrels” who agree that Veja‘s  piece was bad journalism. With his usual arrogance, he indirectly accused Pedro Doria of being a “petralha” [a pejorative neologism to describe PT's supporters]  and an owner of a “insignificant blog.”
However, it is in Reinaldo's post where most of Veja‘s readership came to defend the magazine's attitude and piece on Che, among many other comments that were ‘removed’ by the blog administrator. An anonymous reader thanks Veja for the piece:
Reinaldo, Brilhante o seu texto. Sou remanescente da época “CHE”, mas como tive que trabalhar desde os 15 anos para ajudar a minha família, não me sobrou tempo para conhecer esse canalha com profundidade. Tal como os Beatles, que considero os pais da libertinagem, drogas etc., esse Porco Fedorento e seus seguidores não conseguiram fazer a minha cabeça, pois quem tem como ideal vencer na vida pelo trabalho não tem tempo para ficar correndo atrás de mitos. Você já viu a figura de seus sicários desde aquela época até os dias atuais?? Sujos, barbudos, mal-cheirosos, preguiçosos, mas contestadores daqueles que conquistaram seu espaço.
Reinaldo, your text is brilliant. I am from the “CHE” era, but as I have had to work since I was 15 to help my family, I did not have much time left to know that scoundrel very well. Like the Beatles, who I consider and believe to be the parents of vice, drugs etc… That stinking pig and his followers failed to convince me, because one who has the ideal to better themselves in life through work does not have the time to follow myths. Have you seen the photos of his bloodthirsty lot from that time to now? Dirty, bearded, smelly, lazy but still contesting those people who took their place.
The best of the debate is among the nearly thousand comments at Pedro Doria's posts, which have both sides presenting their opinions and much reflection on journalism and the illusion of a free press. As says Brancaleone [pt]:
Vira, mexe, remexe e de novo caímos naquela de “Imprensa verdadeira”. Não existe isso. Nenhum jornal, revista, rádio ou TV de qualquer lugar do mundo tem o poder divino de informar a verdade porque não existe verdade na informação. Toda a informação tem a opinião de quem informa. Não existe no universo alguem que informe alguma coisa sem ser parcial, interessado ou falso.
Every now and then, and again, we come back to the same issue of “truth in the press”.  This doesn't exist. No newspaper, magazine, radio or TV from anywhere in the world has the divine power to tell the truth because there is no truth in information. All information has the view of those who report it. There is nobody in the universe who can report anything without being partial, interested or false.
Renato [pt] believes that the fact that it was Che is besides the point:
Seja Che ou a Madre Teresa ou o Papa o problema não é a Veja ter dado sua opinião, mas o mal jornalismo exemplificado no caso. Aos defensores aviso que hoje é o Che mas amanhã pode ser alguém em quem vocês acreditam. Eles vão atacar ou promover simplesmente porque lhes interessa.
Be it Che, Mother Teresa or the Pope, the problem is not that Veja has given their opinion, but the kind of evil journalism this case has been an example of. To those who defend it, I say that today it is Che but tomorrow it may be someone you believe in. They will attack or promote people simply according to their interests.
On reading Anderson's e-mails, Catatau [pt] reflects on what is lacking in Brazilian journalism:
Está tudo aí: o papel do jornalista como divulgador de informações, a cautela quanto a enunciar juízos ou teses (especialmente amplas e taxativas), a tentativa de rigor e imparcialidade, e afins.
It's all there: the role of journalist as information spreader, the caution regarding stating opinions or theories (especially if broad and limited), the attempt to reach accuracy and impartiality, and the like.
Marcia Benetti Machado [pt] goes on:
para mim não importa especificamente a discussão entre Schelp e Anderson, embora eu tenha lido tudo e tenha opinião formada. Schelp errou. a reportagem foi mal apurada, sim, e a tréplica de Anderson esclarece bem as fontes escolhidas pela revista. prova-se mais uma vez que Veja faz “jornalismo de tese” – e “jornalismo”, aqui, é apenas uma licença poética, pois conceitualmente isso não é jornalismo.
To me the discussion between Schelp and Anderson does not matter specifically, although I have read everything and have made up my mind. Schelp was wrong. The report was poorly researched, indeed, and the counter-reply by Anderson explains well the sources chosen by the magazine. It is a proof once again that Veja does “theoretical journalism” where “journalism” is just poetic license, because conceptually it is not journalism.
Douglas Duarte [pt], who has met Anderson a few times in the course of making his feature documentary about Che, Personal Che, believes the piece was just propaganda:
O artigo de Veja – discutam de quem é a culpa – é uma peça de propaganda e não de reportagem. Digo isso como jornalista e depois de ter lido as quatro biografias mais importantes, entrevistado os dois biógrafos mais respeitados e atravessado um sem-número de outras peças de propaganda – contra e a favor. A da Veja sequer descobre lamas novas para jogar.
Veja‘s article – you say who is to blame – is a piece of propaganda and not reportage. I say this as a journalist and after having read the four most important biographies, interviewed the two most respected biographers and having gone through a number of other pieces of propaganda – both for and against Che. Veja‘s doesn't even discover new mud to sling.
Time changes editorial lines
In a post called Che and nazi-journalism, Luiz Raatz [pt] says that the magazine is beyond just news from the right wing perspective:
A revista vem se especializando em atacar o que lhe é estranho. Qualquer coisa nociva e externa ao que o semanário julga normal deve ser extirpada. É um princípio fascista. A limpeza étnica do comportamento. Não pode ser punk. Não pode ser metaleiro. Não pode ser comunista. Não pode ser petista. Não pode ser a favor dos direitos humanos. Veja quer o holocausto da esquerda. Mandar todos que discordam de seu ponto de vista para o campo de concentração e exterminar suas idéias na câmara de gás.
The magazine has been specializing in attacking what is strange to it. Anything harmful and external to what the weekly magazine judges to be normal is eliminated. This is a facist principle. The ethnic cleansing of behavior. There can't be punk. There can't be heavy metal. There can't be communist. There can't be a PT [Labour Party] supporter. There can't be human rights campaigners. Veja wants the leftwing holocaust. To send everyone who disagrees with their point of view to concentration camps and cut their ideas short in the gas chamber.
Other bloggers compared this last Veja piece with another story on Che Guevara [pt] published 10 years ago in the very same magazine. Student of journalism Luana Farias [pt] puts the two stories side by side to check how much the editorial line has changed in a decade:
A atual possui caráter predominantemente dissertativo. Não identifica de onde os autores apuraram as informações, o que leva a crer que a matéria foi feita da redação. Parte de tese própria segundo a qual o mito de Che é uma farsa produzida pela ”máquina de propaganda marxista”, diz o texto. E se destina a comprová-la. A de 1997 foi apurada na Bolívia e se ocupa, majoritariamente, de ouvir declarações e descrever fatos que testemunha. (…) Dorrit Harazim concentra-se nas fontes que encontra pelo caminho, pessoas que o admiram, nas cidades bolivianas onde Che é um ser místico, literalmente adorado como santo.
The lastest story has predominantly a dissertation character. It does not identify the sources that the authors had to the information, which suggests that the story was written inside the news office. Part of the thesis, according to the text, is that Che's myth is a farce ”produced by the Marxist propaganda machine”. And it is intended to prove this true. The 1997 article was written in Bolivia and had as its main objective to hear statements and to describe events that were witnessed. (…) Dorrit Harazim focuses on the sources that she finds on the way and people who admired him in the Bolivian cities where Che was a mythical being, literally worshiped as a saint.
Now netcitizens wonder: in which Veja should they believe? The one that in 1997 ran a cover story called “The Resurrection of Che Guevara” or the 2007 edition “Che: The Farce of the Hero”?
If you want to dive deeper into contemporary South American journalism with a penchant for the Brazilian press, a good blog in English to visit is The New Market Machines. On this specific subject, Brayton has a very well put together piece, Veja (Brazil) and The New Yorker: The Che Letters.

author: Paula Góes


text:
China: Our man in Australia? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Chinese president Hu Jintao likes Australia's new Prime Minister, who served as a diplomat to China in the 80s, so much that he invited Kevin Rudd and his family to next year's Olympics months before Rudd would go on to defeat incumbent John Howard in this past weekend's election.
What might Chinese bloggers make of Rudd's extensive China connection? NetEase made the story its top feature for most of Sunday, Nov. 25.
MSN Live Spaces blogger Huang Xiaoyu with “Kevin Rudd's Victory” writes from his international student dorms somewhere in Australia:
凌晨的时候听说小陆胜了.果然和这里的媒体和民调预计的一样.工党顺利执政.替换了已经执政11年之久的自由党国家执政联盟.
消息公布之后.我们的国内的媒体到是颇为兴奋.sina网上出了很多的报道.CCTV9也进行了专访.
最感兴趣一点.也就是这个新总理会讲中文.给了中澳关系一个美丽的遐想空间.中国人民包括我们那么多留学生来说自然多了些憧憬.
此人的施政纲领,其中几点我比较感兴趣.一个是优质教育系统的建立和教育经费的增加.不过这个貌似也是09年的计划了.不知道对我有没有什么实质的影响.
另外一个是改进网络建设.看看这里的破网络.比国内还落后的512KADSL就知道真的要改改了.
其余的比如医疗和社会保障.签< 京都议定书>和伊拉克撤军之类的事情和我们切身关系暂不太强烈.
不过我觉得他获胜的另一个法宝是对手已老.霍华德这个老秃驴每天在大家眼底下晃了11年.大家已经看的厌恶了.
另外我还是觉得无论霍华德继续执政还是小陆上台.对中澳关系的大局来说并无太大影响.只是此人更熟悉中国.
亲美的立场也不会改变.且其美中关系中的微妙纽带的作用变得愈加清晰.
早上一上线又看到法国总统启程访华了.而且还带着1000亿的合同意向而去.
这个时代对中国人来说.是一个充满希望的时代.在经过200年的压迫和斗争之后.一切就如命运之轮一样滚滚而来…
Though, I do think that one of his trump cards to getting elected is how old his opponent is. John Howard this old bald donkey has been swaying in front of everyone's eyes for eleven years already. People are just sick and tired of seeing him.
Also, I feel that regardless if Rudd won or Howard were to stay on, it still wouldn't have all that big an impact on the overall Sino-Australian relations. The only difference is that Rudd is just more familiar with China.
The Americanist stance won't change. Only that Australia's role of having subtle ties to Sino-American relations will become clearer
This morning as soon as I got on the internet, I saw that the president of France is now visiting China, and he's brought with him 100 billion in contracts in mind.
For China, this era is an era full of hope. After 200 years of oppression and struggle, it's like everything is back on track just like Wheel of Fortune…
Also writing from Australia is DreamhouseLHH1106 with “Who is Kevin Rudd?”:
陆克文是Who
这几天是澳洲的大选，
各种媒体上都是和大选有关的消息
一打开电视
整段都是介绍选举的情况
当记者问选民对大选的看法时，
多数人都用了boring这个词
偶在想既然很多人都觉的boring，
电视台还有别的媒体，为什么总是不停的放选举
难道是因为好莱钨的编剧罢工，导致电视台没有美剧放，
才拿选举充数
昨晚，选举结果出来了
工党的陆克文击败了自由党的霍华德，出任了澳洲的新总理
陆克文的获胜一方面是因为他提出的福利政策吸引了选民
澳洲这几年经济增长很快，
但老百姓除了收入有些增加，福利并没有得到很好的提高
（其实澳洲的福利已经很好了，在发达国家中也是数一数二的）
这一点似乎和中国有些像
而有着苦难童年的陆克文便大打福利牌，从而吸引了多数选民
另一方面，他的中国背景又为他吸引了N多的亚洲选民
陆克文虽是土生土长的澳洲白人，
但他会说一口流利的中文
在大学时，他的专业便是中文和中国历史
大学毕业后，他曾在北京工作过八年
不仅如此他的三个孩子均会说中文
他的小儿子现在在复旦大学深造
工党一向比较倾亚洲
随着亚裔尤其是中国移民的增加
陆克文自然为获胜增加了砝码
偶倒觉得，陆克文挺有先见之明，
能在三十年前选择当时很冷门的中文做为自己的专业
其实现在在西方，无论是政界还是商界，如果有在中国或是亚洲有工作学习的背景，
那么对自己的事业发展是很有好处的
就是不知道西方人是不是也象中国那样有“海归”一说
陆克文是Who
从今天起，他是澳洲的总理。
Mainland bloggers picked up quickly that Rudd's son is now studying in Shanghai; from comments left on a NetEase report on the news:
2007-11-24 18:33:40 发表
他的儿子在复旦大学读书，上海女注意了，好机会来了~
回复 精华推荐 支持(584) 反对(1) 举报
2007-11-24 18:35:08 发表
中国通＝对中国友好？
回复 精华推荐 支持(369) 反对(0) 举报
2007-11-24 18:42:43 发表
就怕对中国太了解 反而
回复 精华推荐 支持(289) 反对(0) 举报
2007-11-24 18:43:07 发表
他的儿子在复旦大学读书，上海女注意了，好机会来了~
就怕他儿子看不上.
回复 精华推荐 支持(154) 反对(0) 举报
2007-11-24 18:34:16 发表
祝贺陆克文,
希望澳大利亚在陆相领导下更发达,
希望在陆相领导下的澳大利亚更多了解中国,
希望澳大利亚和中国更友好更和睦!
回复 精华推荐 支持(130) 反对(2) 举报
2007-11-24 18:35:52 发表
这家伙就是上次去美国看脱衣舞的吧..哈..中文讲的不错..
回复 精华推荐 支持(94) 反对(1) 举报
2007-11-24 18:23:27 发表
希望他对我国真正的友好
回复 精华推荐 支持(79) 反对(1) 举报
2007-11-24 21:03:25 发表
中国人应该自信，陆克文确实对中国好感。女儿嫁华人，儿子学中文，自己汉语流利（虽然与大山没得比！）自卑的人最可悲，洋人对你好，你以为别有用心。洋人欺负你就以为他们强，你自己就该是洋奴！现在流行吃里扒外啊！
回复 精华推荐 支持(76) 反对(0) 举报
Sina blogger Old Thrift posts this photo:
And back to Australia, Sina blogger Gong Xuezhong lashes out with “Now that Rudd has won, the infantilism has begun”:
我看了中国的网络，一片欢呼声，都认为，澳大利亚产生了一个亲中国的政府首脑，预示着澳大利亚将给中国带来很多好处。
我笑了笑，连嘴也不用捂的，便斥之曰：“幼稚！”
新加坡是什么国家，华人国家。亲中国吗？
以色列总理是哈尔滨长大的，他爹的墓还在哈尔滨。亲中国吗？
布什年轻时随他爹（任驻北京联络处主任）在北京生活了好几年。亲中国吗？
韩国，从人种，到文化，压根就是中国的种，亲中国吗？
日本，从人种，到文化，压根就是中国的种，亲中国吗？
台湾……亲你吗？
没有无缘无故的爱，也没有无缘无故的恨。亲不亲，阶级分。
这个“阶级”及其“立场”是什么呢？
一是，“反中”。不要以为，西方国家反对中国，是因为中国是一个共产党统治的国家。那是骗人的理由。西方反对中国，就是因为你是中国，因为你越来越强大了。看看俄罗斯，早不是共产党国家了，却越来越是西方国家的肉中刺了。
二是，“反共”。这当然是为他们的第一个理由找理由了。例如，西方就不反对越南，因为越南太弱小了，不会威胁到他们。
三是，“反华”，因为你不是他们的“族类”。
陆克文要当总理了，让他的党徒们高兴吧。而我们，是无论如何找不到任何理由高兴的，因为，克文兄仍然要象他的前人那样，继续履行与美国的军事同盟协议，继续与日本、美国实施对中国的实际上的军事包围，继续像他的前任那样接见达赖……原因呢，一是因为他必须“反中”，二是因为他必须“反共”，三是因为他必须“反华”。根本的原因，是“阶级斗争”……
Love doesn't just come without a reason, nor does hate. Pro- or not, irrespective of class.
So just what is this “class” and what are its “positions”?
One, “anti-China.” Don't think that Western countries are anti-China just because China is a Communist state. Only liars use that reason. Western countries are anti-China just because you are China, because you grow stronger and stronger. Take a look at Russia, which hasn't been communist for years, but is increasingly the thorn in Western countries’ sides.
Two, “anti-Communist.” This is of course is an excuse made for their real reason. For example, Western countries are not anti-Vietnam, because Vietnam is too weak and small, and cannot threaten them.
Three, “anti-Chinese, because you're not the same “breed” as them.
Rudd is going to be Prime Minister; I bet this minions will be happy. And us, no matter what we won't be able to find any reason whatsoever to be happy about this. Because Rudd is gonna be just like the ones who came before him, carrying out the military alliance with America, who together with Japan, will continue to keep China's military contained, doing just like his predecessor in meeting with the Dalai……and why? One because he must be “anti-China,” two because he must be “anti-Communist,” and three because he must be “anti-Chinese.” The root cause, is “class struggle….”
Somewhat similarly, the HoopChina BBS author '30 point lag’ was inspired by the influential and slightly fanatical nationalist blogger/Starbucks boycotter/CCTV International Anchorman Rui Chenggang's lengthy exclusive interview with Rudd, “My Best Australian Friend Who Became Prime Minister” [zh], to provide his own profile and a thread for discussion:
他本人在本科阶段的专业是中文学习了古代汉语、现代汉语、中国历史、中国文学、中国哲学（恐怕他的中文水平比大部分国人都要强），他三个孩子都学习汉语，女儿今年与一位香港华人结婚。大儿子现在在大学读法律，同时也学习汉语，水平不错，前年曾到上海复旦大学读书，小儿子还在初中，也在学习汉语。
很好，很强大～～
[1 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 22:29|
刚看了新闻 说的确挺不错~
[2 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 22:39|
赢得大选乐啊～
[3 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 22:41|
不知道什么路道。
[7 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 23:00|
长相也有中国人的轮廓
[8 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 23:06|
This guy is cool…
[9 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 23:13|
转一个文章上关于陆克文的碎碎念～～
1、“陆克文”这个中文名字是大学期间拉德为自己取的，曾赴中国台湾留学。他不仅了解“三个代表”和“科学发展观”，而且对孔子的“中庸之道”和老子的“无为而治”等中国古老的哲学思想也颇有自己的见解。
2、他是严肃版“哈利·波特
3、主席先生，您在我们国家是我们最尊敬的客人。”他建议胡锦涛主席抽出时间来，“看看我们美丽的地方，看看我们好看的风景”。随后，他才用英文继续发表演讲。－－他在现任总理霍华德欢迎胡锦涛的晚宴上对胡的讲话
4、他非常喜欢北京、北京的历史、北京的文化
[10 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-24 23:23|
希望是个亲华派。。。。
[11 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-25 00:09|
这家伙有先见之明,知道以后汉语比英语有用,
[12 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-25 00:09|
希望中国把澳洲变成中国一个省
[16 楼] 发表时间:2007-11-25 00:50|
QUOTE:
引用第8楼复杂的玩具于2007-11-24 23:06发表的“”:
长相也有中国人的轮廓
+1
长的很中国人………
[23 楼] | 发表时间: 2007-11-25 11:59
…………工党偏左啊……………好像对我们不利吧
[25 楼] | 发表时间: 2007-11-25 14:16
发个这段采访在youtube上面的连接（不过感觉中国的主持人很吊的样子，比较装…… ）
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN42pk7eozk
[26 楼] | 发表时间: 2007-11-25 15:33
Speaking of YouTube, of course the earwax-eating incident could not go unforgotten, brought to us by MSN Live Spaces blogger tuRtles SKY in “VOTE FOR THE NERD..KEVIN RUDD”:
我還未成年不能投票..请大家支持 KEVIN RUDD!
选举怎么这么快就到了……不知道你当选以后的庆祝活动会不会又去看脱衣舞呢~
陆克文老兄这个习惯真是有够恶心的!!!!

author: John Kennedy


text:
China: New York Charging Bull hits public · Global Voices
Bob Chen

Critiques on Chinese tourists’ vulgar behaviors and ignorance of public rules on foreign land have been all-too-familiar. But this time, the Charging Bull sculpture in Wall-street aroused netizens’ different voices.
On 15th,Nov, Wang Fang (王芳) , an anchorwoman of Beijing TV, wrote on her blog about an image she chanced to see on Wall Street, NYC. Several Chinese tourists climbed up one after another the famous Bull sculpture there which has long been a landmark, riding on it in a perky manner, posing for pictures.
Meanwhile, Wang Fang recorded the amazement of onlookers at the Chinese tourists’ misbehavior. Here is an excerption:
看着这么一群人翻身上牛，很多老外摇头看热闹，有人问“Are you Chinese or Japanese?”这些人中的一位自豪的喊道：“我们是中国人！”
Gazing at such a group of people mounting the bull, quite a few foreigners around shook heads at the “stunt”. Someone asked “Are you Chinese or Japanese?” One of the tourists proudly called out “We are Chinese!”
She moreover quoted a cleaner’s remark who’s working nearby.
附近的一位清洁工人也过来看热闹，交谈中他告诉我，在这里工作快两年了，还是第一次看到有人骑在牛上。
A cleaner came to see such a shocking image too. On the talk he told me it was the first time he had ever seen someone riding on the bull since 2 years ago he began working here.
The post was soon put under focus in several main portal websites along with a lot of condemnations that tagged the riders “scum of a community”, “shame of Chinese”.
马蹄莲8628 commented:
在电视里看到了这个节目，真得很为中国人丢脸，中国人的素质不高，兜里有了几个臭钱，就到处显摆，典型的暴发户的嘴脸。
I watched this on TV, feeling it quite a shame of Chinese. Those vulgar people who show off after having a little stinking money in pockets are just ugly upstarts.
The Hong Kong-based paper Sun featured the incident with the topic “Mainland tourists ridiculed themselves by riding the bull, losing face on Wall Street” (骑铜牛拍照沦笑柄 内地游客华尔街出丑)
Big Turn
However, on 20th, Nov, the situation changed dramatically when a post on the largest overseas Chinese net forum MITBBS caught public attention. Blogger Kyasky posted many more pictures showing foreigners riding on the bull as well, mocking public’s fuss at a common stuff.
The post: Who said New York forbids bull-riding?
The first reply is a pointed derision:
发到国内的网站上，给那些土鳖们看看。别动不动就“中国人”怎么样的。国内崇洋媚
外的风气还是很浓厚的，尤其是媒体从业人员。
Post the pictures to domestic websites to show those bumpkins. Don’t irresponsibly say Chinese are this or that. In mainland the servility to western countries is still strong, especially among those media workers.
On the strength of the new “finding”, the voice that criticized Chinese self-debasement and servility boomed up.
Maxmin commented:
此举也算是约定俗成的习惯，和什么休养文明都挂不上边。围观的人肯定都是急不可耐准备骑牛的老外，所以大家尽管放心好了肯定没有给咱中国人丢什么脸，事情很简单，都ＥＡＳＹ点好了，不要过于敏感和自尊，动不动上升到民族自尊心，民族整体素质的问题，甚至奥运会上。
Riding the bull is just a tradition that has nothing to do with courtesy and civility. Those foreigners who stood around must have just been eagerly waiting for a ride (not watching a stunt). So take it easy, no one is losing the face of China. Don’t be too sensitive and casually raise something to the height of national esteem and the quality of the whole race, even Olympics involved.
Netizen The-bull-is-made-for-ride said in scholar Xue Yong’s blog(薛涌）:
好像骑牛的不只中国人啊！不要只对中国人说事！
It seems not only have Chinese ridden! Don’t put everything upon Chinese!
Dan Chun (但纯) furthermore questioned that Wang Fang fabricated the situation of the time:
北京电视台签约主持人王芳的博客是相当不负责任的……如此“第一次”的描述明显误导了大众，而且还煽情地写上外国人看见“摇头”之类的，即便作者不想诬蔑中国人，实际上，也造成了诬蔑的后果。这不是事实的真相，后来的调查证明，各国游客在此骑牛的不文明行为是非常常见的，而不是中国人独有。各国不文明人都有，可因为中国的少数不文明者，而扯上中国人的整体素 质的，恐怕就独此一件。……没有必要因为对某些国人素质的恨铁不成钢，而往自己头上泼粪。
Wang Fang is quite irresponsible for making up facts about the cleaner who stated that it was the first time for him to see such an image. Also, Wang deliberately added a sentimental account “some foreigners shook heads”. Even though she was not going to blacken Chinese, she did so nonetheless. The investigation later has proved not only Chinese but also many foreigners have done wrong. It is odd to involve the whole nation in simply for misbehavior of a few Chinese  . We don’t have to splash shit upon ourselves simply because we hate a few Chinese savage.
Bach R on Nov 22 said
自己土包子一个知识浅漏,却对同胞指手画脚,这不对那不对.
The ignorant bumpkin herself made indiscreet remarks to her countrymen.
Under the intense pressure, Wang Fang had to respond. On 21th, she cited a journalist’s report:
昨晚，记者联系到美国纽约公园与休闲部门的发言人克里斯蒂娜，她表示,该机构禁止任何人攀爬安放在纽约市内五个城区的1600个纪念物。但是该机构目前 还没有收到任何关于攀爬华尔街铜牛的投诉。在看了网上的攀爬铜牛照片后，该发言人表示,铜牛塑像属于1600个被保护的纪念物之列，请广大观光者予以尊重。
The spokeswoman of New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , Christina, stated that the agency forbids anyone climbing all the 1600 monuments in 5 boroughs in NYC. But recently no complaint on riding the copper bull has been received. After watching the pictures, the spokeswoman said the bull is one of the 1600 protected objects that should be respected by visitors.
But the controversy showed no sign of going down; now the focus shifted to why Chinese should be tagged “uncouth”, “vulgar” while doing something many others have long been doing.
Novosti replied in English:
I am upset because it is so ironical that when Chinese in America are fighting against discrimination, this stupid bitch from China proper is trashing the Chinese for doing the same thing many Americans or world people have been doing and she wouldn't apologize for her stupid wrongdoing!–
A netizen named Chinese said
如果在中国，有老外游客骑在一头牛的雕塑上照相，薛涌这样的中国人一定会说：“你看人家老外，真有创造力！骑在牛背上照相！”
如果在国外，有中国人骑在一头牛的雕塑上照相，薛涌这样的中国人也一定会说：“你看中国人，真没素质！骑在牛背上照相！”
If in China a foreign tourist ride on a bull sculpture to take picture, Chinese such as Xue Yong (a scholar that cited Wang’s article in his blog) would say, “Look! How creative the foreigners are that they ride on a bull for pictures! ”
If in western countries a Chinese does so he would then say, “Look! How vulgar the Chinese is that he rides on a bull for pictures!”
Many more netizens have also said since many western visitors have also done vulgar things in China such as unrestraint revel at the foot of Great Wall and naked basking on public meadow of Summer Palace, we don’t have to always keep the spear head to ourselves, an immature attitude of self-contempt.
Now the controversy is going more and more twisted when the problem people can or can’t ride the bull has been put to lesser position. Finally, I would like to cite an editorial of Southern Metropolis Paper (南方都市报) to finish my article, an opinion that accords with my personal idea the most.
事实上，争辩中看似对立的两面，却有着同样的虚弱，那就是，当我们评判自我表现的时候，却失去了自我的文明坐标，而不得不仰仗于外在评价，才能树立起码的文明自信。因此，比中国人在华尔街骑牛是不是丢人更紧要的，是我们的社会已经无法独立地完成最细节的文明判断。我们既没有十足的底气，宣称中国人爬上塑像有悖于自身的文明准则，我们也无法自信地解释，文明的中国人之所以爬上塑像，只是缘于当时当地的误导。面对如此情境，我们只是急切地问，他们允许我们这样做吗？又或者，他们也和我们一样做吗？这才长长地舒出一口气。问题是，我们自己允许我们这样做吗？正是在这层意义上，妄自尊大与妄自菲薄同出一源，中国社会的文明虚弱和自我迷失当下立现.
Actually, the two sides on the debate are weak in common. We have lost the self-coordinate for judging ourselves  so that we have to rely on the outer reference to erect the basic self-assurance.
Therefore, the thing more important than losing lace or not, is that we can not even judge our civilization independently. We have no confidence either to say that mounting the bull is against our self-rules, or to explain that we ride simply under others’ misguidance. Facing that, we just anxiously ask whether they allow us to do so. Or, have they done what we did. Only after that could we have a soothed breath.
But the problem is, do we allow ourselves to do so? The fact that the arrogance and self-contempt co-exist has instantly showed the weakness and self-lose of our civilization.

author: Bob Chen


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Chinese Engineers in Central African Republic · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Six Chinese engineers have arrived in Central African Republic to install two new turbines at the Boali electric plant, a US$117 million project [Fr] financed by the Chinese government.  ENERCA, the state-owned power company, has not made any major machinery replacements since its creation in 1965.


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Haiti: New Public Market in Port-au-Prince · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Collectif-haiti-de-provence posts an article about a new public market [Fr] being built in Port-au-Prince, thanks to Venezuela.


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Iran:Can Khatami make any difference? · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Razeno says[Fa] that some think that if Mohmmad Khatami,former reformist president,gets reelected in two years,reforms can take off again in country.The blogger has doubt about such a thing.Razeno asks when reformists had all power,they failed to do any structural reforms.


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Iran:Graffiti in Iran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

PingMag interviewed A1one, the one who started graffiti in Tehran.You can see several photos of graffitis in Tehran.


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Turkey: Hidden Armenians · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogian says that Amazon.com has announced the date for the release of the English translation of ”My Grandmother: A Memoir,” a book by Turkish human rights lawyer who discovered her Armenian roots when she was became an adult.


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Ukraine: Holodomor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Last year's Holodomor memorial at Sofiyivska Sq. in Kyiv (Nov. 25, 2006) – by Veronica Khokhlova
This year, Nov. 24 was the day to remember the victims of the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine – Holodomor – and here is a selection of posts by Ukrainian bloggers.
LJ user diana-ledi (UKR):
[…] Shall I tell you about my grandfather, the first one in the village to join [Komsomol] – and the first head of the first [collective farm]? When it became clear that the famine was inevitable, here is what he did! One evening, he locked himself in with the agronomist and spent a long time calculating something. They discovered that sowing winter crop grain not as thickly could be the way out. No one would notice, and the grain that remained would help people survive winter. And that was what they did. But they did not distribute what remained among the houses, the way people were expecting. Because my grandfather knew that not every mother would tear a piece of bread from herself and give it to her children. Some [mothers] would hide [bread] even from their kids – my wise grandfather knew this.
And he came up with a dining hall, where every villager could get just one plate of that [soup] a day, with a few drops of oil floating in it and, sometimes, a few tiny bits of fried lard. And one piece of bread made of [seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds] – black bread of the hungry year. But thanks to that dining hall not a single person in the village died that winter. Think of it – not a single person! While whole villages were dying out all around, no one did in ours! They were swelling from hunger, yes, but they weren't dying. And every day, my grandfather would ride around the village […], entering each house, checking whether they were alive, whether they were strong enough to survive – or perhaps they needed to be rescued by then. The weakest ones were given a little bag with “additional food allowance.” Others were saying: “Move on, Anriyovych. We are holding on.” When I was listening to this stories, I couldn't believe people were saying that. “They were,” my grandmother would reply. “Because they knew that the family of the head [of the collective farm] was the hungriest of all at that time. My children and I swelled the most then.”
And when spring came, someone from the rescued villagers reported my grandfather [to the regime] – for the thinned out winter crops. This is how my grandfather ended up in Siberia for the first time. Had he known that this would be how it would all end? Of course.
Or, perhaps, shall I tell you about my other grandfather? That one was a [kulak], the rich one. He escaped the purges miraculously, giving away his wealth to the [collective farm] in time and promptly joining the ranks of the Communist Party. And when the most horrible winter of the 1930s began, he left his family and went to his relatives at the rich farmsteads. My grandmother, surrounded by a crowd of hungry children, was sentenced “for a wheat spike,” as they used to say then. For some grains in her pocket that she had collected from the road. Five kids were left on their own. One was 14, the oldest – 16. The aunts didn't desert them, came over and took them in … the oldest two. Because these ones had grown up already and would be able to work around the household. “What about the younger ones?” I'd ask, horrified. “The younger ones were left behind – because the aunts had small kids of their own,” they'd explain to me calmly. […]
My father (aged 12) spent that whole winter feeding his little brother and sister (aged 4 and 6). What was he giving them? Here, listen: frozen vegetables found miraculously in other people's gardens; cats who were so trusting at first that they would jump into your arms; crusts of bread that he earned or asked people to give him. And as spring grew closer and there was no more of that “food” left, he discovered a hiding place inside the house. My grandfather was wild and ruthless – but in love with agronomy, and he had hidden some [high quality grains]. They were cooking it and eating – and survived thanks to that. When they were almost done with it, grandfather showed up at the house. He beat the children to near death, especially the oldest one, my father. Battered, my father ran to the train station, jumped into the freight train – and off he was to Tashkent. […]
[…]
In 500 days (from April 1932 to November 1933), nearly 10 million people died of starvation in Ukraine. In spring 1933, 17 people were dying every minute, and 25,000 were dying every day…
… The regions that were hit the hardest are today's Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr and Kyiv oblasts. Here, death rates were 8-9 times the average… […]
LJ user otets-lisiy (UKR):
What do I know about Holodomor? I myself am from Cherkasy region, and it was my grandmother and grandfather who told me about this horror.
My grandmother told me how from her family of nine children only five survived. She told me how they ate [ocheret – reed] and rotten potatoes. How the Commies were taking away all wheat and farm animals, and how at night they gathered wheat spikes at the field and some of them survived thanks to that. She told me about the village cannibals and one person who ate her own child. She told me about the man who had lost his mind and was chasing them around with an ax, and how she had barely managed to escape…
It's a sad date today. Eternal memory…
LJ user alenka14 (RUS):
I talked to my grandmother about Holodomor today. She was 7 in 1932-33. She remembers a lot from that time. Even 75 years later she can't think about that time without tears. When I was little and refused to behave, refused to eat, she would tell me stories from that time, when there was no food  and it was called ‘holodomor.’ I thought of her stories as some kind of a fairy tale then. My grandmother has also survived the war, was captured, but she can't talk about Holodomor without tears in her eyes. […]
LJ user fantasma_ (UKR):
My great-grandmother used to call the famine of 1933 “holodovka” [starvation, hunger strike], when I was still 4 or 5 years old. I only remember bits from those stories, as I didn't really undestand what she was tlling me about… “the man lying just off the road was dead” … “the post-war holodovka wasn't as terrible as the one in the 1930s.” I only understood what she meant by this when I accidentally recalled these story bits in the 11th grade when we were studying the 20th century… […]
LJ user essy-aka-tigra (RUS):
I've written about Holodomor before, more than once. I'm okay with having opposing views on politics with [the people I know online and offline] – it's not something that would keep me from staying in touch with them. But I can never remain calm when I think of Holodomor.
There's such a thing as ethnographic expeditions. Ordinary stuff for history students. A gang of young students arrives in a village and walks around the houses with tape recorders.
Old men and women spoke calmly about [raskulachivaniye – persecution of kulaks, collectivization], about the war, about DneproGES [Dnipro Hydroelectric Station] construction. No big deal, they were saying, it was tough, but it was a long time ago, and tears and grief tend to get erased from memory.
But as soon as you asked them a question about the Holodomor of 1932-33, these ancient men and women, who had seen lots of horrors, began to cry. Just cry. Some refused to talk – they had no energy to tell anything about it.
I've seen it. I grew up in a village, my ancestors are village people, too. I've read and heard about it since childhood.
I don't give a damn about bills and resolutions. I just know what the truth is. […]


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Africa: Protests over rising food prices · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

In Africa, rising food prices [Fr] have led to protests in Morocco, Mauritania, Cote d'Ivoire, DRC and Senegal, writes the ADP blog.


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Angola: The right of voting · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Desabafos Angolanos [pt] is proud to announce the success of a demonstration in November 19, in Lisbon, to claim Angolan expatriates’ right to vote: “Success? With only 20 people?” Yes! Success because they were 20 people under rain, 20 people among 100,000 who had no fear, who did not give up (…) We will continue to fight for our rights. We will only stop to claim the right to vote when it has been guaranteed”.


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Anguilla: Near-Disaster?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As abandoned pilings are washed out to sea, threatening vessels and Disaster Preparedness teams, Corruption-free Anguilla asks: “Was there no agency with the authority to order their removal before the hurricane season…began?”


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Armenia: Election Campaign Site · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Nazarian reports that the first official campaign site has now been established for former president Levon Ter Petrosian. Unzipped goes on to note that the site also features a blog.


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Azerbaijan: Armenian Cemetary Deaths · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Quoting various news sources, Blogian reports that three Azerbaijanis have died while trying to remove the wall surrounding an Armenian cemetery to make room for a new road.


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Bangladesh: Know your enemy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

At 3rd World View, Rezwan takes a closer look at the reactions of some groups towards aid coming in from the US for the victims of the cyclone.


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Bangladesh: Through the Cyclone · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bangladesh From Our View on the hours through the cyclone and traveling through Bangladesh at that time.


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Benin: MPs stripped of immunity for corruption · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Afriksenatorium writes about two MPs in Benin stripped of their immunity [Fr] for embezzling funds from state-owned enterprises.


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Bolivia: Conflicts in Sucre Over New Constitution · Global Voices
Mario Duran

In the city of Sucre, confrontations between citizens and police claimed the lives of four Bolivians, including one police officer. Many were protesting the issue of the national capital, which according to the Constitutional belongs in Sucre. However, La Paz currently contains the seat of government.
The Constituent Assembly, which has been tasked to write a new Magna Carta has also been unable to reach a consensus.  In a surprise turn of events, the delegates from the government party re-convened in a heavily guarded military base where they approved the final text of the proposed Constitution without the presence of opposition delegates. Bolivian bloggers based in Sucre and across the country commented on the violence and the tactics used by the majority party.
The blogger Ermapelo of Ciudad de Patas [es], from Sucre narrates (and continues to do so) about what is happening in Sucre, when the plenary session convened:
3:15 PM Se instala la Asamblea Constituyente en la guarnición MILITAR Tte. Edmundo Andrade.
3:45 PM Despues de la llamada en lista se evidencia que existen 144 asambleístas de 256.
4:21 PM Se anuncia en la Asamblea que pasaran por bancadas el proyecto de Constitución del MAS
4:25 PM Ciudadanos Sucrenses estan a 1 KM de donde se encuentran los campesinos y ciudadanos del Alto los mismo que estan en custodia del Cuartel Militar Tte. Edmundo Andrade
SE modifica el orden del día como era de preveerse estamos a MINUTOS de parir una Constitución que no es el sentir de todos l@s Bolivian@s y SOBRE TODO ILEGAL
DESACATO A CUALQUIER DETERMINACIÓN DE LA ASAMBLEA.
3:15 PM The Constituent Assembly convenes in the MILITARY base Tte. Edmundo Andrade
3:45 PM After roll call, it appears that 144 of the 256 delegates are present.
4:21 PM It is announced that the Constitutional proposal from MAS will be distributed according to party grouping
4:25 PM Citizens from Sucre are located 1 KM from where the peasants and citizens from El Alto are located, and are the same that are guarding the Military Base Tte. Edmundo Andrade.
The order of the day was modified and we are MINUTES from receiving a Constitution that was not the will of all Bolivians and ABOVE ALL ILLEGAL.
I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE DECISION OF THE ASSEMBLY.
Hours after the confrontations between police and the Sucre population began, the blog Sucre Resiste [es] wrote about the death of the lawyer, Gonzalo Duran Carranzani:
Alrededor de las 17 horas del día sábado 24 de noviembre se dio el reporte  del primer muerto por la confrontación entre policías y la población sucrense en la zona de la “Calancha”, lugar cercano al Liceo Militar “Teniente Edmundo Andrade”, donde sesiona la Asamblea Constituyente. En el hospital Santa Bárbara se oficializó el deceso de Gonzalo Duran Carazani de profesión abogado de 29 años de edad quien falleció por impacto de bala  en la región del pectoral izquierdo. La noticia consternó a la ciudadanía sucrense en general, y los ánimos se exasperaron más y los conflictos prosiguieron en la zona de la Calancha. La sesión de la Asamblea Constituyente prosigue tras un cuarto intermedio breve en el interior del Liceo Militar.
Around 5 pm on Saturday, November 24 the first death from the confrontation between the police and the population was announced in the area of “Calancaha” which is close to the Military base “Teniente Edmundo Andrade”, where the Constituent Assembly is meeting.  In the Santa Bárbara hospital, the death of Gonzalo Duran Caranzani, a 29-year-old lawyer was announced.  His death was caused by a bullet that struck his left chest. The news affected the population of Sucre and spirits became even more desperate, and the conflicts continued in the Calancha neighborhood.  The Constituent Assembly session continued after a brief break inside the Military Base.
Photo by Poeta Fantasma
Another blogger based in Sucre, Poemas de un Fantasma [es] provides eye-witness photographs of the scenery and writes in response to a comment:
Aquí en sucre la mayoría de la gente que salió a protestar eran personas de escasos recursos, campesinos que creyeron que no era necesario sesionar en un cuartel y aprobar una constitución hecha entre fusiles como se hacía en las dictaduras que tanto golpearon y dañaron a Bolivia, estudiantes que apenas tienen para comer.
Here in Sucre, the majority of people that went out into the streets to protest were people with very little money, students with very little to eat, and peasants that thought that it was not necessary convene the assembly in a military base and approve a Constitution created guarded by rifles, which was done during a hurtful time of dictatorships.
As the hours passed, bloggers continued to pay close to attention to what was happening in Sucre.  From Santa Cruz, Joup [es]listened to the online radio station from Sucre and placed the blame on the politicians.
Claro como ellos estarán sentados cómodos en sus sillas junto a la tele y teléfonos, como no serán los que tengan que llora a los muertos! que les importa! son unos malditos políticos de mierda incapaces!!!
Since they are sitting comfortably in their chairs watching television and next to their telephones, as they are not the ones that have to mourn the dead!  What do they care?  They are some incapable pieces of shit politicians!!!
The blog Aeromental [es] provides a summary, which includes a video of what happened in Sucre:
La nueva Constitución Política del Estado fue aprobada a las 20:30 de anoche con 136 votos de los 138 constituyentes presentes en la sesión, pues sólo dos se abstuvieron de aceptarla. Esta decisión fue asumida pese a que horas antes, constituyentes oficialistas confirmaron que no tenían planificada esta aprobación debido a que debían terminar de considerar los informes presentados por las 21 comisiones. Después, la Comisión de Integración y Compatibilización de Informes debía analizar el texto global y ponerlo en consideración del plenario, para poder recién en esa instancia aprobar el informe en grande.
The new Constitution was approved last at 10:30 p.m. with 136 votes out of the 138 delegates present during the session.  Only two abstained from accepting the text.  This decision was made even though only hour before, the delegates from the government party, stated that they did not plan to approve  because they still had to consider the reports presented by the 21 commissions.   This would have been followed by the Integration and Compatibility Commission to analyze the overall text and put the text in consideration of the larger assembly so that they can approve the report in full session.
From Oruro, Hugo Miranda of Angel Caido [es] provides the opinion that the draft should be put before a pre-Constitutent Assembly.
La aprobacion en Detalle de este texto Constitucional lo cual no sera facil y poco menos que imposible en la actual situacion. Otro tal vez ir a Referendum y que el pueblo boliviano decida…., la opcion mas inteligente seria que El Gobierno reconozca que se equivoco y se llame a un proceso Preconstitucional, lo que significaria que Evo no seria reelecto inmediatamente y a mi parecer descolocaria a los actuales opositores, pero siendo sincero el Gobierno no es tan inteligente para hacerlo.
The approval in detail of this Constitutional text will not be easy, or next to impossible under these current circumstances.  Another option might be to send the Constitution to a referendum so the Bolivian people decide….the smartest option would be for the government to acknowledge that it made a mistake and call for a pre-Constitutional Assembly process, which would mean that Evo would not be reelected immediately and would get rid of the current opposition, but to be honest, the government is not smart enough to do that.
From Santa Cruz, Carlos Orias provides a description of what happened in Sucre and reflects on the state of things.  He was also onhand to witness protests in Santa Cruz.
A lo largo de este último periodo de inestabilidad política no había visto ninguna de las dos cosas y ambas me parecen indefendibles. Empezar a matar, aunque se trate de perros, y usar botellas con gasolina en una manifestación son dos mensajes políticos preocupantes. Las campanas de la Catedral siguen sonando, son casi las 5am. Donde están los medios? Les ganaron los extremos?
During this last period of political instability, neither of the two things have been seen and to me, both seem non-defendible.  To begin to kill, even though tehy are dogs, and to use bottles with gasoline during a protest are two worrisome political messages. The bells of the Cathedral continue to ring, and it is almost 5 am.  Where is the media?  Did the extremists win?
From El Alto, Mario and Jaime Duran record a podcast about what happened in Sucre and provides perspectives regarding the actions of Evo Morales and the opposition:
Al final,la aprobacion en grande  del texto de la nueva Constitucion Politica del Estado fue una victoria del MAS y nos muestra la incapacidad de la oposicion para debatir.
In the end, the overall approval of the text of the new country's Constitution was a victory for MAS and it shows the incapacity of the opposition to debate.
Meyly, another blogger in Sucre responds to the government that wants to celebrate the new Constitution:
Ahora pide que el pueblo boliviano festeje por SU Nueva Constitución, entonces, nosotros no somos y no pertenecemos a ese pueblo boliviano al que usted cree gobernar porque tenemos LUTO EN LA CIUDAD DE SUCRE.
Now (the government) is asking the Bolivian people to celebrate ITS new Constitution, we are not and do not belong to that Bolivian people that you think you are governing, because we ARE IN MOURNING IN THE CITY OF SUCRE.

author: Mario Duran


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Bolivia: Goodbye to Oscar Sanchez · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Alberto Medrano of El Alto Noticias [es] says farewell to Bolivian football player Oscar Sanchez, who recently passed away due to liver cancer.