text:
Africa is Ready for Business · Global Voices
Benin Mwangi

My name is Benin Mwangi.  I blog about entrepreneurship in Africa and I follow closely many other blogs covering African business in the blogosphere.  This is my first Global Voices post and what I hope to do now and in the future is to help shed some light on Africa's business climate by covering Africa's business blogs.  So please enjoy!
One of the business bloggers that I follow is Harry Karanja. He is a business blogger from Kenya whose posts I have really grown to enjoy over the past few weeks.  His blog Startups in Kenya focuses on the topic of entrepreneurship in Kenya, East Africa.  Now, Kenya has quite a number of strong business blogs and several of them specifically address entrepreneurship. However, what I find so unique about Mr. Karanja's blog is that the majority of his posts all seem to be inspired by his own personal experiences as an entrepreneur in Kenya.
For example, take his post titled “Internet In the Village.”  This post actually seems to be part of a larger installment series. In this post, he writes about his triumphs and defeats while helping Kenya's rural areas become “wired” via his internet start-up company.  But don't take my word for it, you've really got to read this one for yourself!
He writes:
…When launching the cyber cafe, I took it as my task to ensure that I was setting up a viable business and not a white elephant. The main fixed recurrent costs for a cyber were going to be rent and wages, while variable recurrent costs would be internet, electricity, and stationery. It was imperative that the cyber comfortably break even from the first month.
After doing the arithmetics with the proprietor we decided to initially price browsing at K.Shs. 3 per minute although our calculations showed we could do K.Shs. 1.50 if we had enough clients. Once we decided on the price, it was easy to calculate how many minutes of browsing we would need to sell in the first month to break even. With the calculations I was able to draw up the first objective of the business, to sell “X” number of minutes of browsing per month.
With the objective drawn out clearly, the business gained perspective. The interesting part was how to sell the required number of minutes. One advantage of an entrepreneur is the ability to adapt quickly, and in order to fully maximize this advantage the entrepreneur must always listen to what her client's are saying. When we opened the cyber cafe, it took the standard setup of other cyber cafes, but then we started listening…
Let me give you a brief overview of African business blogs that I will be writing about:
Timbuktu Chronicles  is written by Nigerian-born entrepreneur Emeka Okafor, not to be confused with the NBA basketball player named Emeka Okafor.  His posts are about entrepreneurship in Africa with a practical and self sustaining theme.
Money Talk is a blog by Tosin.  She is a Nigerian-born graduate student studying engineering at the California Institute of Technology. It's a good place to share ideas and on matters such as money, career, business, and economic development.  Besides that this blog also has some useful ideas about investing in African businesses.
Kenyan Entrepreneur is a great blog which focuses on entrepreneurial pursuits, in general, as they pertain to Kenya.  Although the blogger here does not disclose his or her identity, I find myself addicted to the blogger's strong sense of humor.
Annansi Chronicles is a blog written by Mr. Annan from Ghana.  That would be Mr. J. Kofi Annan, who bears no relation to the former UN Secretary-General, Koffi Annan.  His blog focuses on business in Africa, but with a unique twist. He covers African business from the fashion, glamour, and entertainment angles.
Odegle Nyang Investments written by a Kenyan entrepreneur named Odegle, who is very knowledgeable about the Kenyan Stock Market.  The bulk of his posts talk about Kenya's banking or stock market news, but sometimes he writes about more general business topics in Kenya, as well as other African countries.
Investing In Africa is maintained by two bloggers, Ryan Shen-Hoover and Coldtusker.  I like this blog because of the contrasts between the two contributors.  Ryan Shen-Hoover's posts sound like an article that you might read in your everyday business newspaper across the globe, his stories span nearly all of Africa's stock markets. Contrast that style and delivery with Coldtusker's who blogs about financial news in Kenya and writes with a more “take it or leave it” and “in your face” approach.
The Entrepreneur is published by the Cameroonian newspaper called The Entrepreneur.  Its mission is to inform and educate its readers and the public with truthful, credible, inspiring and motivating non-partisan information that equips and empowers them to a fulfilling destiny.
Bankele is the leading business blogger from Kenya. He writes about financial and investment matters in Kenya and also posts local job vacancies.
Cherryflava is a South African blog, which covers business and marketing trends in South Africa and elsewhere.
Dave Duarte is also from South Africa. He writes about marketing and considers himself a marketing geek. Dave is one of the two bloggers behind Amplitude, a South African marketing podcast.
The list above is definitely incomplete. In the coming weeks you can expect to read more detailed roundups on some of these African business blogs.

author: Benin Mwangi


text:
Albania: AMC Rip-Off · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Our Man in Tirana protests against being ripped off by Albania's mobile operator AMC.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Algeria: Is Harsusi A Dying Language?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian blogger Lameen Souag laments the death of yet another language here. “Somebody get over there and make some recordings of Harsusi,” he urges.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Argentina: Sexual Preference and License Plates · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Andres Duque keeps his watchful eye on LGBT news from around Latin America with a story this week about license plates in Argentina.

author: David Sasaki


text:
Armenia: Imitation Anti-Corruption · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Blogrel discusses Transparency Armenia's decision to quit the government's Anti-Corruption Strategy Monitoring Commission, saying that they no longer wish to help the government pretend it is fighting corruption.

author: Nathan Hamm


text:
Armenia: Nazi Discourses · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Armenian Libertarian-Socialist Movement responds to what it calls “Nazi discourses” in Armenian politics.


text:
Azerbaijan: Boom Towns · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Carpetblogger draws parallels between two boomtowns: Azerbaijan's capital, Baku; and, Deadwood, South Dakota.


text:
Bahrain: A female preacher who gave something extra  · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

This week Mahmood Al Yousif, who is facing legal action regarding comments he made on his blog, refers to the supposed freedom of expression in Bahrain:
No sooner than our king vowing to protect the freedoms of expression in Bahrain, than we get yet another journalist dragged in for questioning by the public prosecutor!
The honour this time goes to Ja’afer Al-Jamri of Al-Wasat (newspaper) with a complaint brought against him by a government ex-employee for libel even though it has been proven that the complainant was in the wrong! … Why does the public prosecution bother with these cases? Wouldn’t it have been better for them to throw the complaint out and save themselves some time? …This continuous hauling of opinion writers and journalists to the public prosecutor is the first line of “warning” these people to toe the line, especially when it is tied with criticism against the government, one of its employees or any other person society deems as “influential”.
This method is quite effective actually and I can tell you this from first hand experience. Not that I have stopped criticising (constructively still, mind you) but this method has been successful in varying degrees in silencing opinion writers who do not wish to spend some time being questioned, nor have their jobs and livelihood put in jeopardy. …It looks like the government still regards criticism as “disrespect” – probably in a tribal mentality – rather than a freely provided consultancy to better its ways!
Hasan is continuing his holiday back home in Bahrain:
Still in Bahrain and slightly getting aggravated by the simplest of  things lately. … (although it's great getting to hang out at home with the family rather than in that cardboard box I call home on the second floor of a beauty salon owned by a member of a psycho cult in Tokyo.)
He attended the opening event of Bahrain's Spring of Culture, a series of cultural events to take place throughout March and April:
I went the FIRST event of 2007's Spring of Culture event in Bahrain. It was Marcel Khalife (from Lebanon) and Bahrain's very own Qassim Haddad presenting the “MAJNOON LAYLA PROJECT” – which was super. Sadly, too super for the Bahraini audience whose majority forgot to switch off their cellphones and leave their crying babies at home. The whole event was about poetry, music, dance and painting. It was the complete artistic experience. The most eye-popping thing (literally) was the REALLLLLY risky dancing. (Then again, how can only the arguably the greatest love story in history to be portrayed through dance?)  I was expecting that the longbeards in Bahrain would – in this morning's newspapers and today's Friday prayers – denouncing this and use whatever nonsense they can stir up to strangle art and expression in Bahrain. (Even though this event happens only ONCE a year). My fingers are crossed that they (the longbeards) keep their mouths shut about this. Indefinitely.
Tooners is an American girl married to a Bahraini, and has just had her first baby. In her blog Hypnotic Verses, she describes some of the cultural issues she has had to face, such as whether to let her son be circumcised:
One big thing that will happen this Sunday is his circumcision. I'm dreading it. I know it only takes a few minutes, but the thought of him having the pain, even for that long, is more than I can bear. My husband's brother had the surgeon videotape the surgery and I think Hashim wants to do the same, but I really can't imagine it. I guess it's a guy thing. But really, in thinking about it, who would want to see such a thing once they get older?!! What guy would want to see that being done to him as a baby? My husband's brother thinks it's soooo cool and is very proud of the fact that he had it videotaped, but, really, I see no point in it. But… then again, maybe I'm missing something.
She also describes her frustration at everyone around her feeling free to tell her how to deal with her child:
The in-laws… well, I've been staying at our house and away from that unwanted stress. I find it easier to be here and to do things on my own. Even if I make mistakes… at least I learn from them. I do things differently than this culture does and find that it isn't looked at as a positive thing. And it's not just the in-laws that make the comments… I find that some women feel like it's their duty or think it's ok to butt in and give their opinions about things that are really none of their business. I can't tell ya how many times I've been told not to put the baby in an infant car seat! If I saw things from their point of view, I'd be hurting my baby and damaging his bones, as well as bruising him.
In his blog The Outsider, Mohammed Al Mubarak writes about his sister, who died in 2005, and who was a well-known ‘mulaya’, a preacher and leader of mourning for women.
This is all for this week. See you next Friday!

author: Ayesha Saldanha


text:
Bilingual Education in Guatemala · Global Voices
Renata Avila

[Editor's note: The following post was originally written by blogger and journalist Juan Manuel Castillo and posted at La Nana. It was translated to English by Guatemalan contributor Renata Ávila.]
Tz´ikin Jaay in Spanish means Santiaguito, or “Little Santiago.” It is the name of a school in Santiago Atitlán in Guatemala's state of Sololá. It has been educating children for about a decade, preserving their identity, culture and greatness of the Tzutuhiles, the regional ethnic group.
Pek noq e´la utz chipaam qak´aslemal  chik rara´taq xtoq k´iiya kiy laj taq achnaq nqawil.
“It is important to study because through it we can help the whole community in the future and educate the children of tomorrow” is the opinion of 15-year-old bilingual education student Verónica del Carmen Damián.
Taq anen xtinkiya`, kenoto´je´wachalal je´ek´ola chpaam nitnamit, chaqa´ kenyariij keno´ka jun k´omoy b´eey, jun winaq tijoneel qas ritquiin otzlaj taq naoj.
“My goal is to teach poor children and help people,” said 12-year-old girl Ana Maria Mendoza.
The green of the trees, the beautiful gardens and paths, a stunning view of the Lake Atitlán, and a place reserved for bonfires are just a few examples of what the school offers.
“I like my school because it has a garden and flowers,” says Pedro Mendoza Reanda, who is proud to have such a nice school. Likewise, several other kids find in Tz`ikin Jaay, a place of amazement.
In Guatemalan cities children study in closed buildings with no space to play, only grey buildings. The bilingual school in Santiago has an ecological program, a recycling system, and teachers who know the importance of a balanced environment and respecting nature. While urban Guatemalan schools require their students to wear a uniform to attend, in Santiaguito the optional uniform consists of a bright red shirt and white trousers.
Tz´ikin Jaay opened their doors to any child in the village wishing to attend in 1997. The study program is focused both on traditional lessons and also technical lessons and handicrafts. The majority of the students will most likely not finish secondary school so one of the school's aims is to provide them with tools for their future. The school promotes cultural diversity and linguistic diversity with lessons in Tzutuhil, Spanish, and even English, with the help of volunteers like Kirstin Maria Jones.
For the students, teachers and parents of the school, October 5, 2005  is a date to remember. Hurricane Stan destroyed everything. The school was flooded with mud, the facilities gone. They have never obtained any support or aid from the government. and so it was the community itself that rebuilt the school.
The school is not self-sustainable. Not all the parents can afford a monthly fee. The Ministry of Education is not willing to fund such an unorthodox project. Since the school is private, but open to anyone in the community, they cannot obtain any federal funding. They are not willing to participate in other programs because their requirements focus on maximizing resources, so the children would not be able to have all the added value like English lessons and art classes. They currently have the support of two NGO´s, but they are not certain about tomorrow.
If you are interested in visiting the school and/or community you can write to gasparreanda At yahoo dot com or leave a comment on this post.

author: Renata Avila


text:
Caribbean: Give the cricketing minnows a chance · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Robert Frische of cricketwukup.com disagrees with statements made by two former West Indies cricket greats that the presence of “minnows” (weak teams) in the Cricket World Cup devalues the tournament.

author: Georgia Popplewell


text:
Caucasus: Big Mac Index · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Social Science in the Caucasus posts a partial “Big Mac Index” for the Caucasus with an explanation of what the numbers mean.


text:
Croatia: Threats Against “Istraga” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Neretva River reports: “Istraga, a program on Nova hosted by Robert Valdec that includes periodic re-enactments of war crimes has attracted some unwanted attention in the form of graphic death threats against the program's host.”


text:
Egypt: Bad Treatement in Cairo · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

There is something about South-East Asians in Cairo, they just get the best of bad Cairo treatment, writes Cairo-based blogger Tom Gara, after a Singaporean pop star and her managers were conned there. “I can't imagine Germans or Americans getting suckered into paying thousands of dollars into a mobile credit card machine many times thoughout a single day just because some sketchy Egyptian tells them they have to,” he adds.


text:
Egypt: Bird Flu Update · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt is recorded as the hardest hit country outside Asia by bird flu, writes Freedom for Egyptians here.
She adds that the four-year-old girl is the disease's latest victim in her country.


text:
Egypt: Shias Under Attack · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Issandr El Amrani, from The Arabist, links to an article which says that Iraqi Shia‘s had fled to “safety from the sectarian bloodshed but not from sectarian persecution” here.


text:
El Salvador: Bush and Saca meet in Washington · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Tim Muth has posted a complete transcript of the official statements by US President George Bush and El Salvador President Tony Saca following their meeting on Tuesday. Hunnapuh is skeptical [ES] that either leader will follow through on their promises.


text:
El Salvador: Perquín · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Laura V. of Viva El Salvador describes the violent history of Perquín in the mountainous region of Morazán: “it is amazing to think that just 20 years ago [during the Civil War], the place was being bombed regularly.”


text:
Guinea: Another Lansana Enters the Scene · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Says Senegalese blogger Alex Seck, (Fr): “The situation in [Guinea] has started normalizing since the nomination of Lansana Kouyaté  as Prime Minister on Feb. 26. Kouyaté who was one of five people proposed by unionists and civil society arrived in Conakry [on the 27th] from Abidjan where he was [an official] of L'Organisation de la Francophonie. His nomination was saluted by outcries of joy and Guineans showed up in droves to welcome him. “

author: Alice Backer


text:
Hong Kong: Chief Executive Election Debate · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN summarised local mainstream news reports and polls on the Hong Kong Chief Executive Election debate.

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
Iraq: Flying Kites · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Alaa goes down memory lane to a time when he could peacefully fly kites with his brothers in the spring and autumn.


text:
Iraq: Liquor Stores Opened · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Award-winning Iraqi blogger Omar (Iraq The Model) writes about the reopening of stores in Iraq - including liquor stores – a sign which “means that those shopkeepers are leaving their fear behind, and openly ignoring the threats of militias and insurgents who once ruled the streets and intimidated the people with threats and violence.”


text:
Iraq: Saddam Movie Plans · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saddam's fans will have no trouble keeping both these ideas in their heads at the same time: That Saddam is tragically dead, and that Saddam is triumphantly still alive, writes Iraq Pundit, following news of a new film celebrating the former Iraqi president's life and a book which claims that his double was hanged instead.


text:
Iraq: Six Months to Win the War · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Imad Khadduri links to an article which warns of a hasty US retreat from Iraq , if it doesn't win the war in six months.


text:
Iraq: The New Oil Law · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Raed Jarrar posts the “translation of the latest resolution of the Council of Ministers approving the oil law and submitting it to the Council of Representatives.” “You can notice that this creates an unconstitutional loophole in article 5, setting May 31st as a deadline for enacting the oil law even of the council of representatives did not approve it,” he writes.


text:
Japan: Kappa sketches · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Edo from Pink Tentacle blogs some sketches from Edo period (1603 to 1867) of Kappa, Japan’s most well-known creature of legend, which are notorious for luring people — particularly children — into the water to drown and eat them. (zh)


text:
Japan: tattoo · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ampotant blogs the cultural meaning of tattoo by looking into the Japan history.


text:
Kazakhstan: Benefits of Being Illegal · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Leila reports on the increasing number of Central Asian immigrants in the Czech Republic, focusing on the story of one family from Kazakhstan who have found it better to live outside of Kazakhstan illegally than to try to find work at home.


text:
Latin America: Indie Music Compilation · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Indie music lovers should give a listen to this free thirteen track compilation put together by Indie Latin American blog Comunidad Alternativa.


text:
Libya: 30 Years of Gaddafi · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Libya marks its 30th birthday as a Jamaheriya under the reign of Colonel Muammar Al Gaddafi today and this is what Issandr El Amrani has to say about the anniversary in The Arabist.


text:
Mexico, USA: Lives Across Borders · Global Voices
David Sasaki

John Calypso discusses the immigration difficulties that come between bi-national marriages.


text:
Myanmar: Internet Trends · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Myat Thura looks at the growing numbers of cybercafes in Myanmar and how the youngsters use the internet.

author: Preetam Rai


text:
Peru: Journalist Doesn’t Recognize Blog Source · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Another case of a Latin American journalist getting a bit too much inspiration from the blogosphere without attribution. Unlike Global Voices contributing author Juan Arellano, the Peruvian daily La República published an article about the online discussions surrounding a hypothetical war between Peru and Chile. Desde el Tercer Piso writes “next time with recognition, muchachos.” Gran Combo Club adds [ES] “I think that Peruvian journalists have to learn to respect the blogosphere a little more.” Silvio goes on to bring up cases in which bloggers have corrected news reports in the United States and wonders if Peruvian bloggers will one day also have such influence. Roberto of El Morsa echoes the denouncement [ES] in “Journalist from La Republica plagiarizes a blog.”


text:
Poland: Computerization · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Information Policy writes on Poland's computerization plan.


text:
Senegal: Some Wade Pluses · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Blog Politique du Sénégal has had (Fr) a hard time understanding Wade's victory in last week's presidential election but concedes: “Wade is not completely undeserving.  The infrastucture he has built, the many secondary schools were necessary. His regime has built more infrastructure in 7 years than his predecessors in 20.”


text:
Senegal: Wade Official Winner · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Blog Politique du Sénégal posts the definitive presidential election results which reflect Wade's win with 55.72% of the vote, and Idrissa Seck as the runner-up with 15.52% . Ousmane Tanor Dieng is third and Moustapha Niasse is 4th. The results are further itemized by city.


text:
Serbia: Reactions to the ICJ Verdict · Global Voices
Ljubisa Bojic

[Note: A roundup of the English-language blog posts on the ICJ verdict ran on Global Voices this past Wednesday, here.]
Serbia is proclaimed not guilty for the crimes that happened during the Bosnian war – and this is echoed in the country’s news and talk show programs this week. Lately, one could feel a clear “denying guilt” tendencies displayed by everyone who took part in the conflict. That is exactly what has been happening during the last decade, since the end of Bosnian civil war. But debating who is guilty doesn’t solve the issue. It widens the gap between people. People who identify themselves as Muslims, Serbs, and Croats have all evidently committed terrible crimes during the nineties.
After the International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict, Serbia's Liberal Democratic Party offered a declaration to be voted by Serbian parliament, which contains an official apology for the Srebrenica massacre (recognized as an act of genocide by the ICJ). The party is supported by numerous non-governmental organizations that seem to promote Serbian guilt. They triggered strengthening of an opposing wave of nationalist movement represented by the Serbian Radical Party, allegedly formed by the domestic secret service during the last decade. Both SRS and Kostunica’s DSS agree to condemn all the atrocities which occurred during the civil war, but would not accept the blame for the Srebrenica massacre. President Boris Tadic will probably try to find a balanced solution.
All political structures would like to take some kind of formal action, but any real determination to solve the problem in its essensc doesn’t exist. What we need is a conversation between the common people who took part in the dispute.
In his blog post called Nation and Simplification, Goran Miletic from Serbia doesn’t seem to agree with the ICJ verdict. Among other things, he writes (SRP):
[…] Once upon a time, there was a big eight-floor-high building [each floor representing a republic], where eight brothers lived with their own families. During the time, and because of certain changes, some of the families decided to live on their own by forming separate flats. The dominant older brother with his huge family didn’t like the idea [so he sent the young leaders to other flats, so they would proclaim their own space]. […] As the time went by, things got tougher, so [Slovenia], who lived at the ground floor [joined the EU building]. [And the people from the Serbian floor started supporting and executing the killings of other floor members…] […]
Spiridon argues that Serbia doesn’t need worse punishment than today’s state:
Serbia has so many problems. There is nobody to blame for the current stage. Current and old political scenes are “black without any white”. Srebrenica crime deserves public and, if you will, official apology. The fact that you feel bad that the nation went trough this without a punishment was nicely commented by Virtualni Vasilije:
“The whole situation fits to my opinion that the major number of these NGOs would like things to seem much worse than they really are. If the situation is better, there is no need for financial support for most of the Non-governmental organizations which exist at the moment. There is no glimpse of will for justice and real fight for humanitarian rights…”
Think abut the babies in a Tirsova [hospital] if today’s reps of political garbage don’t think about them. In case we are forced to pay war damage to Bosnia, the burden wouldn’t be felt by your, [Boris] Tadic’s or [Vojislav] Kostunica’s back. […]
Snezana7plus is bitter because of blog author's words:
Mister Miletic,
As you try to simplify the issues here, I would like to get an explanation of some attitudes.
For example, in that big building […] where the Serbs who respected all other nations lived, the ones who protested against [Slobodan] Milosevic, who suffered because they didn’t want to take part in the war, who went out to be the victims themselves, who even today have many difficulties with the crazy [“politicians”].
You know, I don’t feel right when Americans put me at the same floor and bombed me, it comes even harder when Europe does it, but it is the toughest when someone from that big building does it.
[you say]:
“I really believe that you guys who are reading this aren’t killers, but didn’t some of you stand quiet when you should have spoken up?”
If you believe – you believe, there is no need for you to REALLY believe.
Wise people say, when somebody says “but,” everything before that word can be erased.
Dj responds with a spree of questions:
Am I guilty if my brother rapes my cousin?
Am I guilty if my sister hits a small child with a car at a pedestrian crossing, and if she had stolen the car from my aunt?
Can I be guilty, if my mother goes mad and kills my father?
Am I guilty just a bit if my grandmother refuses to give a medicine to my grandfather, and so he dies?
Where does my guilt stand in the case if my spouse’s mother uses an illegal gun I didn’t know about to shoot a man who tried to rob her?
Am I normal if I don’t feel guilty in any of these cases?

author: Ljubisa Bojic


text:
Serbia: The Verdict’s Fallout · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pustolovina: adventure in Serbian writes on how the ICJ verdict is affecting her on the personal and professional levels.


text:
Taiwan: Commemoration of the 60th anniversary of 2-28 Massacre in Taiwan  · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

On February 27, 1947, after Chinese army came to Taiwan, under Chiang Kai-Shek’s  KuoMinTang (KMT) regime, a tragic incident happened, people were killed by the government officials.  The next day, on 2/28, in Taipei, when a group of unarmed demostrators gathered and asked for justice, they were killed or wounded under the command of the governor.  Afterwards, hundreds and thousands of innocent civilians were killed or wounded by the army force.  Among them, many were important local elites who had been working relentlessly on resolving the conflict between the government and angry civilians.  This incident was the start of tyranny that oppressed Taiwanese for more than 40 years.   (For details about the following massacre in ChiaYi, check out  judie35's blog (zh).)
In 1987 (the martial law finally ended in the same year), to commemorate the death of the people who pursuited peace on 2/28/1947 and thereafter, February 28th is first named Peace Memorial Day.    Judie35 (zh) said, ‘I agree with  Yi-Hsiung Lin‘s opinion that we should not only focus on the governors from China or the conflict between Taiwanese and Chinese at that time.  We should find the root of the massacre: the dictatorship killed the people who wanted justice to assure its ruling.  We should learn how to avoid dictatorship from the heartrending history.’
In 2004,  safeguard Taiwan alliance proposed ‘ all Taiwanese should hold hand-in-hand to protect Taiwan on 2/28.’  On that day, two million people gathered and lined up for as long as 500km.  The peace march was so successful that even people in China were eager to comment.
In a forum in China,  static stone said, ‘Taiwanese are fooled by Chen, Shui-Ben.  They asked for peace, but they do not know that we enforce the military force toward Taiwan because Chen's government is pro-independence.  If they want peace, they should ask Chen to step down.’ On the other hand, a Taiwanese student,  Yuan-Shen Chiang wrote in his blog, ‘I do not care if the event is related to the presidential election going to happen later or not.  I am happy I joined the event because I believe it is meaningful.  We took action to show our love for the place we live.’
This year, the 60th anniversary of the massacre, a group of local artists commemorated 2/28 Peace Memorial Day with music and film.  The theme is “ With Justice We Cure This Nation.”  Renowned international rock bands, including Plastic People of the Universe, Strike Anywhere, Muse, Akiakane, and Pan Gu, and local rock bands Chthonic, Tizzy Bac, and Loh Tsui Kweh Commune, were performing live on February 28.    Sound and fury was excited about the performance of Plastic People of the Universe and said, ‘They sing for rock, justice, democracy, and human dignity.  Yes, they will show up in Taipei, and perform in a concert that criticizes dictatorship.  Isn't the event suitable for their performance?’
Outside of Taiwan, in the USA, there is also  a commemoration march from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C for five days (2/24-2/28).
On internet, Taiwanese bloggers held ‘ the 228 Show Taiwan Writing Marathon‘ for the first time last year.   It drew the attention from  major Taiwanese media.  Because of the great success, Taiwan blogophere held  this event again this year.
Behind the scene, not to our surprise, some people were not interested in the commemoration.   Huei-Hsien Peng wrote, ‘All of us are still living under the shadow of 2-28.  The first generation of the victims complaint about their bitterness.  The second and the third generation continue complainting.  So, how much is enough?  To what extent would they be satisfied?’  She also pointed out, ‘led by the current ruling party ( Progressive Party, DPP), the mind set behind the commemoration is so narrow that they focus on a specific group of people and a specific political party (KMT).’  On the other hand,  Fang-Chai Yeh Hua explained why we still need to talk about 228 massacre, ‘the  hope to raise the awareness of the  transitional justice.’  Sound and fury said, ‘Samuel P. Hungtington, the author of The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century, brought up a major problem for most developing countries—when a new democratic government face the killings made by the past dictatorship, what should we do?  Ask for justice and punishment, or forgive and forget?’
The people suffering from 2-28 Massacre in 1947 and the oppression thereafter are more than 80 year-old now.  Many victims ask for justice and the truth to be revealed.  Furthermore,   Tofu fish wrote in her blog: we should try to adapt literature and art to let more people in this island understand and discuss what happened in the past.  Through grass-roots efforts, someday there will be no need for indictment, and we can live in peace.’
If you like music, you can check out the music performed in the Peace Memorial Day concert:   ‘Taiwan the Green,’ a poem written by  John Jyigiokk, adapted by Tyzen Hsiao in his ‘1947 Overture’,  Je-Lin Hsieh singing ‘Taiwan Lily’, music by Anjamama and lyric by Kufao, and  Hui-Ju  Chen singing ‘The Spiritual Day of Taiwan’, music by Lynn Huang and lyric by Tu-Pan F. G.
If you like drawings, you can check out the print ‘ horrid exam–2-28 incident in Taiwan‘ by Jung-Tsan Huang (in the Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama),   ‘Massacre in Keelung harbor on 3/8/1947′ by Bing-Shyi Shih, and  an oil painting by Wen Ouyang, who is also a survivor of 2-28 Massacre.

author: I-fan Lin


text:
Trinidad & Tobago: What’s hot · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

The Manicou Report posts its latest “Trinidad at a glance” list: “Weather: Cool nights. Days are getting hotter. It is, after all, the dry season.”


text:
Ukraine: Bakeries · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko writes about the Kyiv Cake and other baked goodness found in Ukraine's capital.


text:
Ukraine: Early Election? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sounds like a deja vu, but Ukraine may be heading towards yet another election – an early parliamentary one, writes Foreign Notes.


text:
Bangladesh: Islamic Student Movement · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices links to an article on Hizbut Tahir, which it brands as the Islamic Student Movement in Bangladesh, provoking an interesting discussion in the comments space. “Also, we can complain as much as we want about brainwahing, but there is a qualitative difference between the stereotypical youth fundy of yesteryear – uneducated, rural, lower-income, marginalized, raised in madrasah, susceptible to indoctrination – and the profile of the new activitists described in the article – educated, urban, from the mainstream, and high income.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


text:
Bangladesh: On politics and people · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Salam Dhaka on involvement in politics being influenced by the impact on survival. And the answer to the question – What's in it for me? “The people have taken responsibility of their destiny. They do not expect anyone to be their great saviour. Democracy, constitution, human rights are all buzzwords for the guys like me with a fast computer connection and a stomach full of food. It makes great political commentary but has to relevance to the people. “


text:
Fiji: Newspaper General Manager Releases · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Intlligentsiya blog is reporting that Fijian Military has released Fiji Daily Post's general manager Mesake Koroi.  The blog says “Koroi was taken by soldiers to Queen Elizabeth Barracks yesterday morning after a letter was published in the newspaper yesterday titled ‘The Great Conspiracy’ which “alleged and named conspirators” in the December 5 coup.”


text:
Ghana: Perspectives of Ghana at 50 · Global Voices
Emmanuel.K. Bensah

Like most Sub-Saharan Africans, Ghanians use the English language—not only as a lingua franca, but also as the official language. They use English on top of many local languages—and dialects—spoken and heard throughout the country. It therefore comes as a little surprise that (young) Ghanaians might just fall a tad short of being conversationally-challenged with regard to their local language.
So ingrained in the culture of the country is the use of English that Maximus of Ghanablogs.com finds himself:
ashamed to identify myself as a Ghanaian. Why? Because I don't know my mother tongue (Twi) as well as I know English. I can't speak, write, and read it as well as I do English. Sad I know. You want to know another shameful secret? I was born and raised in the Greater Accra Region, but I can't speak Ga. Yep, you read right. Don't worry my family and friends still tease me. I can blame the educational system and lots of people, but the number one person to blame is me. I should have paid more attention in language class
Another communication challenge is that of the execrable, or very poor, service of the leading mobile telecommunication provider in the country—Areeba, which Abocco, of GhanaConscious writes:
he interesting thing is how Areeba continues to capture the bulk of the market. Their promotions and investment in marketing a few years ago have really paid off to the point that the ‘cool’ and ‘chic’ phone service to have is Areeba. Compound this with the fact that it is cheaper to make calls from one Areeba customer to another than to someone with a different service, one is doomed to get an Areeba chip since most of friends use it anyway. In the meantime, they have the worst network and instead of improving it, they are focusing on becoming more ‘attractive’ by sponsoring entertainment events and embarking on more promotions
He maintains that despite Areeba's problem, the other mobile provider, Kasapa, has a small share of the market, despite having the best technology  (CDMA). That they have phones which he considers “ugly” doesn’t help them catch up any faster!
In the meantime, as Ghana creeps towards what may prove to be an explosive Jubilee celebration on 6 March, Ghanaian bloggers cannot help but express their opinions. The first, being Emmanuel Okyere who commends Ghana President John Kufuor for his state of the nation address two weeks ago. Two main issues addressed in the speech touched him, economic performance and ICT:
today the revolution of Information Communication Technology is fundamentally changing the way the world works and decreasing the marginal cost of production and raising productivity across all industries. The Government will continue to place emphasis on the potential of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to provide the foundation for transforming the nation’s economy.
To ensure that every District has access to high speed internet connection and promote a wider penetration of ICT services throughout the country, including distance education and tele-medicine, the Government has secured from the Government of China, a concessionary loan facility of $30 million to construct a national Fibre Optic Communication Backbone
Luke, of I’ll Alight at This Thing(Luke in Ghana), reflects on how different the capital of the Northern part of Ghana, Tamale looks after a two-month absence from the region:
There are now street signs up on the larger streets, revealing names I hadn’t know about before. However, the word Tamale is written in colour, with “Tam” in blue and “ale” in red – giving the signs a beer ad flavour.
The main street in the centre of town is being “decongested” – all the local shops, which are set up on the side of the street in small shack-like buildings, are being cleared out. Apparently they’re being relocated to two satellite markets in town, but I don’t know the details on this (nobody seems to), and I’m dubious about how effective these markets will be. The main strip was a major commercial hub for the city, and I worry that relocating all these shopkeepers will put a major dent in their sales
Whilst heaping praises about the warmth of Ghanaians, that is “unparalleled” as something that has not changed in his absence, he contends—with some degree of ambivalence—that the developments in Tamale:
…all seems to relate to Ghana’s 50th anniversary – the 6th March will mark 50 years of independence for Ghana from British rule (the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain this status), and they’re sure to celebrate. Beautification projects are ongoing across the country.
Ghana will also be hosting the Cup of African Nations 2008 – an African soccer tournament. It’s for this reason that the new stadium is being constructed.
These two events are certainly exciting, but I can’t help but wonder if the preparations leading up to them are doing more harm for the people of Tamale than good
On a very different note, a blog from an unusual quarter, EU Referendum, comments on Ghana’s independence, generalising about the country’s first President Dr.Kwame Nkrumah, without taking into account local collusion with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which has been considered the key culprit.  Szamuely, the blog editor, Helen writes:
There can be no question about it, the twin causes of Ghana's downfall from its advantageous position fifty years ago are the Marxist, socialist experiment that was imposed on it in the name of something called “the African way”; and the indiscriminate aid that poured in from Western countries whose leaders were trying to assuage historic “guilt” without bothering to find out what actually happened to the money.
Finally, she uses the tenuous comparison between South Korea and Ghana (though it’s usually been Malaysia, also celebrating its Jubilee Year this year):
In 1957 when Ghana became independent it was a relatively wealthy country. Its present and future was contrasted advantageously with that of South Korea by all the pundits. Ghana was rich, democratic, full of natural resources. South Korea was none of those things and what was going to happen to the country.
Well, fifty years on, we know the answer. By African standards, Ghana is not doing too badly. South Korea has shot ahead to become one of the world's fastest developing economies and a serious threat to the sclerotic economies of Western Europe. Presumably, when Segolene Royal promised to introduce measures to control globalization, South Korea was one of the countries she had in mind (if she had anything specific in mind, that is). It was not Ghana, you may be sure.
Ghanaians are bound to groan collectively upon hearing such arguments that, sadly, might continue in any analysis of the country by non-Africans!

author: Emmanuel.K. Bensah


text:
Malaysia: Feasting in Ipoh · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Traveling on a budget and still want to try great food, Bunnywunny recommends the Malaysian city of Ipoh. The blogger has pictures to prove her point.


text:
Malaysia: Malaysian Universities Missing from International Lists · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Malaysian politician Lim Kit Siang is laments the fact that Malaysian universities are failing to make Malaysian universities are missing from most listings of notable universities in the world.


text:
Nepal: Development and More · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Democracy For Nepal has a list of “to do”s to accelerate growth and development in Nepal. “Focus on the information/telecommunications infrastructure more than on the physical infrastructure. Bathe the country with FM technology, the internet for the masses. Encourage the private sector to do most of it. Offer 10 years of schooling through the air waves: evening school perhaps. Target adults and children both. This makes illiteracy kind of irrelevant.”


text:
Nepal: On the flag · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! on the national flag in Nepal. “Our new democratic national flag must be able to embrace our diverse ethnicity, culture, religions, gender, and inhabitance of different geographical regions with the promise to guarantee our civil liberty and human rights; with the federal democratic electoral system for governing our constituents by the elected representatives from each constituent residence.”


text:
Pakistan: On Jinnah · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

chapati mystery on the perception of Jinnah in the academic and state circles through the years. “Since The General’s ascension, the “Heroes of Pakistan” focus has shifted towards the more brazenly militant ones and the earlier generation’s focus on Jinnah and Iqbal has softened considerably. Just recently, the religious party Jamaat Ulama-i Islam [JUI] decided that Jinnah was no freedom fighter, because “he did nothing for Islam and Pakistan, made no sacrifice and never went to jail”. Such a public stance would have been un-heard of, at any previous time.”


text:
Russia: Opposition Rally in St. Petersburg · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A surprisingly large opposition rally took place in St. Petersburg Saturday: a few thousand people, old and young (some came with their children, even), broke through police cordons and marched along Nevskiy Prospekt, the city's main avenue; dozens were hurt in clashes with riot police, and dozens ended up detained. Two opposition leaders – Garry Kasparov and Mikhail Kasyanov – spoke to the crowd; the third one – Eduard Limonov of the National Bolshevik Party – got arrested before the rally began. Some of the rally's slogans – “Russia Without Putin” and “This is Our City” – reflected the dual nature of the protest: as  Mr. Kasyanov said (RUS), “residents of St. Petersburg are facing not only federal problems, but a huge number of issues directly related to the life of the city.” St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko called the rally “a provocation” and stated that its organisers “came from Moscow, accompanied by 120 young extremist protestors.”
Here's some of what LJ user aneta_spb (a St. Petersburg journalist of Belarusian descent) wrote (RUS) about the rally:
In this case, I don't care what flags people were carrying. What's important is that the most popular slogan – the one that everyone supported – was: “This is our city!”
Some deja vu, isn't it, residents of Minsk and other compatriots-Belarusians?
It was very interesting there. Take the second attempt of the march towards Nevskiy! The first time we moved forward, they dispersed the column and detained a few dozen people. So what? We went the second time and broke through. The riot police cordon was broken FOUR TIMES. Anemic St. Peterburgians, suffering from avitaminosis, from old men to redhaired artistically-bohemian-looking young women – they were marching on those well-fed (but, as it turned out, poorly trained) people in uniform. […] I'm proud of St. Petersburg. […]
And some more, from another post (RUS) by aneta_spb:
No, really, nothing like this had ever happened before – people marching on the riot police. Even in August 1991, when the police appeared, people at first began to run away, but they were stopped by the announcement that the police were on our side. Here everyone knew for sure that the police were being led against us – but it didn't scare them. […]
Another St. Petersburg journalist – LJ user shavu – has posted photos from the rally (many of them rather blurry – because they were taken on the run). There are eight installments, and here's the title of the first one:
The cradle of the three revolutions has swung again. It was fun and frightening.
Below are the links to the remaining seven photo posts by shavu:
http://shavu.livejournal.com/440849.html
http://shavu.livejournal.com/441125.html
http://shavu.livejournal.com/441489.html
http://shavu.livejournal.com/441796.html
http://shavu.livejournal.com/442008.html
http://shavu.livejournal.com/442136.html
http://shavu.livejournal.com/442617.html


text:
SIngapore: Farangs and Ice Hockey · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

TinkerTailor spots an ice hockey game in a Singapore skating rink that featured western Singapore expats playing against western expats from Thailand.


text:
Syria: When Buses Become a Pain · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

Whether it's in Syria or Canada, buses will always be a pain as Canada-based Syrian blogger Omar writes.
“we're standing on the sidewalk waiting for the bus… only the bus was already there, but the freakin’ driver has left it to go out for a smoke.
so you're standing there, feeling your jeans slowly becoming as cold as a steel plate.”

author: Yazan Badran


text:
Thailand: Chinatown’s Eating Places · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

In a post titled Chinatown with Suthon, Austin Bush visits the interesting eating places in Bangkok's Chinatown.  Suthon Sukphisit writes a weekly food  column in Bangkok Post newspaper.


text:
Thaland: Crackdown on Sexy Uniform · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Steve Suphan translates a Thai newspaper story that talks about  Thailand's culture minister offended by “small group of Rajaphat University students clad in sexy short skirts and tight top shirts, smoking cigarettes and chatting to black male tourists at Wat Pho”.


text:
Africa: Blogging Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tobias writes about the article, Reporting Africa, blog by blog: I found it interesting that there was no mention of allafrica.com, which also provides a news portal used by many to follow events throughout Africa and hosts the BlogAfrica blog aggregator site which appears to have been the precursor to Global Voices. I’d be interested in hearing more about that history and how allafrica.com, which I have always found to be a most useful and valiantly offered service, fits into all of this.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Brazil: Rolling Stone and the Marketing Hackers · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

One of the more dynamic segments in the Brazilian blogosphere is that of the marketing blogs. Stirred by a local advertising industry that regularly tops the most prestigious creative awards, and by the promise of interesting job posts at the big agencies, many young talented internauts are exploring blogging tools as a way to participate in the lively conversation focused on the content of marketing and advertisement campaigns. This particular setting was shaken last week by what at first seemed to be just another saucy new campaign fueling the debate, but later turned into a ‘cease and desist’ charge from Rolling Stone magazine over the use of its logo by some Brazilian blogs displaying pieces of what was supposed to be the magazine's new marketing campaign. The case has puzzled local bloggers as Rolling Stone has recently launched a Portuguese edition of the worldly famous magazine in Brazil, and an apparently unreasoned attack on blogs would surely not be a proper approach to promote the brand locally. But some rough edges in the message delivered by the ‘coexist‘ campaign, developed by the Brazilian agency DM9DBB and recently published [leaked?] by many blogs in different countries, can be the cause of the overreaction displayed by the magazine headquarters.
Me admira uma revista que se diz tão antenada, jovem, rebelde, moderna e blábláblá, resolva ameaçar um blog por “uso não autorizado de seu logo”. Até porque, eu não fiz uso nenhum. Quem fez foram outros. Não quero fazer o velho discurso de “internet: uma terra sem lei”, todos sabemos que não é bem assim. Mas será que o pessoal da Wenner Media acredita mesmo que será capaz de controlar e proibir a propagação de informações? Bem, vão nessa pessoal, desejo boa sorte, porque vocês terão um trabalho árduo pela frente. Eu, como não tenho cacife para enfrentar esses tiranossauros, irei tarjar o logo deles no post: Rolling Stone | Coexist. (ainda estou pensando se irei mesmo) Abaixo, um trecho do e-mail que recebi da Rolling Stone agora pouco. Logo agora, que estava pensando em assinar a versão nacional da revista. Fica pra próxima.
I am writing to advise you that the use of our logo in these images is unauthorized. The logo is a registered trademark of Rolling Stone LLC of which the unauthorized use of our logo appears in these images.
Rolling Stone ameaça blogs – Brainstorm#9
O CONTEÚDO DESTE FOI CENSURADO PELA REVISTA ROLLING STONE. SEGUNDO A MESMA, OS ANÚNCIOS POSTADOS AQUI VIOLAVAM O USO DA MARCA ROLLING STONE. (OPINIÃO DELES, CLARO). CONVERSEI COM O PESSOAL DO DEPTO. JURÍDICO AQUI DA AGÊNCIA. INICIALMENTE, PEDIRAM QUE EU NÃO ESCONDESSE A MARCA PARA FAZER UMA DIVULGAÇÃO PARCIAL DAS PEÇAS E NÃO MANTIVESSE AS IMAGENS ONLINE, PORÉM, AINDA ESTOU ESPERANDO UMA RESPOSTA DEFINITIVA DO QUE FAZER. RECEBI UMA LIGAÇÃO AGORA POUCO E AO QUE TUDO INDICA NÃO VIOLEI NENHUMA LEI DE COPYRIGHT EM RELAÇÃO A MARCA ROLLING STONE. SE ESTA INFORMAÇÃO FOR CONFIRMADA, VOLTO A POSTÁ-LAS. AO MEU ENTENDER, DIVULGUEI O TRABALHO DE CRIAÇÃO DA AGÊNCIA RESPONSÁVEL PELA PEÇA.
Revista Rolling Stone, onde tudo coexiste (inclusive Revolução e Hipocrisia) – aletp
Ambos os sítios já meteram a boca no trobone (Alept e Brainstorm#9) acusando a Revista, cuja campanha lembra em muito as imagens de outra campanha polêmica da empresa italiana Benneton na década de oitenta, de censura. Não é censura: é ameaça. Quanto ao seu teor, reproduzido parcialmente pela Brainstorm, me parece inteiramente equivocado ao reclamar acerca do uso de sua marca. Os blogs não estão se utilizando para si, ou com intuito de lucro, das marcas da empresa. Ao contrário divulgam uma campanha por ela realizada, atribuindo, inclusive, méritos pela sua qualidade.
Rolling Stone vs. Blogs – Direito e Trabalho
We could say that the overblown reaction of the magazine is becoming a pattern and, according to Ethan Zuckerman, people are throwing words like “libel” and “trademark infringement” around a great deal lately. In many cases, people are invoking legal threats to prevent content they find objectionable from spreading. This is a form of censorship and it creates a chilling effect – people start writing in such a way that they avoid certain topics and subjects for fear of receiving legal threats. But digging deeper in this case we find out that while the marketing blogs in Brazil were still clueless about what caused the magazine's reaction, other groups across the web were already stirred up by some elements contained in ‘coexist‘ campaign's message.
A campanha criada pela DM9DDB é realmente diferente com imagens chocantes e inusitadas. Em uma pequena tarja estão os textos (são 5 anúncios diferentes) que traduzem de forma surpreendente a imagem dos anúncios. Um deles em especial retrata claramente Michael Jackson segurando a mão de um menor de idade, ou falando bem francamente, de uma criança. Acompanhado do texto: “Rolling Stone. Onde música e sexo coexistem”, soa pesado o contexto. Na minha opinião, a campanha escorrega nesse anúncio. Dá um tom amoral, lembrarmos da história recente deste astro e nos instiga a repudiar, por alguns instantes, a peça. Mas em contraponto chama muita atenção e com certeza transmite a mensagem desejada.
Polêmica, informativa e ousada a revista e a campanha da ”Rolling Stone” – Os Universitários
The picture in the heart of this polemic is the one of “The Gloved One” that implicitly incriminates Mr. Michael Joseph Jackson. Even if there is no explicit message on that picture (no name, no face) any one all around the world knows that “The Gloved One” especially with sequined glove is Michael Jackson, and that is also why you used it. No need to be “fan” of the entertainer to see the tacit allusion made to the man. It’s totally different to make fun with some one concerning his appearance his mania and deliberately trying to hurt him and to compromise him. Is it necessary to remind you that this man has been cleared by the American Justice after almost two years of procedure investigation and dissection of his personal life? Even if he is “The” Michael Jackson, he is still a man and a father of three children. We would also like to remind you that the Rolling Stone Magazine has benefited on Mr. Jackson ever since issue #81 4/29/1971 saying : « Why does this eleven year old stay up past his bedtime ? » Since then you have used Mr. Jackson many times to build up your magazine and money and might I add, created many fans. However, this is going too far and you are accusing a human being of something that he has fairly been cleared of by the American Justice.
Sign Petition Against Rollong Stone Advertisements – Michael Jackson The King of Pop
There are some pieces in the puzzle leading us to think that maybe the campaign leaked from the awarded DM9DDB agency to the marketing blogs before being totally approved by Rolling Stone. The ‘cease and desist’ letter sent to the Brazilian bloggers by the magazine headquarters was the first, custom 1.0 reaction. Other blogs publishing the campaign images were now being notified through comments signed by a DM9DBB's VP and posted as below.
To whom it may concern;
The material showed in this website was not approved by the client or by DDB Brasil. It is not an actual campaign, and was never aired anywhere. The agency did no approve the submittal of this material to this site, nor to any other internet site or blog. This material was wrongly submitted by an unauthorized person, without our knowledge. We are requesting the immediate removal of this material.
Estácio Gonzaga de Sá
CFO and Executive VP
DDB Brazil
Comentário em Rolling Stone – PubAddict
Prestes a alcançar a maioridade, a DM9DDB é uma das cinco maiores agências em faturamento do Brasil e uma das mais criativas do mundo. Três vezes Agência do Ano no Festival Internacional de Cannes – a última delas em 2005, como Cyber Agency of the Year – e seis vezes eleita a “Agência do Ano” do Prêmio Caboré, eleição na qual os próprios profissionais brasileiros escolhem seus melhores, sua trajetória começa em São Paulo, em 1989.
Quem somos – DM9DDB
We should raise the question: is there any chance that the original images of the ‘coexist‘ campaign will someday disappear from the web? I am ready to bet against it. But I'd really like to know if the campaign was in any way ‘submitted [to the web] by an unauthorized person’ or if it in fact was approved, divulged, and then rejected later by the magazine when the Michael Jackson crowd reacted. In any case, the blogosphere once again somehow hacked a process that would otherwise be eclipsed by corporate walls. After all, it would be nice to see if there is real people behind the brand and the world view promoted by the Rolling Stone magazine as showed by the campaign pieces developed by DM9DBB, and also if these people do have something to say about the whole thing. Are they ready to show up in the blogosphere?
PS: I would like to say that the term ‘Marketing Hacker’ is dear to me as the name of an old blog edited by a good friend and also great Brazilian blogger, Hernani Dimantas. I am sure he would disagree with the context where I am using the term, but disagreeing with HD is one of the most interesting practices as we always have the chance to reach higher levels of understading. That's why I [always] take the risk. Long live to the ‘Marketing Hackers’.

author: Jose Murilo


text:
Cambodia: Lecturer Jailed  · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vutha writes about a lecturer in Cambodia who was sentenced to two years in prison for teaching anti-government material from a textbook that he himself wrote and published.


text:
Cambodia: The Cost of Living in Cambodia · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Khmer440 blog has some advice for people thinking of moving to and living on a budget in Cambodia.


text:
Forced evictions in Guatemala: whose land is it anyway? · Global Voices
Gavin Simpson

Land ownership and occupation are complex and highly contentious issues in many parts of Latin America, and the tropical, resource-rich plains of northeastern Guatemala are no exception.  On the one hand, legal title to land is generally brokered in formal processes between governments and private buyers.  On the other hand, indigenous peoples who have lived in an area for several generations see themselves as having a traditional or ancestral entitlement to remain there.  The following video, released by the pressure group Rights Action, shows how a Canadian mining company recently called in state prosecutors and armed law enforcement officers to move indigenous peoples off land it had bought from the Guatemalan government:
The villagers being forcibly removed here are indigenous Mayan Q’eqchi’ peoples, who claim this territory near Lake Izabal as part of their ancestral lands.  They want to carry out arable farming, as their forefathers had done peacefully on these plantations until the 1960s.  The indigenous perspective on mining is generally negative, fearing harm to the environment and destruction of the local culture and communities.
However, beneath these same lands lie rich seams of nickel, a metal whose scarcity on the world market has this week caused its value to reach a record high…
As reported in earlier dispatches from Rights Action, Canadian nickel-mining firm INCO first purchased the land from Guatemala’s military government of the 1960s, leading to violent evictions of the original Mayan Q’eqchi’ inhabitants.  The current proprietor, another Canadian company called Skye Resources, acquired the land from INCO in 2004 and has announced its intention to recommence mining for nickel under the rebranded “Fenix Project”.  The Mayan Q’eqchi’ peoples feel that their views on use of the land have not been properly taken into account and decided to restate their claims to live and farm there before the “Fenix Project” got underway.
The question at the heart of this story is to what extent the Mayan Q’eqchi’ peoples have a right to influence the use of the land they have traditionally lived on.  It is a question that has yielded increasingly bitter disputes in Guatemala over several decades and is widely regarded as a legacy of the country's history of conflict and military rule, as well as a facet of the society's broader discrimination against its indigenous communities.
Guatemala has signed up to an important multilateral human rights treaty dealing with the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples.  Known as Convention No. 169 of the International Labour Organisation, the treaty covers a range of contexts, including land rights, respect for indigenous customs and traditions, and eliminating socio-economic gaps between indigenous peoples and the rest of the national population.
Moreover, at the end of a 40-year armed confrontation in which 83% of the victims were Mayans, the Guatemala Peace and Reconstruction Plan, agreed in 1996, places responsibilities on the government to protect its most disadvantaged communities and is supposed to enshrine the right of indigenous peoples to meaningful consultation on land use.  The right to consultation is expressly formulated to give indigenous peoples a voice in negotiating fair outcomes to legislative or administrative processes that affect them – including land rights decrees.  In this instance, the government’s decision to grant a mining licence to Skye was seemingly taken without “dialogue and negotiation”.
And so it transpired, in a campaign to receive viable farming land from the Guatemalan Government, the indigenous Mayan families reoccupied parts of the intended Skye mining plots in September 2006.  After initial clashes with the police in November 2006 had left these families in what Upside Down World described as a “cycle of landlessness, poverty and repression”, they were finally forced off the land unceremoniously when Skye obtained a legal order for their eviction.
The evictions themselves were captured in a compelling photo-journal on the MiMundo blog, depicting the anguish of the residents, the burning of homes by Skye Resources, and the deployment of armed force by the state.  As GV Latin America Editor David Sasaki picked up earlier this week there’s a podcast on the Rabble Podcast Network in which the evictions are described by Canadian journalist Dawn Paley, who was at the scene and who had earlier written a provocative article entitled: “this is what development looks like”.
An immediate letter-writing campaign condemning the evictions drew a telling response from the CEO of Skye Resources, in which he spoke of “land invasions” by “squatters” who were removed “in the best possible manner while respecting human rights”.  However, Dawn Paley responded with a further open letter to Skye claiming that many of the CEO’s assertions were “simply not true” and seemed to “betray the horrific reality of these evictions”.
In analysing a contentious issue such as land rights, regular, balanced blogging from civil society groups such as the Guatemala Solidarity Network becomes all the more important because of the starkly divergent views that emerge from the actors involved.
By way of example, Skye Resources’ carefully worded press release on the day of the evictions couched the company’s efforts in terms of trying to “help local communities step into a more certain future by helping to define their land rights”, and working to “find a peaceful resolution to the dispute”…
… while in contrast, quoted in an open letter by a researcher who visited the affected communities in September 2006, one Mayan community leader interpreted the relationship somewhat differently: “To them [Skye Resources] we are garbage… they walk all over us.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

author: Gavin Simpson


text:
Guyana, Venezuela: Roraima, here I come! · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

At the Caribbean Beat blog, Nicholas Laughlin writes about his upcoming trip to Venezuela to climb Mount Roraima: “Pico Duarte in the Dominican Republic is taller, but for sheer quantity of myth and legend, Roraima towers up there with Everest and Kilimanjaro. Its remoteness, its breathtaking, near-vertical cliff-faces rising abruptly from the Gran Sabana, the weird wind-carved rock formations of the plateau at its summit. . . .“


text:
Kenya: little Kenyan Pundit · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A little Kenyan Pundit enters the world, “DOB 23/02/07. Mama and baby are doing very well and hope to give regular updates as soon as Telkom SA deems it appropriate to install an ADSL line at home.”


text:
Senegal: democracy, hiphop and blogging · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ethan Zuckerman on elections in Senegal, “One of the stories I’ve not paid much attention to are the elections in Senegal, where incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade appears to have won re-election in the first round of elections. There’s been some minor strife around the elections – negligible in comparison to many African elections, but significant in Senegal which has a well-deserved reputation for stability and good governance.”


text:
Singapore: Cars from the 1960s · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Singapore's heritage blogger Lam Chun See and a guest blogger on his blog recount their experiences with cars in the 1960s Singapore.


text:
Sudan: new Sudanese blogger · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Precious World writes about a new Sudanese blogger, Dr. Shaza Balla: Dr. Shaza Balla is a regular writer in both “Sudanese Online” and “Sudaniyat.net” and now, she is a writer here on the blogosphere with her new blog spot “Zoya” I promise and guaranty Zoya blog would be very interesting, enlighting & moreover “controversial”…


text:
Syrian Blogsphere: Free Kareem echoes, Expats living in Syria and Certifying your Documents · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

Earlier this week, the Syrian Blogsphere responded collectively to the sentencing of Egyptian blogger Kareem Nabeel Sulaiman, with a joint statement, started on Levantine Dreamhouse…
We, as a community of Syrian bloggers, condemn the arrest and sentencing of Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman for the peaceful expression of his dissenting views. We ask the Egyptian government to reconsider its decision to arrest and prosecute Abdel Kareem. The stated reasons for their action include the preservation of the public peace and state security, and the prevention of incitement against Islam. We contend that his arrest will achieve neither. Silencing such dissenting voices as Abdel Kareem’s, serves only to strengthen the hands of extremists who will not shy away from violence to achieve their goals. Moreover, we remind the Egyptian government that his arrest and prosecution violates at least two articles of the 1948 United Nations universal declaration of human rights to which Egypt was a signatory.
The statement was republished on many other Syrian blogs, and will stay on the main page of Syria Planet -Syrian Bloggers Portal- for a week.
The sentencing of Kareem, sends an alarm signal throughout the entire Middle East, and especially in a country like Syria where the internet is strictly censored by the state and where there had been cases of legal action against dissidents based on their internet usage [Although no legal action has been taken against bloggers, the .blogspot domain is still blocked throughout Syria's ISPs since late last year].
Ihsan, a prominent Syrian blogger, reflects on that…
A friend called me few days ago and asked me to be more careful about blogging and he was referring to one of my recent posts (Until further notice). He told me that he heard some disapproval about it from some of his high-level Syrian acquaintances! He said that things are now more sensitive in Syria about these sorts of postings…. I had to re-read what I posted because for a second I thought I may have been bashing God!
On much lighter notes, let's see how foreign bloggers living in Syria reflect on it.
Lindsay, an anthropologist working in Damascus, talks with vibrant details about her Ladies’ Night Out in Seydnaya…
We arrived in Saydnayya and passed in front of the restaurant off the main road. The ladies had never been to this restaurant before, and there was some disagreement about whether it was worth it. Through the façade of windows we could see that the hall was nearly empty, with only a couple other families sitting and eating. But Ayla insisted that there was people (or at least there would be), and that it would be great. We waited inside the bus as she went inside to speak with the host. Warda and the other ladies, meanwhile, were saying that they didn’t want to sit in a restaurant with nobody in it, that there were other places with better atmosphere and decor. Apparently this was a day to sit and be seen and party it up a little bit, which can’t be done in a quiet empty restaurant.
Ruth also an expat living in Aleppo, shares her own personal experiences here, including the oddities of living in an ancient city like Aleppo as a local, being a part of “harra” or “neighborhood”, and of course handling marriage proposals!
I ate lunch and played a little tag. But the inevitable subject of my marriage prospects came up. This time, it was in a much more serious way. Three out of the five women had someone they wanted me to meet and “at least think about.” Though my host mom says she’ll protect me from this pressure, she gets carried away when she’s with her friends. For better or worse, she saw the pictures I have on my computer of Rudy Youngblood, Reza Aslan and Dominic Monaghan and she says she can find a guy who looks like Rudy. I explained that what he looked like didn’t matter, but I got descriptions of several eligible bachelors anyway. We went to one of their houses later. That was the one who was described as looking just like President Assad. What a catch. His mother got all excited and despite the fact that she thought I was a little old, she said I could live in the second storey of house after the wedding. When it gets this serious, I simply say my brother would never approve and thus, I just can’t go through with it.
Bob is also chronicling his stay in Syria on his blog, Nine Months in Syria, in this post he talks about the Syrian attitude towards rain…
Contrary to Western attitudes toward a rainy day, Arab sentiments range from tolerating it – without complaining – to embracing it. Instead of “rain, rain go away,” it's the oft-repeated, “Matar al-kheir” – Good rain.
And finally, will close off by a post from Bassam, again posting about yet another dreadful task for Syrians, the bureaucracies of Certifying your Documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs…
The thing looks as follows: you have a certain piece of paper that says whatever, and I mean by whatever is that no one in the embassy really reads what the “study certificate” says. Being employed is not equivalent to studying, nevertheless embassies signature and seal can be attached on anything no matter how bogus it is. This, is for the good luck of applicants of course. Anyway, next you have to put stamps on the paper: stand in line for 15 minutes
Then, certify the paper: stand in line for 20 minutes, at least


text:
Uganda: The Last King of Scotland, Cessation of Hostilities Agreement Expires, and It is a Sin to Buy a Yellow Humvee · Global Voices
Joshua Goldstein

On Sunday Evening at the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, an emotionally shaken Forrest Whitaker accepted an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Last King of Scotland, a film set in the frightful times of the Ugandan despot Idi Amin.
In February, the grand opening of the film took place in Kampala. The New York Times sent an outside correspondent to cover the event, and wrote in a front page article calling Uganda “one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa.” This week, the Times published this response from Patty in Nairobi:
In “A Film Star in Kampala, Conjuring Amin’s Ghost” (front page, Feb. 18), you note that Uganda is now “one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa.” That may be true in southern Uganda, but it is a very different reality for the Acholi people in the marginalized north. In Uganda, only half the population lives in a part of the country where it’s secure enough to film a Hollywood picture. We should not forget the other half.
In Kampala, Moses Odokonyero, a journalist at the independent Uganda Daily Monitor and blogger at sub-Saharan African Roundtable, describes a first hand encounter with Amin's machinery of torture, as told by an Anglican Archbishop who was condemned for speaking out against the regime. Odokonyero then goes on to draw parallels between the Amin regime and the Museveni‘s behavior in suppressing Kizza Besigye, his main opponent in the last presidential election:
Museveni, like Amin, shot his way to power after a five-year guerilla struggle that he and his supporters call a revolution. One of his favorite topics, besides the media, is past leaders whom he baptized “swines” several years ago. But how different is he from the “swines?” Uganda has greatly changed since the Amin days: people don’t disappear as often and crudely from the streets, and there has been an improvement in press freedom and freedom of speech which is commendable. But stories of illegal detentions, people being tortured in the most gruesome of ways, including allegedly tying stones on their testicles, are still heard of, only this time they take place in “safe houses.”
Northern Uganda and the Horn of Africa
Speaking from satellite phone from his hideout in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Lord's Resistance Army deputy Vincent Otti said, “We are not going to renew anything” in reference to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement set to expire next Monday between the LRA and the Government of Uganda.  The expiration comes after months of stalled talks prompted by the LRA delegation's mistrust of the impartiality of the Government of Southern Sudan, who is hosting the talks. The Diocese of Northern Uganda, long seen as a moral compass in the region, writes on their blog:
With the presence of the Acholi Paramount chief, Rwot David Onen Achana 11 and key player in the diaspora as well as local leaders from Acholi in Juba, what do we expect? The reality on the ground is that people are now hesitant to go back to their villages for fear of rebel incursion. The LRA walked out of the talks last month and are insisting for a change in venue and mediator. The government position is still the same- no change of venue and mediator. We appeal to all parties involve to really have the people in the camps at heart.
Meanwhile, as the new Foreign Affairs was published this week with an article explaining the connections between the conflicts in Uganda, Sudan, Central African Republic, Chad, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Ugandan blogosphere debates whether to support the  decision to send Ugandan troops to the UN Security Council sanctioned African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia. In An African Minute writes:
First, I agree that geopolitical posturing was a major part of the Ugandan decision to send troops to Somalia. In the month leading up to the decision, the Uganda Minister of Foreign Affairs met with Secretary of State Rice in Washington and President Museveni received a call from President Bush. However, a realist foreign policy approach can have several merits. In this case, its clear that an unstable Mogadishu will help continue the steady flow of small arms to the conflict areas in East Africa.
The more frightening theory says the Bush administration looked the other way on northern Uganda in order to give incentive to the Ugandan Government to help in Somalia. If this is the case (and it is only one theory, the State Department has been mute on this point), I am deeply distressed and disappointed because the Americans could have made a serious impact on the stalled northern Uganda peace talks in Juba.
Public Transport and Hummers
In Kampala, one sees every type of transport, from public mini bus (matatu) to a handful of yellow H2 Hummers that cruise Kampala's streets. Only in Uganda weighs in on the folly of public transport:
The typical Kampala public transport users have neither voice nor partners in government (both local and central), their elected legislators and the parties licenced to provide it. They have to endure immeasurable levels of stress and torment getting to work in the morning, through a hard working and thankless day at work (or hospital or market, e.t.c) and then again in the evenings. The source of a bulk of this stress is from the providers of public transport which is overpriced and inadequate. What do they have to do to finally get a voice is a puzzle.
Meanwhile,  Ernest Bazanye questions the moral value of christian pastors buying a hummer in Uganda. According to Bazanye, it is a sin:
Now, to the Hummer. It takes a lot of money to get one. A lot of money.
That's a lot of money. There is a heart patients need tickets to India. There is a teenage girl who dropped out of school because she ran out of school fees and is being pressured to turn to prostitution to feed herself and her mother. There is an orphanage where the kids have to share beds and blankets. There are clinics that are out of essential medicines. All these people are praying to God for help.
And God has given his follower A Lot Of Money and the instruction to perform as much charity as possible, using the most extreme example of giving everything away to illustrate how important charity is. A sinner can have a Hummer and be violating only the laws of good taste and moderation (because that is just the most vulgar behaviour I can imagine—bringing a Hummer into the third world). But a Christian has a duty to not use their millions to buy huge cars that benefit no one. It is a sin to have a Hummer.
Commenting on this post, Velvet Ink argues that all hummer owners need to be stoned (including the government of California!) and adds:
having bad taste is a sin..especially when you buy a hummer..especially the yellow ones!!
Ernest concludes his post wondering:
What’s wrong with a Prado?
*Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, popularly known as Prado, is a common SUV in Sub-Saharan Africa.

author: Joshua Goldstein


text:
Violence Returns to East Timor · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Violence broke out yet again in East Timor as international security forces tried to capture rebel leader Alfredo Reinado. Reinado, the former leader of military police was implicated in the violence last May and was detained but managed to escape from prison in August with some of his followers. The fighting took place in mountainous region (to the south of East Timorese capital Dili) that the rebels were using as a base. Dili was also rocked by violence when supporters of the rebel leader clashed with the international peacekeepers in Dili last night.
Tumbleweed in Asia, a long time East Timor resident currently out of the country writes about the latest round of violence in East Timor.
to watch Timor slide back once again into chaos has been like observing a piece of bean curd slide slowly down a slanted plate, inching downwards, slowed only by its wetness, and then suddenly last night, that piece of curd gained momentum and hit the bottom with impact, shattering into million pieces of useless fluffy curd.
Dili-gence, a Dili resident writes about his experience
At about 3:45am, I woke … extremely tired … then heard the unmistakable sound of gunshots.  I heard about 5 to 10 over the next half hour, then it went quiet until the choppers fired up.
This morning, there was active trade of information by phone as a lot of expats heard gunfire and it certainly put the wind up the locals.  The phone wires were probably running hot as many expats were trying to work out what was happening.
Rumors and uncertainty have fueled violence in the past.  Tumbleweed is concerned about her contacts in East Timor
Dili was dead town apparently from what i hear… everyone's lying low, and of course the rumor circuit must be working overtime with so little access to good information. OZ media say 4 have been killed but who knows. i just know that it's hard to be sitting in my comfortable first world room when my friends are in Timor.
Australian forces have since then confirmed that four people were killed in the clashes with the rebels. Dili-gence has updates and advice for other Dili residents.
Good time to stock up on food if you are allowed out. It just might be a bit uncertain for a couple of days.


text:
Algeria: What’s Up in the Middle East? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian blogger Nouri gives us an in-depth analysis of the situation brewing in the Middle East between Iran and the US here.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


text:
Armenia: Changing Face of Agriculture · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

The Armenian Economist describes how Armenia's agricultural sector has been changing since land was privatized.

author: Nathan Hamm


text:
Armenia: Paradise for Motorcycling · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Blogster explains why Armenia is a paradise for motorcycling. A follow-up post expands on the original.


text:
Bahrain: Camel Piss Anyone? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif is urging his readers to have their belly full of camel piss – a drink he claims is Islamically sanctioned and therapeutic in one go!


text:
Bahrain: Cultural Evening a Hit and Miss! · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain-based blogger Bint Battuta spent a cultural evening out – the first left her annoyed but the second refreshed. “A disappointing performance was followed by a frustrating three-quarters of an hour spent trying to get out of the car park, because it seems that unless white lines are painted, people don't have the sense to space out when parking, to leave access,” she adds.


text:
Bahrain: Goodbye Peter · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Canada-based Silly Bahraini Girl bids her Jewish landlord farewell here. “He doesn't know that my tears are the only way to mourn a friend who knew how to make the most out of life .. but is now gone .. and did not take anything with him!” she writes.


text:
Bahrain: Interesting to Pronounce Words · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini Rants is back to his weekly word teasers with three “interesting to pronounce” words. They are: Higgledy-Piggledy, Didactic and Quiddity. “Look at yourself in the mirror and say them out loud, drop one of them across your dinner conversation, or maybe even have a meltdown and yell one out loud.. I especially like them…” he advises.


text:
Bahrain: Muslim Girl Thrown Out of Canada Football Game · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahrain-based Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah is outraged that a Canadian Muslim girl was thrown out of a football (soccer) game because she was wearing the Islamic head cover – the Hijab. “I see this as another example of how some idiots are trying to get immigrants to toe a cultural line. Asking minority groups to integrate cannot be equated with forcing them to assimilate and stripping them of their identity and rights!” he writes.


text:
Bangladesh: Political Possibilities · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices discusses the various political possibilities for Bangladesh. “A big question is in everybodies mind now, that is, what’s next? What will happen next, how this interim government will handover to a permanent government? When that will happen? What kind of government will that government be? Which political party or person is likely to lead that government?”


text:
China and Japan: Chinese acting Japanese · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

In a newly released film, Hannibal Rising, Chinese actress Gong Li has taken up a Japanese character. There are some discussions on: Why does Hollywood turn to Chinese actors when casting Japanese characters? Is this a racist implication that “all asians look the same” or a mere matter of economics? –Japan Probe


text:
China: criticizing big universities · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kaide responds (zh) to the recent critique made by a national people congress representative Hung Ke Shu's critical remarks towards 4 major universities and said that the ultimate problem might lie on the education department.


text:
China: real name registration for bikes · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI reported: At a conference yesterday, the Ministry of Public Security and five other government agencies announced plans to implement yet another “real name system,” this time on bicycles.


text:
China: The Blood of Yingzhou District · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Sinodrom translated some Chinese critics about the Oscar winning film The Blood of Yingzhou District, which is very different from foreign film critics. — via DANWEI


text:
China: translation community · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Apart from Chinesecontent wiki  initiated by John (GVO) for coordinating translation, there is a new translation community in Mainland China called yeeyan.


text:
Egypt: $450m for Bird Flu Campaign  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Sandmonkey links to a news article which says that his country will be spending $450 million to conduct a nationwide campaign to vaccinate live poultry against avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu. “But don't you start spreading rumors that we might be having a Birdflu epidemic or anything. That would be bad!,” he writes with sarcasm.


text:
Egypt: A Busy Complaints Department · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“So I live in a place that is sunny almost every day and I can ride my horses out my gate into the Sahara Desert to visit pyramids and the food is wonderful because it's fresh all year round. So what can I possibly complain about?” writes Egypt-based blogger Maryanne Stroud Gabbani. To learn more about what's bothering her, read this. Among her concerns is: “over the women (mostly seem to be in their 40's or so) who are falling for some smooth chat on the internet with some of our charming Egyptian males (mostly in their 20's or so) and they contact me with ideas of coming to Egypt and marrying this adoring young Adonis.”


text:
Egypt: CIA Recruiting Scheme · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Sandmonkey claims the CIA is now posting recruitment ads, in order for it to be able to compete  with private intelligence agencies!


text:
Egypt: Thomas Friedman – A “Dangerous” Man · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Someone has to give Thomas Friedman an education before he makes the view that Arabs and Muslims are congenitally amoral subhuman hordes completely mainstream,” writes Issandr El Amrani in The Arabist, adding that the man is “becoming dangerous.”


text:
Haiti, Dom. Rep.: Gaga = Rara? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Collectif Haiti de Provence wonders whether the Dominican “Gaga” tradition is not derived from the Haitian post carnival musical gatherings called “Rara” [Fr]: “Haitian tourists visiting the other side of the border can tell without a doubt that gaga is practiced and cultivated where Haitians and their descendants reside i.e. in cities that produce sugar.”


text:
Hungary: Budapest City Guide · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar quotes from an atypical Budapest city guide.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Hungary: Political News · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

From Pestcentric, a news roundup, a post on the prime minister accusing his opponents of anti-Semitism in the London Times, and a caustic account of “one of the latest ‘events’ in Hungarian politics.”


text:
India: On Goddesses · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A brief history of Goddesses at Days in a wannabe punk's life. “I absolutely adore the idea that we did in fact have Goddesses who existed autonomously without any connection to a male Deity. Call me biased but I find the idea of a goddess who was dark, single, chaotic, uncontrollable and munificent at the same time, exceptionally glorious. “


text:
Iran: Women Activists Jailed, Teachers on the Street and War Whispers · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iranian women’s peaceful protest movement on Sunday was repressed violently by police and more than 32 activists, including several journalists and bloggers, were arrested.Thanks to Kosoof you can see some photos of these activists who got arrested. Iranian bloggers have provided details about what happened, photographs of those arrested and the reason for the protest.
Chronology of a Repression
Khorshidkhanoum  briefs us of what happened:
50 of the women's rights movement activists were arrested in front of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.The security police forces attacked a peaceful gathering of women's rights activists that had taken place at 8:30 am in front of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran in objection to the recent governmental oppressions and the summoning of some of these activists. The police forces who used violence to scatter the crowd, arrested at least 21 of the protesters.
Nooshin Amhadi Khorasani, Parvin Ardalan, Shahla Entesari and Susan Tahmasebi—five prominent members of the women's rights movement—who had to attend their court hearing left the court session in support of their fellow activists. They, too, got arrested upon their departure from the court.
The blogger adds that the police officers hit Nahid Jafari's head against the police van and as a result of such violent actions, her teeth broke. The officers then refused to take her to the emergency room.
Azadeh Pourzand says the organizers of the two major current campaigns, Stop Stoning Forever, and One Million Signatures to Change the Discriminatory Law, have been among the women rights defenders by the National Security Police.
She called upon readers to sign a petition and ask judiciary authorities to liberate women activists. In this petition we read:
Your Excellency,We, the undersigned, are writing to you to express our great concern about the recent persecutions and prosecutions of the women’s rights defenders in Iran. We are especially dismayed at the news of the recent arrests of 38 women’s rights defenders on  March 4, 2007, in Tehran while gathering in a peaceful protest in front of the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
Franaz who reports about this event from the beginning says that one of the arrested women was beaten by police and her tooth got broken [Fa].
Jomhour says Ahmadinejadism is against women's rights and again their demonstration was repressed. For this blogger it can be a warning for the March 8 demonstration to mark the International Women Day[Fa].
Omid Memarian reports an eye witness account in his blog. There we read:
in Zanane Solh (Women of Peace) website, an eyewitness who attended the protest has written her account of the events. “After picking up the placards, gradually uniformed and plain-clothes police force, one of whom was a woman, showed up. The police approached us and asked us to leave because your gathering does not have a permit. One of my friends said that according to the Constitution, peaceful gatherings don’t need permits. The police argued that your gathering disrupts traffic on Moallem Avenue. They attacked the protestors’ line.
Teachers Protest
This Saturday thousands of teachers demonstrated in front of Parliament in Tehran.Kossof, a leading photo blogger has taken photos of this event.
According to Kargar blog about 6,000 teachers protested and asked for better conditions and a raise in their salary[Fa].The blogger said speakers in this demonstration recalled that 700,000 teachers live in poverty in Iran. Ahmadinejad politics were criticised and teachers threatened that they would launch a strike.
War Whispers
Interior problems such as repression and economic issues can become worse if a war between Iran and the US breaks out. There are many Iranians and Americans who do not trust in US government's declaration that there is no war plan against Iran.
Nikahang, a leading cartoonist and blogger, shows this feeling in one of his cartoons seen here.
Forever Under Construction blog informs us that not only Iranian but many Americans are worried about a war between the US and Iran.The blogger says that peace is peoples’ preference, war happens against all the common folk wisdom. It is a decision often by a small number of elites, for them; and for profit. The average person will still buy the idea, enlist and be hopeful that this is the one which “ends all wars”.
Some of the strongest antiwar literature comes from the military itself, such as Major General Smedley D. Butler. I came across the VoteVets.org, founded by a group of Iraq War veterans. Whoever likes reading, there is plenty of interesting material in their website’s Newsroom. They seem to raise questions about principles for a change: War is not the Answer.
Ahmad Shirzad a former reformist deputy in the Iranian parliament wrote that we should, in Iran, look who gets the profit and money from buying centrifuges and other nuclear materials[Fa]. He adds nuclear investments have not been transparent and parliament did not know about it at least for 24 years. He adds nuclear technology is attractive for Third World countries because it is considered as a short cut to development. Shirzad says that countries which harbour this dream, think they can catch up with developed countries overnight.

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Kazakhstan: E-Government · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KZBlog says that given the UK's experience with e-government, Kazakhstan should not be too eager about developing its own e-government initiatives.


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Regionalism & Protest · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

New protests from a rejuvenated opposition led by former Prime Minister Feliks Kulov look to be on the horizon in Kyrgyzstan. Sean Roberts explains how these protests could be more destabilizing than other recent ones.