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Sudan: pressure on China is mandatory · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Cooper, blogging at Hell on Earth, notes: “To keep pressure on China is mandatory. It is also mandatory for major news organizations and little bitty blogs to keep noting the very large part the government in Khartoum plays in the displacement, starvation, rape and murder of it’s own people.”


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Syria: Bombing Nahr el Bared Camp  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Blogger Golaniya from Syria announces: “My friend Ashraf, a Palestinian refugee in Rashydyeh Camp in the South, has recently launched his blog, and posted about the current Uncovered situation of Nahr el Bared camp.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Taiwan: Farmers Associations and Rural Politics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Michael Turton has a very elaborated post on the history of farmer associations in Taiwan, which is related with colonialism. In recent year, the farmer associations faced very serious debt problem and the solution seems to be highly political.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Thailand: Thaksin’s Ploy · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Lost Boy describes how the ruling Council for National Security (CNS) in Thailand is “playing into Thaksin’s hands“. The authorities closed three radio stations last week after they featured Thaksin calling in from his current home in England. “What has happened now is that all community radio stations are being closely monitored, and so we can expect any that steps out of line, in the eyes of the CNS, to be closed down immediately. Can’t the CNS see that this will only lead to resentment?”

author: Preetam Rai


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Touring Libyan Blogs: Bloggers meet, traffic chaos, activism, corporal punishment at schools and more · Global Voices
Fozia Mohamed

In the last few weeks it looks like more bloggers met. This is developping into a real phenomenon. I think that Libyan bloggers are thirsty for like-minded individuals and Libyans especially and many are not camera shy any more and have posted their photos.
So this time it was the turn for Mani, AngloLibyan and A_Akak  to meet and they had a jolly grand time. You can read about it on their respective blogs.
“Well today i was fortunate enough to meet another fellow blogger, A person i respect and regard very highly as his posts are usually close to his heart and the person behind the persona of Anglo is as good and pure as his blog [sic] ” [more]
” have found both Ahmed & mani very friendly and very down to earth very well educated young men, it was my pleasure to meet them both, I really enjoyed the 3 hours I spent with them and we talked about all sort of interesting things,[sic] ” [more]
Driving in Libya and getting home safe is the stuff of legends not because people can't drive but because people are careless and irresponsible . Aladdin's latest rant is about a guy who hit his car but ran away instead of facing his responsibility.
” Driving in Libya is a cemetery, or it's a war ALNASR AW ELSHAHADA (Victory or Martyrdom)!!! …[sic]”
No comment !
AngloLibyan, ever the leader in such topics is launching a campaign against the shameful public services provided in Libya.
“Tourists paying money to come and enjoy our country should at least expect a clean toilet, clean streets and clean beaches, these so far have proved to be very difficult to find in Libya. I am not sure what to do to raise the authorities and Libyan awareness regarding these problems but there is a policy of Name & Shame here in Britain which sometimes works so perhaps some of my fellow Libyans in Libya should take pictures and videos of the offenders and publish them in popular websites” .
Mani is doing just that ‘naming and shaming’, another sector, a private tourism company and what he calls the ‘hit and run’ mentality of making business.
“THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. IT WILL BE EXPOSED AND THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE PENALISED.
we cannot have these amateurs thinking that the new progress our country and it's young people are making is a short lived opportunity, with no holds barred.. take-before-you break.. “
Beggars around the world or hustlers as I would rather call some of them seem to have given themselves the word to unite on one single idea: asking money to continue a travel journey. I've seen that recently in Libya. A woman/man would approach me and ask for a few dinars to take the bus of car back home, even to buy fuel for their vehicle. Usually I give them, but now reading Braveheart's experience in the UK I'm going to use his trick for weeding out the sincere from the liars.
“he: well i want to go Manchester and i have £11 and i need another£5 to buy the ticket.
now i knew what he want and i must take a decision, but the problem for me i feel this guy is liar, because in libya there are many people do the same in stations and they told you the same story.if i decide to give the £5 i might be stupid and he will take my money and tell himself how he is clever and how me is stupid, and if i dont give the money it might be he is true and he is in need for this money to go to his city and if i dont give him money i'll lose a chance to help one guy in problem, all this i thought about it in seconds and i must take decision.i decide to take the money which he has and buy the ticket by myself to him,if he is lair he will refuse and if he tell the truth he will agree […] i told him give me ur£11 to buy the ticket, which he start loooking right and left and told me my money with my friend i'll go to bring it to you, and went and never come back. “
We all remember our school days with fondness, but Libyan kids have additional memories, that of the ‘Falga’ it is a typical  corporal punishment usually effected by hitting with a stick on the palms of soles of the feet. Although hitting is prohibited by law it is still done. Honestly with the state of students here I would probably wish to tear gas them as some are so naughty, still this hitting is just too much. Libyano cannot forgive his teachers who gave him  a falga and he has posted a photo of a poor kid getting one at a high school. Ouch that looks painful !
” I was only was 9 years when I had my first Falga , if you don't know what Falga is then I have a clip for you that explains it more than words do , why I had these Falgas ? , two Falgas because I was late , one because I hit another guy and the fourth was all the class Falga , it's the worst because we all laugh at each other and the teacher gets more excited to use his full energy , but yet I think Falga is much better than being hit on the hands because you get numb from the first hit on your feet and wont feel a thing after that .”
Libyan blogs have a rich harvest of posts and it would take too much space to highlight them all here, but if you want to read more I would recommend going to this website  which has collected a large number of blogs. Happy reading!

author: Fozia Mohamed


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Trinidad & Tobago: Good Art  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I was so jolted by its delightful simplicity, directness and beauty…such poetry, such artifice and in a word, sublime.”  Adele at the bookmann refers to the work of Henri Toulouse Lautrec to demonstrate the elements that make art good.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Ukraine: Deportation of Crimean Tatars Anniversary · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belatedly, a link to J. Otto Pohl's post on the deportation of the Crimean Tatars on May 18, 1944: “The NKVD and NKGB took the unsuspecting Crimean Tatars to rail stations and stuffed them into train wagons designed for the transport of freight and live stock. The Soviet security organs worked extremely fast. Already by 8 pm on 18 May 1944 they reported loading 90,000 Crimean Tatars into 25 train echelons. The first 17 of these echelons had already left on their way to Uzbekistan with 48,400 deportees.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Afghanistan: Bad Behavior · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Afghanistanica discusses how bad behavior on the part of foreigners working in Afghanistan breeds resentment.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Afghanistan: Don’t Legalize · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Sun Leaf says that it would be wrong to legalize opium production in Afghanistan.


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Afghanistan: Heroism or Recklessness? · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Afghanistanica examines whether or not the controversial and outspoken Afghan legislator Malalai Joya is a hero or a reckless idealist.


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Anger of residents at I-cheon in South Korea · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Anger of residents at I-cheon in South Korea. The Ministry of National Defense announced that military units will move to I-cheon from Songpa due to its new-city development plan. About 1,300 local residents at I-cheon got together and held a wild demonstration[ko].

author: Hyejin Kim


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Angola: more than a thousand words · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Koluki posts a picture worth a thousand words: “THE STORY IS: about the degradation of Angola's capital city, with its lack of infrastructure, effective public services and basic sanitation. To make things worse, because of the war, whose social and psychological effects are still present and unresolved everywhere, people from all over the country moved into the capital and started building everywhere and anywhere… and, without any maintenance services, most areas, including the urbanised areas, cannot cope with heavy rains and floods such as those occurred in the last few months in Luanda and the rest of the country.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Armenia: The World’s Best Flea Market · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Joshua Kucera has photos from a Yerevan market that he calls “the best flea market in the world.”


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Bahamas: Election Court · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

WeblogBahamas.com thinks that the PLP's decision to go to election court to contest four seats won by the FNM in the recent General Elections is “both peculiar and unprecedented”.


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Bahrain: Censoring Flesh  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz jumped the gun and accused a daily paper of censoring ‘flesh’. He later amended his error when another blogger Cradle of Humanity pointed out that American anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan in fact dressed up in long sleeves.


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Barbados: Differentiating a Destination · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Following a comment from a cruise line president that stated “one island is pretty much like another”, Barbados Free Press examines the large promotional spending the cruise lines are doing in Europe and wonders: “What are they spending in their largest market, the Caribbean?”


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Bhutan: It’s all in Delhi · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bhutan: For a Democracy publishes a reader's email that points to the trouble in South Asia being caused by India. “In conclusion what I would like to point is that the solution of problems in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka should not be sought  inside their boundries but they should be sought outside and it is in N Delhi we shoud be seeking it. Why N Delhi is playing this game. In the name of Democracy why N Delhi sponsors corrupt rotting outdated thugs  like Girijha in Nepal and Jigme in Bhutan.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Bhutan: Layap Community · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Stunning photographs of the Layap community at Earth-Bound Insight. “My cousin, whom I’ve already mentioned as the one who took pictures of the Motithang batch, sent more photographs from his trip to Lingzhi. They had snow fall as they were crossing the pass above 5400meters above Sea level. And now he’s safely back in Thimphu.”


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Bolivia: Morales Takes on the Church · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Miguel Buitrago of MABB wonders why the Catholic Church in Bolivia chose to criticize the Evo Morales administration when previously they had good relations.  Martin Gutierrez of Vitrina de Realidad Bolivia posts the text of Cardinal Julio Terrazas’ words of criticism.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: Harmonizing Property Ads · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

DANWEI puts together and translates reports, commentaries on the recent attempt by Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan in harmonizing property Ads: advertisements should be cleaned up because they revealed a massive wealth disparity and threatened social harmony.


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China: Lawsuit Against GFW · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A Chinese open-source software programmer is suing China Telecom because his website was blocked by the Great Firewall. This trial will be held in Shanghai at 9:00AM (Beijing time, zone of UMT+8:00) May 29th. The place is No. 611 Ding Xiang Road, Pu Dong New District, Shanghai, China.– Via Ya, I Yee


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China: Stock market bubble · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fons Tuinstra from China Herald quotes comment from Hu Shuli, the chief-editor of the famous financial magazine Caijing, about the policies in cooling down of mainland stock market bubble.


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China: Three Gorges dam · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhaoshilong wrote a very elaborated report(zh) on the environmental disasters (earthquakes, drought, warming effect etc.) as a result of the three Gorges dam project.


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Congolese Youth Organization Takes President Joseph Kabila to Task · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Kakaluigi posts an open letter (Fr) from COJESKI, an umbrella of Congolese youth organizations, demanding President Joseph Kabila: end the incursions and occupations of Congolese villages by foreign troops from Angola, Burundi, Congo-Brazaville, and even as far afield as Chad, the Sudan and Central African Republic; end the pillaging of forest and mineral resources; reform public enterprises; push ahead with legal reform; devolve power to the provinces; reduce government spending; create employment opportunities for youth; end impunity; and protect children's rights.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Cuba: Iberia Ad Controversy · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Both Babalu Blog and Child of the Revolution weigh in on the controversy surrounding an Iberia Airlines ad promoting travel to Cuba that has been pulled following “public complaints from a Spanish consumer advocacy group which argued that the promotion was sexist and demeaning to Cuban women, and promoted ‘sex tourism'”.


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D. R. Congo: Park Rangers Attacked, Flying over Katanga, Music meets Social Activism, and Ants 2 – Brian 0 · Global Voices
Fred

My name is Fred. I’ve been keeping a blog called Extra Extra since September 2004, initially from Jaffna, in the north of Sri Lanka, and for the past year-and-a-bit from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I’m thrilled to have been invited to contribute some coverage for Global Voices of some of the fascinating blogs written in English from or about the Congo.
D. R. Congo is the third-largest country in Africa (after Sudan and Algeria), and has so few roads that people in provincial capitals such as Lubumbashi and Goma have a tendency to describe Kinshasa – some 1500 kilometers away – as another country. Well, I am temporarily back at home in the UK, which often feels like another world entirely. But many of us feel that bridging the gulf between these places is an important task, and happily, expensive air travel is not the only way to do it.
A little over a decade ago, there were just 100,000 fixed line telephones in the DRC, which has an estimated population of 60 million. Nowadays, half the population can get a mobile phone signal, and many millions use pay-as-you-go phones. (This leads us to another form of connection: as Mvemba Dizolele has reported, a high proportion of the coltan and other rare minerals essential for the manufacture of mobile phones and other electronics happen to come from the DRC.)
Access to the internet is gradually improving (World Bank figures suggest there are already over 6 million users), but will remain prohibitively expensive as long as service providers are dependent on satellite connections.
In such a context, it should come as no surprise that there are only a handful of Congolese bloggers. Chatrooms and instant messaging are very popular, however, and with the influence of the Diaspora, it’s easy to imagine that many more young Congolese people will soon be following the footsteps of pioneers like Cedric, perhaps blogging in Lingala, Luba, Kikongo and Swahili as well as French.
Here, then, is the first of my roundups of Congolese blogs in English.
Many readers of Global Voices have already met Atamato, a ranger who helps protect Virunga National Park, a Global Heritage site in Eastern DRC. Unfortunately, his recent fears about the presence of a rebel militia group in the park have proved well-founded, as he reported on Saturday:
At 4h00 this morning Mai Mai rebels attacked the Burusi Patrol Post here in Virunga, leaving one park ranger dead, four critically wounded, as well as kidnapping Officer Monya…
ICCN have deployed two troops of the Advance Force of Congo Rangers to track the attackers, as well as contacting the military authorities of the eighth, based at Butembo. It is feared that the Mai Mai have plans to attack the lowland gorillas as they are now heading towards the Patrol Post of Kalibina, where the gorilla monitoring takes place.
Congo Rangers blog provided this update:
There were a total of 13 people who have been taken hostage, and now they are with the Mai Mai somewhere in the forest. The Burusi Patrol Post was completely ransacked by the Mai Mai; all stock, arms, as well as family possessions, have been taken.
In a comment left on Atamato's blog the following day, Emmanuel from Wildlife Direct confirmed that Kalibina (which is at the top of the mountain) and a third patrol post at Ngai were also attacked. Reuters Alertnet and AFP have picked up the story.
From Kinshasa, Light in the Heart of Darkness reports the launch of Rien Que La Verité, an album featuring 14 Congolese music stars promoting some good ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS: Abstinence, Bonne fidelité, Condoms and Dépistage (testing). From the project website (where you can download the music, read the lyrics and find out more about the project and the musicians involved):
According the most recent UNAIDS/WHO report on the global AIDS epidemic, almost two thirds (63%) of all persons infected with HIV in the world are living in sub-Saharan Africa:  24.7 million. An estimated 2.8 million adults and children became infected with HIV in 2006, more than in all other regions of the world combined. The 2.1 million AIDS deaths in sub-Saharan Africa represent 72% of global AIDS deaths.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2005, it’s estimated that as many as one million people — more than 100,000 of them children younger than 14 years — were living with HIV. Nearly 1 million children have been orphaned by AIDS in the D.R. Congo.
Light in the Heart of Darkness declares the concert a success:
With Congo's vibrant music culture, these musicians are national heroes whose voices hold serious weight. Seeing them speak on stage after each of their sets about the importance of dealing with the HIV/AIDS pandemic went far beyond lip service as the Lingala words went bouncing across the stadium filled with thousands. With the laughter bubbling across the stands during the condom demonstration, it was clear that the audience was taking it all in.
Elsewhere, at Journey Outward, a pilot named Andy has posted some enjoyable video footage of a flight over Katanga, in southeastern D. R. Congo, with a Paul Simon soundtrack.
Ants 2 – Brian 0 is the latest score from Kisangani, where Brian (who manages ‘a faith-based microfinance institution’) learns not to keep peanuts in his computer bag:
The next morning as I was rushing out the door for work I lifted my bag off the sofa and there were hundreds of ants partying underneath it. I opened the pouch to find that the peanut bag had sprung a leak and thousands of ants poured out of my bag. In a frenzy I emptied everything out (ants pouring out of my cell phone, eating the stamps in my passport) and shook everything out and got to work a little late.
Finally, in case you missed the fun, Fleur d’Afrique recently shared her discovery of some well-dressed Congolese sapeurs on YouTube. (In France, a sapeur-pompier is a fireman, but in D. R. Congo, the word denotes a dandy belonging to the sartorially conspicuous Société des Ambianceurs et Personnes Élégantes.)

author: Fred


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Egypt: On Israeli-Palestinian Relations  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

‘Another, other, other, depressing slide downward in the Middle East:
“Hamas declared open war on Israel yesterday, pledging to renew suicide bombings after Israeli leaders vowed to kill senior politicians from the militant movement, including Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian Prime Minister” (The Times)
Is it just me, or wouldn't a more accurate opening paragraph be “Hamas declared open war on Israel yesterday, after Israel declared open war on Hamas”?’ writes Cairo-based blogger Tom Gara.


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Egypt: Update on Ayman Nour’s Trial  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The case on releasing Ayman Nour based on medical grounds were up in court today. The judge of the administrative tribunal postponed it until a new medical committee from the justice ministry could examine him further. The next court date is set for 12 June,” writes Ibn Al Dunya from Egypt.


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First female head of Togolese press agency celebrates first anniversary · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Agence Togolaise de Presse Atop, the Togolese press agency, celebrates its 32nd anniversary and the first anniversary of its new director, Claudine Assiba, the first woman to ever head a public media organization in Togo.  In an interview (Fr) she says, “men and women have the same rights, the same education, and so what would be more normal than to offer them the same opportunity to manage the affairs of our country?”


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France’s Overseas Territories Now Under the Administration of the Ministry of the Interior · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Martiniquian Le Blog de [Moi] writes that under the new French cabinet, the Ministry of Overseas Territories has been abolished, or rather, folded in with the Ministry of the Interior to create the Ministry of the Interior, Overseas Territories and Collectivities.  This is a good thing, writes Le Blog de [Moi], since the old ministry was a holdover from the French colonial administration, and no distinction should be made between overseas French and those living in France proper.


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French Polynesia’s Beauty Pageant Fever · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

In May, French Polynesia, where even the smallest island communities host their own beauty pageants, choose a new Miss Tahiti, a Miss Pirae, and a Miss Dragon. The islands have seen a proliferation of pageants in recent years, including a “Miss Hinano,” named for a Tahitian beer, and a “Miss World Polynesia.”  Fenua Blog has photographs and an interview with Miss Tahiti 2007.


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Guyana: Digging into Living · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Internet problems cause Guyana-Gyal to “dig into living good and proper.”


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India: At the Delhi airport · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Dateline Bombay on struggling through the queues and rush at the Delhi airport. “There is just one long line to enter the immigration area. And it takes a long time. Guess why ? Not because the immigration guys are dragging their feet. Not quite. Because for every four guys from the line that walk over, there is one who will jump it or attempt to barge through. Two familes of four with howling children were `whisked’ through as I watched. Then followed a pot-bellied guy with a `pan’ stained mouth – smiling sheepishly at no one in particular.”


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India: Reviewing Protocols of Zion · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Dispatches from Zembla on a documentary called Protocols of Zion. “Most of the footage and interviews shown in the film are truly frightening and to ignore them as works of a lunatic fringe will be a serious mistake. Having said that, the film doesn't really get into really troubled waters, i.e. in what ways the radical left wing critics of American foreign policy and Zionism are contributing to the rise of anti-semitism and how the paranoia of Israel and jewish groups in America isn't helping matters either.”


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India: We are talking Bollywood · Global Voices
Kamla Bhatt

If you can't beat them, join them appears to be the motto of Eros, which distributes Bollywood films outside India. Eros has decided to partner with YouTube and has created a Bollywood Channel.  Eros will share its content and in the process make some money. Krishworld writes:
This is the first time Youtube has officially forayed into Indian cinema. The terms of the agreement is not known yet…However, with an abysmal broadband adoption rate in India, I am really not sure whether these companies can monetize successfully at present.
YouTube is not the only one that is interested in Bollywood. BitTorrent, the peer-to-peer file sharing company is also interested in Bollywood. Recently, I caught up with Ashwin Navin, President and Co-founder of BitTorrent, who said that they are interested and are working with Bollywood. Here is the video clip of Ashwin on Bollywood.
If you are a movie buff then you might have your ears and eyes tuned to the Cannes film festival that is currently underway. Bollywood films and stars are in Cannes, but guess who appears to be making waves there? MadhavGopalKrish writes:
Cannes red carpet veteran, Aishwarya Rai appeared on the steps of the Theatre Grand Lumiere with her new husband Abhishek Bachchan by her side. The dazzling flashbulbs that greeted Aishwarya Rai’s arrival on the red carpet at Cannes this evening certainly gave the impression that this year Bollywood might trump Hollywood at the world’s biggest film festival . This year more Bollywood stars are expected on the French Riviera than ever before.
Bollywood makes it to American classrooms. Bollywood films have caught the eyes of American academia, and there is actually a course on Bollywood being offering by a community college in the US. has made it to American classrooms. Sharik Ahmed writes:
…the Lakeland Community College (is) announcing a study tour to India for its students to learn about the Hindi film industry.
Bollywood refers to the popular cinematic style in India, which produces over 800 films annually, the college said in a media release. Excursions are planned to Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad.

author: Kamla Bhatt


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Iran:An Amazing Photo from Iran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

An amazing photo from Hozrmozgan, a province in the south of Iran.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Why we need journals and Journalists? · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Arash Hassannia writes[Fa] in Hanouz that journalism is very sick in Iran.The blogger adds a few ordinary employees in Supreme National Security Council can take decision about what journalists should not write  in their journals.The blogger says writing about teachers’ and workers’ strikes has become an unforgivable sin.Arash adds even writing about inflation means transgressing the red line.He asks why we need all these buildings,workers and journalists when a few employees from Supreme National Security Council say you what you should write.


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Israel: Candy Warning  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger David Bogner isn't happy with candy he bought at a local store. His advice to his readers is: “Look, a word to the wise.  Stay away from ‘Klipp Klapp ACE-FIT’ candies… and for G-d sakes, stay the hell away from anything containing Isomalt.  Unless, of course, you enjoy feeling like that guy in the movie ‘Alien’ just before the space monster came poking out of his stomach!”


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Israel: Household Appliances Trouble · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Israeli blogger Yael  is having trouble with her household appliances. “The only things that haven’t broken in any way that I got from that place is the microwave which hasn’t really had a chance to break since it has been largely used as a convenient cabinet that the cats can’t get into at all rather than actually being turned on and the dryer. The dryer is doing great but I shouldn’t say so or I will jinx it and it will break tomorrow,” she notes.


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Israel: Oprah Visit Planned  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Oprah Winfrey will be paying Israel a solidarity visit, announced isRealli -  a blog project of the Israeli Consulate in New York City.


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Japan: Bridging the Generation Gap · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

What with all the news last week of beheadings, shoot-outs and baby dumping — and subsequent soul-searching on the part of Japanese bloggers, at a loss for what to make of the nation's younger generation — I felt that it would be appropriate this week to highlight a slightly more uplifting story, by shifting the spotlight to a thoughtful response from an unusually self-reflective corner of the Japanese blogosphere.
The story this week regards an article which appeared in the newspaper Asahi shimbun on Saturday about a 16-year-old girl named Fukuya Natsumi, a fan of Visual Kei bands and Shoujo manga [girl's manga]. According to the article, young Fukuya-san, who graduated from middle-school last spring, has since been working 5 days a week, 8 am to 5pm, at a gyuudon chain, as well as 6pm-9pm shifts two to three nights a week at a restaurant, in order to make enough money to make ends meet, supporting her mother and one younger sister. Working two jobs, she was making 160,000 yen, or less than 1500 USD, per month. Needless to say, given this work load, it was not possible for her to continue her high-school studies.
From the point of view of mainstream news, the story starts last March when young Fukuya-san is suddenly told by her new boss at the restaurant where, by this point, she has worked for a whole year, that her dyed brown hair must be “made more black”. After thinking about the demand for a week, Fukuya-san refused to change her hair colour, and was subsequently fired from her job. Fukuya-san fought back through a union of young workers (Shutoken Seinen Yunion), eventually negotiating an agreement in which she did not have to darken her hair in order to continue working.
Gyaru in Shibuya, Tokyo (For a picture of Fukuya-san herself, see the Asahi article)
The story was widely commented on in Japanese blogs, notably sparking a heated debate at one bulletin board site which drew, at last count, a staggering 5600 comments. Rather than try to cover in any depth the range of opinions expressed on this topic across all blogs, I though this week I would translate just one particularly thoughtful blog entry and comments that it prompted, posted on Sunday (May 20) at That's the way I am and titled “Watashi ga oji-san ni nattemo” (Even when I become an “old man”). Blogger Yasu recounts his experience of meeting three young “gyaru” on the train one night:
人を外見で判断する癖が治ってません。
先日、夜１０時過ぎの電車内でのこと。２０歳前後の女性３人が乗ってきました。
髪の色は非常に明るい茶色、目はマスカラで真っ黒、スカート丈はマイクロミニ。
渋谷の某ファッションビルの店員か、夜の仕事をしているのか、はたまた学生か・・・最近の若い子はさっぱり見当が付きません。
I am not yet over the bad habit of judging people by their appearance.
Yesterday, just after 10pm, I was in the train when three girls, each about 20 years old, got on.
Their hair colour was an extremely bright brown, their eyes were jet black with mascara, and they were wearing very short skirts.
Maybe they were employees of some Shibuya fashion store, or doing some night-time work, or maybe students… these days, it's really hard to tell with these young girls.
３人のうち、２人が空いていた席に座り、残りの１人が立っていました。
すると、隣に座っていた女性がスペースを作ってくれたので、３人とも座ることができました。
その際、立っていた残りの１人が「あ〜、すいませ〜ん、ありがとうございま〜す」とキチンとお礼の言葉を述べたのです。
Of the three of them, two found places to sit, while the other girl stayed standing up.
At this point, another girl sitting next to them made some space so that all three could sit down together.
The third girl, who was standing up, expressed her thanks in a very proper way, stating: “Sorry to bother you! Thank you so much!”
正直驚きました、と同時に、彼女達のことを誤解していた自分がちょっとだけ恥ずかしくなりました。
その後の３人の会話は「え〜、あいつ〜、チョーキモいですぅ〜」系の会話でしたが、それでも彼女達が愛おしくさえ思えてきました。
I was honestly very surprised, and at the same time a little bit embarrassed about having misjudged these young women.
After that, the conversation turned to the “Really? … so-and-so … ew! gross!” type of conversation, but even so, they had become very sweet in my eyes.
夕べ読んだ記事。
この子はまだ１６歳でフリーターで茶髪ながらも、しっかりとした考えの持ち主のようです。
「最近の若者は・・・」などと思い始めている「セミ・オジサン状態」の私。
４０代のオジサンになっても、外見で若い人を判断せず、理解する努力をしていきたいですね。
I read this article last night. [Asahi article described above]
Although she is only a 16-year-old freeter [part-time/freelance worker], it seems that this girl holds very solid views.
And here I am, a “Semi-Ojisan” [“ojisan”=old man], starting to think things like: “Young people these days…”
But even once I turn 40, I want to work to really understanding who young people are, rather than simply judging them by their appearance.
A number of comments followed the blog entry. The first, posted on May 20, is by someone named “ryuu”:
”人を外見で判断しない”
なかなか難しいですよね。
リンクの16歳の女性は行動力もあって素晴らしいです！！
> 「最近の若者は・・・」
ギャル系ファッションの人を見ると確かに思います（笑・ついていけないとか・笑）
でも昔は自分もそう思われていたのかなー？
と思ったらおあいこだったりして･･･。
The next is posted on May 21 by “bujiichan”:
外見でみちゃいますね〜。
ギャルには素直にヒキますが。
でも意外と、けなげなほど良識的な事も言ったりしますよね。
「道にゴミすてちゃダメだよ〜」とかね。
人間は変わってないんですよね。
「最近の若いものはなってない！」なんてのは、江戸の昔から生きてる言葉だってのも忘れてはいけないと思います。
もっとも最近は、「今の大人はなってない！」なんて言われかねないですよね〜！
そのリンクの店長とかねヾ(≧▽≦)
“There is something wrong with young people these days!”, this expression has been around since way back in the Edo period and I think it's important that we not forget that.
Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if they start saying: “There is something wrong with today's adults!”
People like the restaurant manager in the article you linked to. (≧▽≦)
A comment by someone named “mocchi”, also posted on the 21st, follows:
人を外見から判断するのはある種しょうがないと思う。
一度もした事ない人はいないんじゃないのかな〜。
電車でつめてあげたのに何も言わない人ってむかつくよね。
つめた事を後悔したりする。
それからエレベーターで同じ階でおりるのにボタンをおしておいて先に降りさせてあげたのに会釈もないしに当然って顔された時とかむかつく。
たまにアメリカのクロスワードを後ろから言ってやるのが精一杯。
Note: The author wrote kurosuwaado (“crossword”) but probably meant kurasu waado (“crass word”).
でも１６歳の行動はすごいね。
私だったらこんなとこで働けるかとやめちゃうけど、ま〜そうする事自体が甘い人生おくっているのかも
And finally, a comment by “daikonhana”, also on May 21st:
まず、家計を支えてるってとこに、ぐっときました。
つい最近ですが、歩いていて自転車に道を譲ったら、いかにも悪そうな高校生が「あっざ〜〜す」と爽やかに挨拶していきました。
めちゃめちゃかわいく思えました。
First, when I read that she is supporting her family, I was touched.
Recently, during a walk, I made way for a bicycle to go by, and this high-school student, who looked like bad news, greeted me pleasantly, saying: “Thanks!”
I found it really cute.
For those who can read Japanese, Yasu also posted individual replies to each of these comments at his blog.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Ice Aquarium · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Edo from Pink Tentacle introduces an ice aquarium with 40 large ice blocks containing 450 specimens (80 varieties) of local marine life — including squid, crab, bonito and saury — which appear to be frozen in mid-swim.


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Japan: Marriage and “Casual Infidelity” · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Shari at My So-Called Japanese Life has a thoughtful piece on the way in which Japanese people, as compared to Americans, view marriage. She writes: “It's always been my impression that the Japanese set the bar “lower” when it comes to the romance part of marriage and “higher” when it comes to each party fulfilling their mutually-agreed upon roles.“


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Join the Debate on Darfur on May 24 · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

2007, starting at 10am EST, Reuters will be holding a Newsmaker event on the topic of the crisis in Darfur. The event will take place in New York and will follow the usual Newsmaker format of a panel discussion followed by a Q&A session.
Unfortunately there won't be a videocast, and it's unlikely that there'll be an audio feed either, but you can still participate by submitting questions and comments for the panel either in the comments section of this post, or via the “Join the Debate” link on the event web site. As the panel is composed mainly of specialists and journalists, our input as bloggers, readers and ordinary citizens is going to be especially critical.
The event page also carries a Global Voices feed, so if you happen to be blogging about Darfur, please make sure and send the link to our Sub-Saharan Africa editor Ndesanjo Macha via our Contact page.
And here are the event details:
As security deteriorates, violence grows, resources dwindle and concerns mount over the effectiveness of peacekeepers and aid workers in Darfur, questions abound as to what the future holds for Western Sudan.
Reuters and Reuters AlertNet invite you to hear a panel of experts debate the situation in Darfur. Topics under the spotlight include what the responsibilities of the international community are, how the gap can be narrowed between Khartoum and the majority of U.N. members, and why Darfur has sparked more international attention than other forgotten African conflicts.
* Paul Holmes, Reuters (moderator)
* Ann Curry, NBC News
* Jean-Marie Guehenno, Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping U.N
* Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, Sudanese Ambassador to the U.N
* John Prendergast, International Crisis Group
* Mia Farrow, Actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
* Lauren Landis, Senior Representative, Sudan, U.S. Department of State
The event web site is: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/newsmakerDarfur

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Kazakhstan: Amendments’ Silver Lining · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Artur says that there is a silver lining to Kazakhstan's recently passed constitutional amendments.


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Kazakhstan: Educational Reform · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KZBlog reports on reforms in Kazakhstan's higher education system, noting that there is an apparent lack of emphasis on some major components of any stellar education system.


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Kazakhstan: Village vs. Oil Company · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

neweurasia reports that a village claiming to have had its water supply tainted by an oil spill are turning to independent experts to make their case against the oil company responsible for the accident.


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Korea: A Soldier’s Death · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

On the 19th, a twenty-seven year old Korean soldier in Iraq was discovered dead. He was shot at a barber shop in Zaytun, where Korean soldiers stationed. It was the first death of a Korean soldier in Iraq since Korea arrived in 2004. While the media and army guess the death was suicide, his family and some bloggers claim it couldn’t be. He had been stationed in Iraq less than a month.
A blogger, neocross, elaborates on the meaning of the Iraq War and criticizes the attitude of the Korean government toward the U.S.A.
어차피 현재 중동지역에서의 전쟁은 무의미한 것이다. 미국의 논리에 따라, 미국의 이익을 취하기 위해 벌어지는 전쟁을 ‘자유'와 ‘민주주의'의 가면을 씌우고 행해지고 있다는 사실은 대부분의 사람들은 다 알고 있다. 물론 정부의 입장에서는 미국의 눈치를 안 볼 수 없기에 끌고가는 것이겠지만, 자신들을 믿고 있는 국민들의 눈치도 봐야하지 않을까 싶다. 명분도 없고, 이익도 없는 수렁텅이같은 전쟁에 우리가 얼마나 끌려가야할지 모르겠다.
Phoenixq, who has known this dead soldier, shared his pain with other bloggers and doesn’t believe his death was suicide. He talks about his experiences in military service.
오늘 아래와 같은 기사들이 올라오고 뉴스에도 방송되었다.
젠장… 내가 2학년을 올라가던 시절..
00년도에 신입생을 꼬셔 우리 한성대 패러글라이딩 동아리 피닉스로 들어오게 하려고 새내기 배움터에 갔다가 용감하고 씩씩해 보이는 녀석을 하나 찍어 우리 동아리에 가입시켰고 녀석과 나 군입대 하기 전까지 함께 동아리 생활을 했었다.
참 씩씩하고 용감했던 녀석으로 기억하는데…
오종수..
내가 군대 간 후 삼사관학교로 편입했다는 소식을 듣고 이후로 연락이 잘 되지 않았는데..
이라크에 갔었던 모양이구나..
그런데 기사는 은근히 녀석의 자살 가능성이 높다는 식으로 써져 있는것이… 영 맘에 안든다. 오중위가 사용하던 소총과 탄피 하나가 떨어져있었고 턱부분에 총상이라…
나 군대있던 시절 무월광 아무것도 보이지 않는 산속에서 유격훈련중 나뭇가지가 내 눈꺼풀을 찢고 들어왔던 기억이 난다.다행이 안구까지 들어오지 않아 실명되지는 않았지만… 당시 대대장의 진급이 코앞이라 실명되었을 경우 상부로 보고하지 마란 명령이 있었다.
비슷한 예로 페인트 작업이 많은 봄철 계속해서 페인트 작업 휴식시 담배불이 붙어 화상을 입는 사고가 잦으니 정신교육을 철저히 하란 공문이 세번이 내려 온 후 우리 부대 한 녀석이 똑같은 사고로 한쪽 다리가 곪아 썩을정도로 화상을 입었는데 대대장의 진급 이유로 외진도 보내지 않고 대대 내 의무대에서 주구장창 소독만 하다가 외부에서 누가 오면 창고에 넣어두고 눈속임을 하던 생각이 난다.
흠….
지원해서 이라크까지 가서 공석 중대장업무까지 맏은 녀석이 한달도 안되서 자살했을 이유는 만무하다. 진실이 궁금하다.
삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다..
Many bloggers, like bj1337, are angry about his death and demand the withdrawal of the army.
명분도 없는 전쟁터에 나가서 우리 젊은이들은 과연 무엇을 하고 있는가. 누구를 위해 싸우며 누구를 위해 죽어야 하는가. 이라크에 있는 자이툰 부대를 그 곳에 더 이상 두어서는 안 된다. 한 명이 죽은 것 밖에 없다는 논리를 펴는 혹자도 있을 수 있다. 또 직접 전쟁을 하다 상대방 군대에 의해서 사망한 사건이 아니라고 말하는 사람도 있을 것이다. 그러나 이 전쟁은 한 명이 죽고 사는 것이 아니다. 어떻게 사망을 했는지도 중요하지도 않다. 가장 중요한 것은 우리가 가장 우려하는 군인이 죽었다는 것이다. 미국 내에서도 이라크 전쟁이 월남전 이후 가장 더러운 전쟁으로 불리워지는 현실에서 더 이상 이 전쟁에 우리 군대가 그 곳에서 목숨을 잃은 것은 의미가 없다. 이 전쟁에 처음부터 참가하는 것에 국민의 반대가 만만치 않았다. 그러나 우리 정부는 국익을 위해 어쩔 수 없다는 한 마디로 반대 여론을 무마시켰다. 지금 미국 전사자가 3000명이 넘었다. 그들 역시 이 전쟁에 얼마나 추악한 것인지 알고 있다. 우리는 미국에 할만큼 했다. 더 이상 이 더러운 전쟁에 발을 담고 있을 이유가 없다는 뜻이다. 대규모 병력을 이라크에 보냈고 나름대로 이라크 재건을 위해 일도 했다. 그 정도면 명분 없는 전쟁에서 우리로서는 최선을 다했다. 더 이상 있을 이유가 없다. 이제 우리 젊은이들을 귀국 시켜야 한다. 이번 우리 군인의 죽음의 결과가 어떻게 나오든 더 이상 이라크에 우리 군을 남겨 놓아서는 안 된다.
당장 철군하라~


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Kuwait: Lebanese are “Fed Up”  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

‘“We are fed up!!” That is what all Lebanese are saying these days. Past two days, I asked many lebanese people in Kuwait what they think of whats going on, all of them have given up any hope they had for our country to rebuild and all they want now is to get their families out of their and start a new life elsewhere. As much I hate to admit it, I am starting to believe they are right,” writes Kuwait-based Lebanese Fonzy in reaction to the latest fighting in Lebanon.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Kuwait: Loose Lion · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger Mark reports that a lion is on the run in Kuwait and is being hunted by police. “I just heard there is a lion loose in Kuwait. It seems it escaped from a Sheikh's (member of the Ruling Family) residence in the Fintas area and now the cops are trying to catch it,” he writes.


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Kyrgyzstan: Bases · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

New Central Asia blog Non Pon reports on recent news regarding the Russian and US military bases Kyrgyzstan hosts, including the formation of a social movement dedicated to closing down the American base.


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Kyrgyzstan: Booking an Exam Seat · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Tolkun Umaraliev reports that he must pay a bribe to have any hope of receiving top marks on an upcoming university exam.


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Lebanon: Attrition War · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The situation is sliding into an attrition war. The broad support by all Lebanese and Palestinian faction, other than ‘Fateh al Islam’, to the army and its actions against those cold blood terrorist, has been eroding rapidly…” writes Bob from Lebanon. “I think that the window of opportunity, to decisively resolve the situation, is rapidly closing, a day or two at most. A political ‘resolution will only postpone the problem and even compound it. If ‘fateh al islam’ terrorists are not dealt with decisively, then a couple of month down the road we will face an even bigger explosion.”


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Lebanon: Fighting Continues for Third Day  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Gunbattles erupted between Lebanese troops and Islamist militiamen around a Palestinian refugee camp today, the third day of fierce fighting that has killed dozens of people.
Black plumes of smoke billowed into the sky as troops fired tank shells and artillery at positions of Fatah al-Islam, a shadowy Sunni militant group accused of links to al-Qaeda whose members are entrenched in the Nahr al-Bared camp near the Mediterranean coast.
It is the bloodiest internal feuding in Lebanon since the 1975-1990 civil war and has triggered deep concerns about the security of a country still battling sectarian division and a months-old political crisis,” writes Leila from Lebanon.


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Lebanon: Fighting Toll  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

As fighting in Lebanon continues between the Lebanese Army and Fateh el Islam, Tom Felle  takes a look at the toll:
“As witnesses said there are bodies strewn on the streets inside the camp, the body count from the deadliest fighting to hit Lebanon for two decades hit 80 yesterday.
Lebanon’s army resumed their bombardment of the camp early yesterday morning after a lull overnight. Militants inside the camp responded with machine gun and mortar fire.
The Red Cross, the UN and other international agencies spent he day trying to broker a ceasefire so they could enter the camp and evacuate casualties and more than 30,000 Palestinian civilians trapped inside.
Conditions inside the camp were descried as dire with no electricity, limited food supplies and water fast running out.
More than 200 people have been wounded in the attacks, and dozens of homes and buildings in the camp, in Tripoli and in Beirut have been damaged or destroyed.”


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Lebanon: Fighting Update  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese blogger Abu Kais updates us on the latest fighting in Lebanon between the Lebanese Army and Fateh el Islam.
“The Siniora government is waging this war with the support of the international community and the Arab League, which issued a statement supporting the army's operation. The ‘opposition’, meanwhile, continues its occupation of downtown Beirut, even as the city is being targeted on a daily basis. Hizbullah today issued a statement describing the events in the north as an “American project”, and ignoring, once again, the destructive role Fatah al-Islam is playing (LBC News). As the Lebanese army storms the Islamist hell, armed with unprecedented popular support, Hizbullah stands on the other side of that hell, feeling the heat of the rule of law,” he explains.


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Libya: On Women’s Attire  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Writing from Tripoli, Libya, Iranian blogger Mrs Behi says: “Here in Libya I haven’t seen a couple walking in the street hand in hand. It seems to me as if taking this simple act of closeness feels very strange to them! And also you can rarely see any woman at night in restaurants with their friends or families, actually the atmosphere is kind of closed compared to Iran, but there are many nice things to do and to enjoy here, as I can say I loved living here so far.” She then moves on to discuss the Hijab – a scarf Muslim women wear to cover their hair.


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Pakistan: Any woman in two minutes · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Metroblogging Islamabad with some insight into the not too successful Prime Minister. “Shaukee's charm failed to work its magic on US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, according to a new biography of her. The book, titled Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power. describes in excruciating detail how Shaukat Aziz allegedly tried to impress Rice when she visited South Asia in March 2005. Mr Aziz “tried this Savile Row-suited gigolo kind of charm: ‘Pakistan is a country of rich traditions,’ staring in (Dr Rice's) eyes,” the biography's author Marcus Mabry writes, citing participants at the meeting.”


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Russia: “How to Get Your Plumbing Fixed in Russia” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion returns to Moscow from vacation and finds himself locked out: “All my attempts to get into my flat was vain because of a non existent door handle and a welded keyhole. I had to change sim cards to reach my landlord, who was enjoying a peaceful getaway from Moscow in Turkey (here is a concrete irony: A Russian living in Turkey rents a flat to a Turkish living in Russia) […].” Read the rest of the hilarious “how to get your plumbing fixed in Russia” saga here.


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Russia: Pioneers · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Turkish Invasion writes on the 85th anniversary of the Soviet Pioneer Organization.


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Russia, UK: More on the Litvinenko Affair · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“The British Crown Prosecution Service has charged Russian businessman Andrei Lugovoi with the murder of Alexandr Litvinenko.  The question if anything will come of it,” writes Sean Guillory.


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Senegal: A debate over feminism and women’s work · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Blog Politique du Senegal, Naomed describes a visit to a profitable garden in Casamance, where women produce vegetables for market.  He notes that there was not a single male older than 10 in sight and all of the work was being done by women.  One reader praises the bravery of these hardworking rural women, saying that in town because of feminism, women are no longer willing to work.  This leads Naomed to retort, “Without women…Senegal would die of hunger.  The problem of feminism in Senegal is that there is no feminism.” (Fr).


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South Africa: politician invited to create an iblog · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The owner of iblog, Mark Garbers, invites the leader of Independe Democrats in South Africa to create an iblog: “Dear ibloggers,
Although I don’t normally personally invite people to create an iblog, I thought that in light of the coverage that blogging is receiving, inviting Patricia De Lille to sign up for an iblog would be the right thing to do. So that I am completely open and honest with all of you, here is a copy of the email sent to Ms. De Lille…”


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Sudan: how many envoys are needed for peace? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Black Cush on special  envoys to Sudan: “How many special envoys will it take to bring peace to Darfur? 10, 20, 50? All the ones there are no good enough, or just not doing enough. Any country with a conscience wants to be seen doing something for Darfur by having an envoy there.”


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Sudan: I wish the damn thing was freaking televised · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sudanese Thinker wishes the debate on Darfur was televised: “Told ya! I just wish this damn thing was freaking televized. I’m expecting a heated debate to go down especially since the Sudanese Ambassador to the U.N. is going to be present. I predict that he’ll get banged with many questions. It will be interesting to observe how he responds.
I’m tied up with many things at the moment but I’ll make time for this since I don’t want to miss it. Sudanese boys and girls in da house, blog your thoughts or drop a comment.”


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Sudan: If there were a transcript… · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ingrid at Sudan Watch on the Debate on Darfur: “Heh. Rock on Drima! Why no webcast? If there were a transcript, I'd mull over John Prendergast's commentary in the hope of getting some understanding of the rationale behind his warmongering stance on Sudan.”


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Sudan: uninformed about Darfur · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nigerian blogger, Omodudu, writes, “I dropped the ball on Darfur“:
I have rocked a banner or two or even made a post on this blog to push the save-Dafur-message. But beyond that I have been so uninformed about this conflict.
I assumed the Dafur conflict was one and the same as the North-South civil war of the '90's. I learned today that the Dafur conflict is not the same as the Sudanese civil war that I read about as a youngster. This is different and much more venomous.


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Syria: Lebanese Ceasefire  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Fateh Al Islam has accepted a government offer of a ceasefire.
They say they will stop attacks if the army does not attack them. The army has responded by saying they never fire first.
Humanitarian organisations say it's vital to have a break in fighting to get food and water to the 40,000 (Palestinian) refugees trapped inside the camp.
Residents say there are dead bodies all over the streets, and wounded people are also lying on the roads, unable to get help. No-one can leave the camp because the soldiers have blocked the entrances,” writes Syrian blogger Sasa.


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Tajikistan: Party of Migrants · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Vadim reports that a new political party representing Tajik citizens who have emigrated to find work could become a serious political force.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Environmental Policy · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

According to the Chairman of Trinidad and Tobago's Environmental Management Authority, Cedros, a village on the island's southwesterly coast, is sinking.  Club Soda and Salt thinks “it’s likely to take more than this for the government to formulate a real environmental policy.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Political Scandals · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Trinidad and Tobago has to be the most exciting place on earth without a war”:  Trinidad and Tobago girls, politics, sports, technology, carnival and lifestyle examines recent political scandals, adding that the whole sordid affair “reads like an episode of ‘Allo Allo'”.


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Tunisia: Blogger and journalist Slim Boukhdir repeatedly assaulted · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

The Tunisian journalist and blogger Slim Boukhdhir was assaulted as he left an Internet café in Tunis after blogging about the responsibility of  Houssem Trabelsi, brother of Tunisia’s first lady, in the deadly concert stampede in Sfax (Star Academy concert) on 30 April, in which seven young people were killed.
After loosing his job as journalist in the “Akhbar Al-Joumhurya” (News of the Republic) newspaper on August 2004, Slim Boukhdhir started blogging on the Arabic Blog Service: Maktoob Blog. He is continuously being harassed, assaulted and threatened by both plain-clothes police and gangsters close to President Ben Ali’s brothers-in-law.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Ukraine: Football · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko attends a football game in Kyiv and takes pictures of the stadium.


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Ukraine: Kyiv Street Kids Video · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Michelle Knisley of Greetings from Kyiv links to two CrossRoads Foundation's videos of Kyiv's street children – on YouTube, here and here.


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Uzbekistan: Alcohol Restrictions · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Tolkun Umaraliev reports on Uzbekistan's new law that makes it more difficult to obtain alcoholic beverages.


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What is your blood type?  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

What is your blood type? That's a big deal in Korea. Why? Your personality can be inferred from your blood type at once. lyh809 is one of the most serious bloggers with cartoons. Look at why blood type A is timid, how each blood type reacts to sadness, seven behaviors you should not do toward blood type B, and personalities associated with each blood type[ko].


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What Salvadoran bloggers are saying — about a war-like political campaign · Global Voices
Tim Muth

There are 22 months to go before the March 2009 elections for President and National Assembly in El Salvador, but already the campaign is a major theme in the Salvadoran blogosphere.   The current round of comments were triggered by a political rally led by president Tony Saca, where he made comments which many described as “war-like.”  Blogger Hunnapuh takes note (ES) of Tony Saca's call to the governing right-wing ARENA party faithful to create an army of “nationalist soldiers,” with Saca warning that “he who sleeps loses, there can be no vacations.”
According to Hunnapuh, Saca is “walking with a warlike and provocative discourse which contradicts his pose as a conciliator who is open to dialog and reconciliation.”   Echoing a theme seen on several blogs, Hunnapuh views Saca's proselytizing as flatly illegal and in violation Article 81 of El Salvador's Constitution which forbids political campaigning more than 4 months before the presidential election and Article 237 of the electoral code which forbids a public official from using his public office for partisan political ends.
The impending presidential campaign has prompted blogger Jjmar to write a two part series on internal divisions (ES) within the ruling conservative ARENA party.  Noting that while the corporate media is ever eager to describe internal divisions in the leftist opposition FMLN, Jjmar finds there is a “curtain of smoke” over the problems and divisions within ARENA while the media is selling the image of ARENA as solid and unified.
One split Jjmar describes is between those in ARENA who believe that a campaign based on fear of the consequences of a victory by the left-wing FMLN is the best course (as it was in 2004 elections) and those who are concerned about increased polarization in the country and its impact on the business climate.   Corruption is also one of their concerns:
La preocupación por la corrupción sin precedentes del actual gobierno, no solo tiene a la base la imagen, sino las ganancias. Antes los funcionarios se conformaban con “regalías”, ahora les exigen “comisiones”. Antes había funcionarios que con una botella de vino se quedaban felices y contentos, ahora piden entre el 10% y el 15% del total de la obra en licitación.
“Los Torogoces” is a group composed of members of the strong, traditional business sector of the country who meet together for breakfast on a regular basis.  According to Jjmar's sources, Los Torogoces want president Saca to step down as head of ARENA and for other government officials to step out of leadership positions in the party.  They fear that without de-linking the government and the party, ARENA will be burdened with the errors of the government in future elections.  Las Torogoces also oppose any plan to make Rene Figueroa, the Minister of Security, ARENA's nominee for the presidency.
Carlos Abrego criticizes Figueroa (ES) for Figueroa's public statements linking the FMLN to all the crime and disorder in the country but without any proof or bringing his accusations through proper scandals.  Such statements would be bad enough as simple political party propaganda, but Abrego finds them to be even more reprehensible when they come from a government minister, the minister of security.   These partisan accusations, Abrego worries, lead to greater polarization an instability in public institutions.
Finally, Ixquic laments the lack of progress(ES) on reform of the electoral process.  Items such as the “residential vote” (where polling places are located close to the communities where people actually live), an agreement on auditing the voting lists, and control over campagin financing and propaganda, have failed to make headway in the country.  She also looks to the upcoming presidential campaign where she expects the other right-wing parties, like the PCN, to need to find a way to distance themselves from the ruling ARENA party, if they expect to enjoy success at the polls.

author: Tim Muth


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Zimbabwe: the game the police play · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kubatana blog on Zimbabwean police: “How’s that! All SADC citizens. Presumably this includes Zimbabwe where the police recently beat up a group of lawyers in downtown Harare. One of them being a most amazing woman called Eileen Sawyer, otherwise known as gogo, (meaning grandmother) because of her age – 80. Eileen is the director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum.”


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Americas: Copa America Blog · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

For fans of the “beautiful game”, a new blog site dedicated to the biennual football tournament, the Copa America, will come as a welcome surprise.  The Copa America 07 Blog will feature news and stories about the South American national teams and guests, that will participate in this tournament in June and July.


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Anguilla: Homosexuality and Constitutional Reform · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“We cannot allow ourselves to get side tracked when it comes to our Constitution. We have to be ready with our arguments when the British team arrives in Anguilla in July”: As one of Britain's last remaining colonies readies itself for constitutional reform, Corruption-free Anguilla examines the current legislation regarding homosexuality.


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Arabeyes: What’s Happening at the Daily Kos?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Pro-Israel and pro-Palestine bloggers have been battling it out at the Daily Kos for quite some time.
And then came Al Nakba, or the catastrophe, as the pro-Palestinian camp refers to it – when Pro-Palestine diarists were allegedly banned from cross-posting their diaries on the DKos.
Banned Diarists
Palestinian Haitham Sabbah, one of the banned bloggers, gives us his take here.
Yesterday, which marked the celebration of the Nakba, Daily Kos blew the last bridge it had with the Palestinian voices. Midday GMT, the news started coming. They first banned Umkahlil, later on they banned me, and last but not least, they banned Anna Baltzer. Why? Nobody knows. No reason is given. No warning or any notice from the ‘busy’ Kos administrators to let any of us know the circumstances under which the decision was taken and what valid reasons they gave for throwing these poisoned donuts at us. All that we heard from unofficial sources: we are associates of Shergald, again!
It is sad to believe that Daily Kos administration based its decision on such meaningless illusions. It would not have taken them more than a minute to check the history of each of us and see that we all are established pro Palestine peace activists, just by looking at our blogs and websites. We don’t have to have any association with anyone, not even with other banned Kos members or other groups that might also talk about the plight of Palestinians. Our blogs and our work, online and offline, have their own merits and stands on its own.
Desert Peace, from Tel Aviv, who has also been banned from the Dkos weighs in.
In their continuing ‘War Against Truth, Justice and The American Way’ Daily Kos banned two other writers who dared to speak the truth. My dear Brother Haitham of Sabbah's Blog and my Sister Nancy of Umkalil.
Desert Peace posts another article on the situation at the DKos here.
The link provides an explanation from Hunter, another diarist and apparently a site administrator, on why Sabbah and UmKahlil were banned. An email to Hunter from GV went unanswered. However, here's Hunter‘s two cents on the banning:
A word about ‘Shergald’, (27+ / 0-)
to set up the background here. Shergald is, short version, an unapologetic and pathological liar — towards friends and enemies alike — and has increasingly slid towards anti-Semitism. Worse, as he falls out with his old friends he finds solace in new and very much more hardline ones of his own rather more racist bent: he has recruited individuals for his cause, in people like Ben Heine and others, who have been even more transparently anti-Semitic. And, as time goes on, his posts (on other sites) have edged towards more and more transparent defenses of terrorism against Israelis.
At least on this site, these things are showstoppers. Anti-Semitic statements and conspiracy theories are right out. And any defense of terrorism against civilians counts as an argument so vile, so loathsome, that it will not be tolerated in any shape or form.
That's the backstory. Now (apologies for that, but I think it's important to understand the recent history, here) on to the actual point…
The ‘annainpalestine’ diary included the words of a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, a terrorist organization by any objective measure, i.e. one that targets civilians and murders them for the sake of its cause. A statement from their group was presented in such a way that multiple administrators thought it clearly crossed the line into advocacy for their group.
Now, this should not need to be spelled out in the rules. That this would be a problem should be, to put it tersely, Really F—ing Obvious.
Sabbah and umkahlil were banned because they recommended that diary, with those statements. There were only a few others who recommended that diary, but for these two particular users and their history of being a little too involved in similar arguments, it was the last straw.
This particular action may be unfair. Or it may not be. But like it or not, there is an escalating history among the newer I/P posters, the ones with various connections to the vivacious and batshit insane Shergald, of anti-Semitic remarks and remarks that ‘defend’ terrorism, or come close to it. There is ZERO tolerance on this site for anything that even HINTS at being supportive of terrorists or terrorist groups, regardless of cause: if some posters find that iron-clad requirement too restrictive, then those posters are roundly encouraged to leave.
We will remove any posters that come within a stone's throw of that line, or who have histories of edging up to it. I note that other sites on the right and left do not have such restrictions — to their distinct shame and detriment.
I sympathize with your side of the debate losing some voices, but I don't see any way around this decision. There was ample warning given that we were going to start cleaning up these threads, and I thought mcjoan's note was quite blunt as to the reason for the decision in this case — as I said, there was agreement among multiple admins that the diary crossed a very big line. There is no ongoing effort to remove pro-Palestinian posters, but there is an ongoing effort to remove the posters who get in the most fights, step across the most lines, or radicalize the debates via over-the-top or offensive rhetoric, on either side.
I don't like talking about the reasons people were banned. It doesn't sit right with me. But lots of people have been asking, so there it is.
Shergald, who is accused of being a troll on the DKos, has the following to say:
If Daily Kos’ banning of Steve Amsel and Eileen Fleming, two peace activists who support the rights of the Palestinian people, a few days ago, and three other peace activists that preceded them, were not enough, today Daily Kos banned two Palestinian peace activists. This action was taken in an apparent attempt to appease a small group of right wing proIsrael supporters who have invaded Daily Kos. If anyone believes that of course they should probably take ownership of the Brooklyn Bridge. The true source of all of these banning is not yet evident, but no one is ready to believe that Daily Kos is getting ready to be sold to an AIPAC subsidiary.
Possible Compromise
Despite this grim picture, diarist  Heathlander,  hopes that a compromise may be possible.
We would like to emphasise that we are truly sympathetic to the difficulty of successfully moderating a subject which so frequently generates an astonishing degree of venom and vicious personal attacks. In highlighting what we feel to be a serious error in administrative policy, we are not impugning the motives of the admins or minimizing the difficulty of their task. Our aim is simply to correct an injustice.
It appears that Sabbah and umkahlil were banned because it is thought that they were initially invited to post at DKos by He Who Must Not Be Named. If this is indeed the reason, it is perplexing, to say the least. If a diarist's behaviour whilst on the site is fine, then what does it matter how he/she first came to be here? There appears to be a failure to recognise the clear and, we would've thought, self-evident distinction between being shergald – i.e. a sockpuppet – and knowing shergald. The idea that Sabbah, who is one of the most popular Palestinian bloggers on the internet, and umkahlil, who has run her own blog for years, are mere puppets at the mercy of some all-controlling, all-powerful demon-shergald is an insult to both of them, and an unfounded one at that. It is the product of frustration and paranoia as opposed to evidence.
New diarists, especially new Palestinian diarists, should be welcomed as valuable additions to the site. Instead, they are a priori feared and reviled as sockpuppets or trolls. This stifling of the Palestinian voice is to the detriment of the entire community, and in fact represents a serious abdication of moral responsibility.
We hope that, as a gesture of goodwill and in an effort to repair what harm has been caused, posting rights will be promptly returned to both umkahlil and Sabbah. At the very least, we think an apology should be made for getting it wrong. Failure to do so will result in a Daily Kos that is all the poorer for it.
Rules of Engagement
Eternal Hope, on her part, has also posted proposed rules to end the stand off.
Hunter has given an ultimatum saying that those of us on the I/P issue must either come up with a way to work together and lay the groundwork for a healthy debate on the issues, or face a complete ban on the topic here at Daily Kos.
These rules will have the following purposes:
1. Provide a framework for discussion and debate without getting out of hand;
2. Provide a framework for this community to come up with a collective solution to the I/P conflict;
3. Provide a framework for people to use the most accurate information in this debate.
The rules are as follows:
1. Fresh slate. All persons would be required to wipe the slate clean. Persons could not make reference to any actions done by any other user before May 18th, 5:00 PM Central Time. If we want to start over and do this right, we have to forget about anything that happened in the past.
2. Follow the KOS FAQ. All rules of the KOS FAQ would apply. These rules would be in addition to the KOS FAQ.
3. No racist or inflammatory remarks.
The Dictionary.com definitions of racism would be used to define racist or anti-semetic remarks.
4. People will be expected to enforce the rules on people on their own side. In other words, people are not to uprate people on their side if they were in violation of these rules.
5. Persons are expected to stay and defend their own diaries. If you write a diary, you should defend it from people who disagree with it strongly. Drive-by diaries are a sure way to incite conflict.
6. Copyright. All diarists and posters would be required to follow normal Fair Use standards. If a particular piece is reprinted with permission, persons writing these diaries would be required to post such permission.
7. All debate must be on the merits of the diary. See below. If someone writes about the Israeli expulsion of the Palestinians, complaining that they did not write about something else is not an argument. It is a smokescreen which does not address the argument on the merits.
8. No repetitive arguments. If you claim that Hamas is still launching rockets into Israel, WE HEAR YOU. That is an argument that has been made a million times. Same goes with calling the “Generous Offer” of Israel a myth — that has also been gone over a million times before.
The goal of any new I/P diary should be to cover new ground, not go over the same old stuff that has been argued over a million times.
Hope also has rules for Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine bloggers – which if adhered to may usher in a new peace deal between bloggers from the two camps.


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Argentina: Election Coverage on Mobile Phones · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Election coverage in Argentina is moving to mobile phones according to the blog Prixma [ES].  The daily La Nación, in addition to publishing a regular website with election news, will now offer election news via text messages.  Interested individuals can even follow elections results in these formats.


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Bahrain: Pegged to the Dollar · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger emoodz explains how Bahrain is loosing out by having its currency pegged to the US dollar.
“On the assets side, the dollar’s slide will reduce the value of our dollar based assets held (US treasuries, private securities, Dollars reserves, Dollars deposits abroad… etc) while at the same time reducing the value our dollar liabilities.
“Ok, let’s speak plain English. The impact of all of this on the Bahraini Economy is very complicated and difficult to quantify, especially with the dark cloud of censorship and restrictions imposed on our local economical figures.
“It doesn’t really take an economical wiz to predict the outcomes of the continuous fall of the Dollar, the rising cost of imports (especially machinery and raw material) will adversely affect private economic activity and the government projects funding,” he notes.


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Bangladesh: Indian Army and Liberation · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The 3rd World View on the controversies regarding the Indian Army's role in liberating Bangladesh -
“Now there are certain quarters in Bangladesh who try to ignore India's contributions and some think that it was India's game plan to divide Pakistan, their arch rivals. And interestingly there are some quarters in India who thinks that it was Indian army's might alone that liberated Bangladesh. Mukti Bahini and the civilians had little role to play.”, points to another blogger who offers a first-hand account of the events in 1971.


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Barbados: Conversations about Culture  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“…In countries that have no culture or are afraid they may have no culture, there is a Minister of Culture.” Jamaica Kincaid's essay on Antigua hits home for Barbadian blogger Gallimaufry.


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Barbados: Integrity Standards  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Our political system has NO RULES about accountability, transparency, integrity & conflict of interest standards or laws that allow citizens to access government information.  In such a free-for-all system it would take a saint to not become corrupted.”  Barbados Free Press cites the reasons why they think one political party is just like the other.


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Belarus: Priest Fined for Blogging · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Belarus writes about Belarusian church, politics, the history of WWII – and a priest fined for blogging.


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Belarus: Students’ Rally · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Belarus translates two posts – here and here – by Belarusian bloggers on a student rally against cancellation of discounts for students and war veterans.


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Belarus: The Opposition’s Failure · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

TOL's Belarus has some harsh words for the Belarusian opposition: “The opposition party leaders will make fools of us for as long as we allow it. All of them should have resigned back in 2001. They had a last chance to rehabilitate themselves in 2006. But now they have seized control of the whole opposition and become entrenched, not much better than Lukashenka himself. With the current opposition leadership, all we can hope for is a palace coup and the transformation of the dictatorship into a Putin/Kuchma type of authoritarianism with a ‘human face’.”


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Bosnia, Belarus: UN Human Rights Council · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“In a 112 to 72 vote, Bosnia defeated Belarus to join Slovenia on the UN Human Rights Council,” Bosnia Vault reports.


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Mostar · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Wu Wei visits Mostar (among other things, the unofficial capital of Herzegovina) and learns what Bosnia & Herzegovina has in common with Trinidad & Tobago: “At our meeting in Mostar, we were gently chided for talking about Bosnia. ‘Here in Herzegovina, we feel like Tobago must feel, when everyone talks about Trinidad,’ said the lady. So if we can't manage ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina’ we can manage BiH, pronounced ‘Bee Hash’.”


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Brazil: How Falling Dollar Affects Missionaries · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Comings Communiqué, a blog written by a missionary living in Brazil, has noticed the steady decline of the dollar conversion rate to the Brazilian real.  This has taken its toll and he lists the good, the bad, and the ugly effects on his work as a missionary.


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Brunei: AIDS Awareness Walk · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

EmmaGoodEgg in Brunei informs readers of an AIDS Awareness walk on Sunday. Emma says “Wake up bright and early on Sunday morning to be at the starting point by 6.30 am”

author: Preetam Rai


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Brunei: Mysterious Grave · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Daily Brunei Resources takes us back to 15th century in order to unravel the mystery of a grave in the city centre of Brunei's capital.


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Bulgaria: ’80s Hair Metal Bands · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Petya explains “the Bulgarian enthusiasm for '80s hair metal bands.”


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Bulgaria: International Museum Day · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sofia's Hidden Beauty reports on the International Museum Day celebration in Bulgaria's capital.


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Bulgaria: Rainy Days · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Dusty Sofia becomes muddy Sofia,” writes Sofia's Hidden Beauty. But – “While nature is ravaging the capital and the region, politicians are suffering overheating after the end of the elections day for Bulgarian members of the European Parliament.”


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China: Internet Police Recruitment · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tufeiwan blogs a recruitment ads of 96 internet police in a county level town in Sichuan at a monthly payment of 1,300 yuan per month. Annual expense for internet police for the town would be 1,497,600. In China, there are 2,000 counties, the total expense for annual recruitment of internet police would be around 3 billions yuan. (zh)
DANWEI has a full translation of the post.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Splitting hairs over stem cells · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Stem cell research—it's an old topic, but it's also a top topic, at least for today as two key Chinese public intellectuals—one a tv news personality and the other a crusader against intellectual fraud and traditional Chinese medicine—battle it out on their PhoenixTV blogs.
It started with this post yesterday from Chai Jing:
每一项技术的背后都是生命
飞机上。
我跟老范聊要作的重庆公交的节目—体制的问题在哪儿，到底采访哪个部门，拿支笔在纸上划来划去聊得正热闹。
坐在我右边的先生说”对不起，我能插句嘴么？”
我们有点吃惊地看着他。
“你是新闻调查的吧，你们报道这样的事故，我们已经麻木了”
我跟老范对视一眼，小心翼翼地问”是因为太多了么？”
“不是”他说，”是你们从来没有让我们意识到，那些死去的人其实就是我们身边的人”
“嗯？”
“前两天弗吉尼亚大学枪击案，美国的媒体采访了每一个家庭，每个人都有故事和照片，包括凶手。还有纪念的人群写给枪手的留言，'我对你的同情胜过对你的憎恨”，只有让观众意识到灾难中的人其实就活在我们身边，大家才会关心”
“嗯…是，这当然，但我们刚才只是在讨论具体的技术问题”
“不”他说”每一项技术的背后都是生命”
我转过身子，看着这人。
他解释说，”我是做干细胞克隆技术研究的，在军事科学院工作”
他二十多年全部投注其中，曾是狂热的技术论者”这个领域里最谁能掌握干细胞研究的主导权，谁就会在未来生物科技领域的竞争中占据有利地位，这是事关国计民生的大事”
他得了世界再生医学大会的最高奖。
“然后”他说”我才遇到不得不面对的问题”。
再生医学的核心是干细胞，需要胚胎研究。
在中国，没有伦理的限定，没有宗教的要求，用胚胎作试验是比较顺利的，因为常人认为胚胎不算生命。联合国大会法律委员会关于”禁止克隆人的政治宣言”，我国政府和比利时、英国等国家是投反对票的。
但是，2003年，他去香港演讲，面对一个佛教徒的提问，”生命到底从何时起算？”
他被那个问题问住了。
其实，他是清楚的”一个十四天的胚胎细胞，就会有神经系统的反应，就能够感知光与热。”
他曾经认为这种感知是没有意义的。
后来，某一天，他在工作的时候，不自觉停下来，盯着克隆羊看。
“从它的眼神里是可以看见人的眼神的”。
他说”想到这里，就不能不去想自己的工作—–人这样贪婪地想要活下去是对还是错，甚至会想，人这样的做法到底是在拯救人类还是毁灭人类，人类的文明轮回是不是与此有关，狮身人面像难道不可能是上一次克隆人的遗迹？”
…
在当天的笔记里，我记下这段对话”君子不器，技术上的修为不仅仅是为了建功立业，甚至不是为了服从于国家利益，而是服务于生命本身。”
在重庆的这7天，在近乎无望中，我们能找到那些早已逝去的人，那个欢笑着拍打着妈妈遗照的婴儿，那个每个假日仍然到楼下等着女儿回来的母亲…与这场对话有关。
Next on the blog.PhoenixTV page set up especially for this blog battle comes Fang Zhouzi's retort:
并非每一项技术的背后都是生命
昨天晚上有网友转来央视名记柴静的博客文章《每一项技术的背后都是生命》，我当即写了0一篇反驳，拟留到报纸专栏上发表。今天见到此文已被广泛转载且有了不小的影响，觉得有必要先说几句。
柴静文中转述军事医学科学院负责干细胞研究的研究员（即裴雪涛，喜欢对行外人士说自己获得”世界再生大会的最高奖”以证明自己的权威的就这么一位。行内人士都知道这种奖的含金量）有关干细胞的话有根本的错误，很容易引起公众对干细胞技术的误会：
一、14天的胚胎的细胞刚刚开始分化形成三个胚层，神经组织此时还没有出现，是不可能像裴研究员所说有什么神经系统的反应的。
二、人的胚胎干细胞的研究材料用的是5天的胚胎，只是一团针尖大小、没有分化的细胞。除了狂热的宗教人士和对人的胚胎发育过程一无所知的人，没有谁会认为那样的一团没分化、没感觉的细胞是一个人。每年有数以万计的这种胚胎在生育诊所被扔掉，不知为何没有人对此也煽情一把。如果有人要以这些胚胎细胞如果植入母体有可能发育成人为由认为它们是人，那么以同样的理由我也要求把每一个精子都当成人来看待。
目前有关人胚胎干细胞研究的争论主要是在美国发生，是美国宗教界中的极端保守派在小布什的支持下挑起的，全世界都在看美国的笑话。这是其他国家在这一研究领域赶上美国的良机，美国科学界对此痛心疾首。美国社会的主流、美国国会的大多数也是支持胚胎干细胞研究的，只不过小布什为了自己的宗教信仰在滥用其总统否决权。中国科学的发展受到的阻碍已经够多了，难道还有人嫌不够，为了显示自己的崇高，还想再加一道宗教的束缚？
鉴于裴研究员对干细胞研究的目的心存疑虑，甚至怀疑是否会”毁灭人类”，显然没有足够的信心和意愿来尽力推进干细胞研究，不适合于继续领导这一课题，请国家有关管理部门重新考虑有无必要继续资助裴研究员的干细胞研究项目，否则中国宝贵的科研经费、纳税人的钱就有可能被滥用掉，中国干细胞研究有可能受到重大挫折。
连国家重大科研项目的主持人都在怀疑该研究的合理性，发无厘头的感慨误导公众，中国的科学怎么还会有希望？
Even directors of China's major scientific research projects doubt the rationale of research and express nonsensical sentiment which misleads the public. How can China's scientists still have hope?
Then Chai Jing's response to that:
回应方舟子
很晚回到家，才知道方舟子先生就上一篇文章写了评论，把他的文章转贴如下，并作一些相应的解释。
1 “世界再生大会的最高奖”，在我的文章里并不是直接引语。裴先生没有提过这个话题，这个消息来自我在网上查到的文章 http://news.tom.com/1002/20050607-2199463.html 。
希望大家不要误会。
2
方先生担心”中国的干细胞研究遇到重大挫折”，关切之情可以理解。
但是我想，把科学问题唯技术化，而忽视对伦理学的边界，生物安全的边界的思考，忽视科学研究的终极目的，带来的危险要更大。否则爱因斯坦不会为他自己曾在1939年8月2日，向罗斯福总统建议，应抢在纳粹之前研制出原子弹，而感到懊悔。
晚年时，他说过”别把理智看成我们的上帝，它当然有强健的肌肉，但没有人格，它只能服务…理智对方法和工具有独到的眼光，但对于目的和价值却是盲目的”，
3
科学研究的重要前提是自知无知，并且勇于质疑和批判，如果一个人仅仅因为对自己研究有疑问和自省，就被认为是”误导公众”，甚至要”请国家有关管理部门重新考虑有无必要继续资助裴研究员的干细胞研究项目，”那么我想这个结论可能是粗暴和不公正的，而且也可能低估了公众的智慧。
我不敢说中国科学的希望在哪里，但我想它并不在于对效率和成功的狂热崇拜。
4
这只是一场在飞机上的私人谈话，我本人并非科技记者，而且因为不是报道，只是博客，所以谈话的某些细节根据记忆而写，发这篇文章之时也未得到裴先生的核实，如果方先生是想就具体的科学问题进行讨论，那么我所写的东西不足以作为裴先生全部观点的凭据，您需要从更多的途径来作更准确的了解。需要的话我也可以帮助您联系裴先生本人。
And Fang's re-retort, unresponded to by Chai Jing as of early morning May 24, day three:
反对胡扯不等于反对反思——回应柴静
“方先生担心'中国的干细胞研究遇到重大挫折'，关切之情可以理解。
但是我想，把科学问题唯技术化，而忽视对伦理学的边界，生物安全的边界的思考，忽视科学研究的终极目的，带来的危险要更大。”
忽视这类思考究竟会有多大的危险，这是另一个问题。但是我从来并没有反对、而是在支持做这方面的思考，我只不过是希望大家在思考科学问题时，要依据可靠的事实而不是道听途说，要抱着严谨的态度而不是危言耸听。对干细胞技术涉及的伦理问题，我自己就也做过思考，依据的是科学界主流的观点，至少要比裴研究员的神吹胡侃靠谱些：
Here Fang gives links to two articles he's had published in mainstream Chinese media, also found on his Sina blog:
《布什再掀干细胞风波》（《中国青年报·冰/点周刊》2006.7.26.）　　http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/47406879010005dq
《胚胎与人》（《经济观察报》 2006.8.19）　　 http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/47406879010005rs
Again Bush Stirs Up the Stem Cell Storm, Freezing Point, China Youth Daily, July 26, 2006
Embryos and People, Economic Observer, August 19, 2006
“科学研究的重要前提是自知无知，并且勇于质疑和批判，如果一个人仅仅因为对自己研究有疑问和自省，就被认为是'误导公众'，甚至要'请国家有关管理部门重新考虑有无必要继续资助裴研究员的干细胞研究项目，'那么我想这个结论可能是粗暴和不公正的，而且也可能低估了公众的智慧。”
科学研究的重要前提是什么？这是个大问题，最好交给科学界自己去处理，不要根据自己朴素的理解就给下断言。即使要”自知无知”，也不等于自己无知就以为别人也都和你一样无知，就要把科学确知的、已知的都当成”无知”来看待。裴研究员在”14天胚胎”问题上也许”自知无知”，难道我们必须跟着他一样也无知起来才能搞科学研究？”自知无知”也许是一种美德，但是以为别人都和自己一样无知就是无德了。科学研究提倡质疑和批判，但是也要求质疑和批判必须是有理有据的，不是什么无厘头的胡扯都算得上质疑和批判的。如果有人在克隆人问题研讨会上大谈”狮身人面像难道不可能是上一次克隆人的遗迹”，不怀疑其精神状态就够客气的了，扯得上什么质疑和批判的勇气？
一个科研项目要获得公共资助的重要前提，在于其领导者对该项目的正当性和必要性有清楚的认识，有尽力推进它的决心和意愿，如果他自己有疑问、要反省，就先退出来再说，交给更合适、更胜任的人去做。这是起码的专业素质和职业道德，也是对课题领导人的起码要求，不是什么粗暴和不公正。爱因斯坦并不曾主持过原子弹的研发，如果他承担了原子弹的研发任务却又反对起研发原子弹，肯定会被换下来。一个科学家有质疑、反对某个科研项目的自由，却没有承担着该项目却又质疑、反对它的权利。公共科研项目是在花公众的钱的，不是某个科学家的私事，这点智慧，我想公众还是有的。
“这只是一场在飞机上的私人谈话，我本人并非科技记者，而且因为不是报道，只是博客，所以谈话的某些细节根据记忆而写，发这篇文章之时也未得到裴先生的核实，如果方先生是想就具体的科学问题进行讨论，那么我所写的东西不足以作为裴先生全部观点的凭据，您需要从更多的途径来作更准确的了解。需要的话我也可以帮助您联系裴先生本人。”
裴研究员在正式场合发表的观点我是知道的，但是有时候私人谈话更能反映出一个人的真实想法。细节有出入是一回事，整体观点是否传达有误是另一回事。如果柴记者完全搞错了裴研究员的观点，那就是柴记者的问题而不是裴研究员的问题了。不过我对柴记者的新闻素质还是有信心的，何况里面一些话不像是一个非科技记者能够编造出来的。
Who are these people? In absence of English-language wikipedia entries on either of these nationally-known public figures, the self-introductions from their PhoenixTV blogs read:
Fang Zhouzi
方舟子，本名方是民，1967年9月生于福建云霄县。1995年获美国密歇根州立（Michigan State）大学生物化学博士学位，先后在罗切斯特（Rochester）大学生物系、索尔克（Salk）生物研究院做博士后研究，研究方向为分子遗传学。目前定居美国加利福尼亚州，从事互联网开发、写作和兼任美国生物信息公司的咨询科学家。为中文互联网的先驱者之一。2000年创办中文网上第一个学术打假网站”立此存照”，揭露了多起科学界、新闻界等学术腐败现象，美国《科学》曾两次专文介绍。
And Chai Jing?
现为《新闻调查》出境记者 主持人。记者不仅是我的职业身份，做新闻也是我生存的一种方式，记者的天职就是调查事实的真相。以前，做电台的时候，我喜欢说，这是一个像流沙一样的世界。那是非常文艺和情绪的字眼，而 2000 年接近 25 岁的时候，我在一本书的扉页上写下：现在是时候该蹲下来观察地面上的沙粒了，观察它们的湿度、密度、结构、流向和探究为什么这样流向的原因。我庆幸，在迈入成年的门槛时，从自我的世界里走了出来，开始关心他人，关心社会公共事务，关心将自己和这个世界联系在一起的东西。
[Nov. 12, 2007 update: it has been pointed out that Mr. Fang has never worked for the D'Trends corporation, and a correct introduction would describe Mr. Fang as “an independent consulting scientist for an American bioinformatics company.”]

author: John Kennedy


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Egypt: Human Rights Council  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt's bloggers held their own online protest on the eve of the election of Egypt to the UN Human Rights Council. Bloggers Nora Younis and the Free Kareem and the Free Monem blogs all posted a video stating why the country shouldn't be on the council. Kareem was jailed for four years for insulting Islam and Egypt's President while Monem is detained for his writings online.


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Estonia: Demography and Ethnicity · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonia's demography and interethnic relationships: “Still, the reality for Estonia is, no matter what historical spin you put on it, there will be a large Russian-speaking community in Estonia for many years to come. Because of recent events in Tallinn, many are wondering what can be done to better integrate this group. But nobody seems to have the answer.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Europe: Third Annual Satin Pajama Awards · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Voting has just begun in the Third Annual Satin Pajama Awards over at A Fistful of Euros.


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Fijian Freedom bloggers and the military junta · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

It seems that the persecution faced by the anti-military Fijian Freedom Bloggers – who are using blogs to protest against the coup of December 5th, 2006- has subsided following a decision by the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) to stop hunting for anti-military bloggers and abandon its efforts to block the popular blogspot blogging platform. However, Lieutenant Colonel Pita Driti still insisted that “if bloggers were eventually found they would be taken to the camp to be questioned”. Last week, he admitted that Rowland Fenton was arrested and released after interrogating him over anti-military blogs deemed a “threat to national security”.
Intelligentsiya reported on May 14th that the army’s Land Force Commander has a list of about 20 people who will be arrested in connection with anti-military blogs. It has also been reported that the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) have pressured FINTEL, Fiji’s only ISP, to block blogspot.com blogging platform, which is nearly exclusively used by the Fijian “Freedom Bloggers”. Previously, on Friday May 11, the prominent businessman Ulai Taoi was arrested and then released after being held in custody for 24. The FMF suspected him of being an anti-military blogger. It has been reported that he was “physically abused while in custody”. According to an email from “Bainivore,” a member of the Fijian Freedom Bloggers, the military claimed that Ulai Tao was Fijian Black – the blogger who ran the May Day protest and called on people to boycott work in protest against the interim administration. (see the video below). But the irony in that is the fact that the Fijian Black is not a person but a blog. As described by Intelligentsiya: “FIJIAN BLACK is the blognym for the blogsite Good Men (and Women) Doing Something and is calling on the public of Fiji to passively resist the interim regime by staying home on Tuesday, 1st of May, 2007.”
And while the Fijian military junta has reportedly been hiring Indian “hackers” from Bangalore to track the identities of the Freedom Bloggers, the cyber-activists have been gaining support over the last few days as bloggers from around the world condemn the military crackdown on blogging. Two days ago, a group composed of prominent bloggers from New Zealand offered its support to provide hosting on their servers to the Fijian blogs. The group called on the New Zealand government to condemn the Fijian interim government crackdown on bloggers. “Blogs are one of the few news sources outside of the control of the military regime in Fiji, representing a vital channel of uncensored information for both Fijians and the international community. Any Fijian bloggers wishing to make use of this offer should make contact through one of the above-listed websites,” the statement said referring to a list of prominent blogs offering access to their own websites for Fijians.
But the question of why the Fijian military junta decided to crack down on this group of “Freedom Bloggers,” composed of independent citizens without political affiliations exercising their constitutional rights to free speech, remains. Can blogging drive political action in “a nation where Internet access is far from ubiquitous and far from affordable by local standards”?
The answer may be found in the reaction of apolitical Fijian bloggers to the approach of the “Freedom Bloggers”. As a member of Fijian Black described in an email exchange: “Now the political blogs are the most vocal, visible and visited of the blogs in Fiji. Not only do our posts get read, they get emailed all over the world, to people who are interested in our country, they get printed out (I'm talking reams of printouts here) in totality for the consumption of the Fiji public who don't have internet access, and now, they are getting widespread media coverage, in Fiji and regionally.” For Discombobulated Bubu, a female Fijian blogger and a mother: “the reaction of the average Fijian has been overwhelming – people that have access to computers download and print out stuff on the blogs. This then gets sent out to the remote villages by bus, boat and fax (those who have it) and by [what we call] “coconut wireless” – people talking to each other. The military has grossly underjudged this means of communication – hence I think [the reason for] their panic now to shut the “people's voices” up.”
The Fijian blogsphere which, according to Fijian Black, was “fairly dormant until this coup last year”, has turned political. “Blogging from Fiji was pretty much a thing for the techies/nerds/researcher/scientist. Since February, the average citizen has now become more familiar with the term ‘blog’ and would have a rough idea of how to set one up. Mostly, thanks to the Fiji TV station and the Military for drawing attention to it. Whilst some blogs are about life in Fiji, Fijian citizens overseas reminiscing about their homeland/home, food in fiji, research in fiji I'd have to say that the majority of blogs on Fiji are somewhat political in nature – in that they attack the coup perpetrators and supporters.” said  Bainivore who started blogging at Intelligentsiya and then on his own blog. There is a consensus that Intelligentsiya was the initiator of the Fijian political blogging phenomenon: “I didn't have any idea about blogging until the military brought the nation's attention to Intelligentsiya who, they claimed at that time (Feb I believe it was) was a “threat to national security”. So in a way, the military got me started on blogging“Bainivore adds.
As Ethan Zuckerman, co-founder of Global Voices, said in his interview with Radio Australia, Pacific Beat (listen above): “we're trying to call attention to their situation, we're promoting it on our site” and we are publishing here the first interview we’ve made with Chief Intelligentsiya:
Sami: Can you give us more information about the “Fijian Freedom Bloggers” and tell us why you have chosen blogs as a political tool? And why now?
Intelligentsiya: We started Intelligentsiya in January, a month after Fiji's military forces overthrew the elected government on December 5, 2006. I set up the blog and then gradually got more bloggers on board. A month into the coup, with the arbitrary arrests, beatings and a death (now it's two deaths) at soldiers’ hands, my conscience didn't allow me to sit by and watch this country go to hell again.
With the climate of fear and intimidation (newspaper reporters were fearful of their bylines being printed), I decided an anonymous blog was the way to go. Not because I was afraid of being taken in by the military (I am concerned but not overly worried) – but because I didn't want our voice to be shut out, especially with the high level of self-censorship in the mainstream media.
Sami: Are the dissident bloggers members of an opposition party or they are all independent citizens exercising their right to free speech?
Intelligentsiya: I am not a member of any political party and neither are any of the Intelligentsiya bloggers. I actually did not vote for any candidate from the ousted government during the general elections in May 2006. The Intelligentsiya bloggers are independent citizens exercising our constitutional right to peaceful free speech.
In fact, the military has been trying to make bloggers out as people with close links to the ousted government. Speaking for Intelligentsiya, I can emphatically say we are not connected to the SDL government. We are just passionate about our freedoms and not willing to let them go at the point of a gun.
Sami: The prominent businessman Ulai Taoi, president of the Fiji Indigenous Business Council, was arrested and released on Friday May 11 after 24 hours custody. Does anyone know why the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) suspected him of being an anti-military blogger? Were you supporting him in the past? Is he an opposition leader?
Intelligentsiya: We never had any contact with businessman Taoi at all. The first we knew of his “possible” links was when the military arrested him. But it turned out the only “evidence” the army has against him is an email he circulated to members of the Fiji Indigenous Business Council of which he is president. The email contained a May Day protest idea that the Fiji Freedom Bloggers came up with to boycott work on May 1 in protest against the junta.
Sami: We are witnessing a kind of clash between the pro- and anti-interim government bloggers in Fiji. On the weblog  Loyal Fijian, we read a post in which the blogger was threatening to reveal the identities of anonymous dissident bloggers and even worse: he/she was threatening people with death threats and inciting to violence against dissidents, how can you describe this dangerous turn in the Fijian blogsphere and do you believe that the Junta is not only keeping an eye on the Freedom bloggers but also using other bloggers against them?
Intelligentsiya: We have suspicions that the junta is using other blogs (if not setting them up themselves) although those blogs are usually lame apart from accusing us of being linked to the ousted government and making threats against us.
Intelligentsiya initially had several threats left as comments on our blogs, one saying something to the effect that “We will find you…” and “Your time is up…” Comments like those have now decreased although we feel the military is now using other methods including hiring IT experts from India (we had several tips about this but none are confirmed).
Sami: On May 14 you reported that the army's Land Force Commander Colonel Pita Driti has a list of about 20 people who he says will be arrested in connection with anti-military blogs. What are the safety steps that you need to take in order to remain safe and keep on blogging?
Intelligentsiya: We have alerted organisations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and several supporters off-shore have offered various technical ways to help us such as mirroring our blogs our outright hosting.
We have also stepped up our online security. I am now using Torpark, an browser that automatically sends our connections through various IP addresses. We have also set up support email accounts with other free services like Yahoo! in case Google gets blocked completely.
Sami: It has also been reported that the FMF have pressured FINTEL to block blogspot.com blogging platform, nearly exclusively used by the “Fijian Freedom Bloggers”, what is your alternative? Are we going to witness a massive migration to another blogging platform or perhaps you will opt to more sophisticated anonymous blogging techniques?
Intelligentsiya: The fact that we're all using Blogger is a bit of a downside because the military can in one stroke block access to all of us. But we are trying to get alternative connections and blogging services set up as well as stepping up the technical aspects of our blogs.
Sami: Can you provide us with brief history of the Fijian blogsphere: number of blogs; are they highly politicized; what is the reaction of the average Fijian bloggers to the approach of the Fijian “Freedom Bloggers”?
Intelligentsiya: Before Intelligentsiya made it onto the news in late January, blogging was a relatively unknown thing outside of the IT circles in Fiji. I knew about blogs several years back and briefly started one but it never went anywhere. After the military announced it was hunting for the Intelligentsiya bloggers, interest suddenly soared and several bloggers set up online – one (Discombobulated Bubu) saying she was inspired by our actions in defying this oppression against free speech. As the number of blogs grew, we decided to form a Google group of all the like-minded blogs and from then on coordinated all our online actions.
In a future article we shall publish other interviews with outspoken Fijian bloggers and draw attention to other aspects of their cyber-activism and the measures they are undertaking to undermine any eventual crackdown on their online activities.


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Guatemala: Insight into Polls · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Luis Figueroa of Carpe Diem [ES] notices the decline in polls for Alvaro Colom, who has participated in the past three elections.  Also of note, is that Nobel Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchú, has risen from 1.4% in January to 6.2% in May.  He believes that her numbers could be higher if more of the indigenous population is polled


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Human Sacrifice & the Politics of Death · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

At Babilown, French-Beninian author Blaise Aplognan describes the religious and political function of human sacrifice (Fr) in ancient societies: “…its goal was to channel violence toward a (sacrificed) individual, toward the sacred realm, institutionalizing violence by supervising it and practicing it according to very precise rules and rituals.”


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Hungary: Police Rape Scandal · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Pestcentric writes about the Budapest police rape scandal.


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India: Dera Sacha Sauda and I · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

I, Me, Myself on the political angle to the Dera Sacha Sauda controversy, and a personal recollection. “Then, one day, while he was at the Dera premises, he was poisoned and his corpse delivered home in a tractor-trolley on the next. The father, the devout follower that he was, refused to file a case of murder with the police and also forbade the rest of the family from doing so.”


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India: Sexism and the Internet · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Noah's Ark Broken on sexism on the internet. “All of this leads me to wonder when this is going to catch up with us here in India. So far, women bloggers have been relatively safe because the blogosphere is dominated by a handful of left leaning liberals, many of whom decry bigotry at every opportunity. Not too far in the future, this may change. More people are becoming Internet-savvy. More people want a voice. More people are learning that blogging is an easy way to get one.”


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India: Women Vs Liquor · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

My Himachal on women protesting against liquor stores. “During past one month more than fifty Mahila Mandals of the district have registered their strong protests with the Sub Divisional Magistrates of their areas and Deputy Commissioner of the district against the liquor meanness which was now approaching their rural homes.”


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Indonesia: Dalai Lama’s Secret · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Indonesia based blogger and public relations expert Unspun admires the PR skills of Dalai Lama and asks his client to emulate them.


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Indonesia: Mixing Religion and Politics · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Indonesia Matters looks at the debate in Indonesia on religious leaders entering politics.


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Indonesia: Saying Thanks in Indonesia · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Sarapan Ekonomi starts of a debate on his blog by posting findings of a linguistics expert. The expert says that some Indonesians do not thank people whom they consider to be from a lower social group.


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Indonesia: Water Privatization · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The Indonesia Law Reporter takes the discussion from his newspaper article on water privatization online on his blog. “What I said on that article was that privatization carries legal risks, in simpler terms, the state's controlling power toward water will significantly reduces if water services is privatized. The article did not lead to the conclusion of whether privatization should be rejected or not, it only warns the government on the risks.”