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Macedonia: Bloggers Emphasize Need for Open Communication with Greece · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Amid the internal turmoil caused by Greek actions to block Macedonia's accession to NATO and the EU, and due to an increasing number of reports of attacks over Macedonian truck drivers by nationalist mobs in Greece (official reaction), many Macedonian bloggers are attempting to bridge the gap of ignorance existing between the two nations. On the one hand, they've identified the need to pass information about Macedonians to Greeks, and, on the other hand, some have taken to the task to share information from Greek media with fellow Macedonians.
Many bloggers reacted to a statement by Greek Foreign Minister that even mentioning the existence of Macedonian language and ethnicity is “not helpful” to solving the name issue, perceiving it as continuation of the policy of ethnocide. Zharko Trajanovski, referred to the related U.S. Dept. of State Briefing, extracting the most interesting parts (MKD).
In the same vein, dozens of bloggers promoted the video of the song “Postojam” (“I Exist”), by embedding it in their own posts and even reposting copies of it on YouTube. The video features scenes from documentary films about the ethnic cleansing of Macedonians during the Greek Civil War of 1946-49, accompanied with humanistic lyrics: “I exist… All is forgiven: even your wish for me to be no more.”
The author of the blog Agnes wrote (MKD):
Since its official release, the video of the single “Postojam” by the pop rock singer Miyatta received wide media coverage and it is a topic of discussion among the Macedonian population all around the world. Interest for the English translation of the lyrics and releasing it abroad has also been shown. Regardless of the context, the video has become something worth a comment. Those who were familiar with that part of Macedonia's history congratulated Miyatta for delivering this audio-visual expression. Those who see such pictures for the first time, think that it is too painful to be true. Some believe that this is just an attempt at attention-seeking. All kinds of positive and negative comments are yet to be heard. I am happy that the number of people who were indifferent towards “Postojam” is rather small.
Images of sorrow and exile on the one hand, and images of unity and pride on the other make for a rather authentic representation of Macedonia.
The past is not to be revived, but to be outgrown.
Let us outgrow it, but first,
Let us know it!
Macedonia exists.
In the other direction, the blog Drugarche posted translations of articles from the Greek press, including cartoons [MKD]. A number of bloggers also praised the interview of the Macedonian director Milcho Manchevski [GRE], given to the Greek newspaper Eleftherotypia, and posted links to its English translations. Some offered more historical information from ancient books [MKD] and Western newspaper archives [MKD], as well as about the possible origins of the Greek flag.
But, most importantly, blogs have proved to be the primary vehicle for distributing information on grassroots peace-building. The news about the upcoming visit of about 50 Greek peace activists to Macedonian capital Skopje scheduled for May 17, 2008, appeared [MKD] on the influential Vuna blog first:
This is not an attempt to stoke fires of the Macedonian nationalist sentiments. This is not a call to stone embassies, supermarkets or whatever.
On the contrary, this is a call to participate in an event intended as opposition to all the madness. Greek citizens are first and foremost human beings, and most of them have nothing to do with their retrograde and fascizoid state policy, nor with the hordes of morons who harass people on the highways. At the same time, not all Macedonian citizens are hotheads who “hate every Greek thing” and can't wait to throw stones on the Liaison office.
[…]
Peace, love, empathy!

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Malawi: Army officers arrested for “coup plot” · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

More arrests following Malawi “coup plot”: “Malawi has arrested two senior army officers for plotting to overthrow the government, police said on Wednesday, a day after the arrest of two opposition leaders on the same charges.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Malawi: Illusions of a coup plot · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Is the coup plot in Malawi an illusion?: “Call me naïve, but some things do not add up to this alleged new “coup plot” against the Mutharika presidency. Instead, it gives me a sense of déjà-vu: taking us back to the dark days of the Banda presidency.”


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Morocco: Iraq’s Palestine Hotel was on Hit List  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“This revelation should only come as a surprise to those who slept through the early days of the American invasion of Iraq: An army whistleblower has revealed that the Palestine Hotel, where journalists were stationed in the spring of April 2003, was on an Army target list,” writes Moroccan Laila Lalami.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Morocco: Living with AIDS · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan blogger M S Hjiouij  [Ar] writes about Aids, stereotypes and facts in this article entitled Living with AIDS.


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Notes From Berkman@10 Conference · Global Voices
Renata Avila

At the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, attendees and special guests discussed “The Future of the Internet,” and its political dimensions and its affect on the global community.  In addition, during the opening remarks there was an announcement that the Berkman Center will become a university-wide research center.
In this global framework, John Palfrey led the conversation about ways to help Cubans find creative ways to circumvent their restrictions and overcome legal risks in order to blog freely in a country with restricted speech.   There was also a special focus on two of the Berkman Center's projects: Open Net, which investigates and analyzes the various filtering and surveillance practices around the world. The project is a joint effort of four universities and a team of top-level investigators in the field.
Global Voices Online is another featured project, which focuses on global conversations in blogs, as well as the outreach projects of Rising Voices. A new project of GVO is Voices Without Votes, which covers what is being discussed about the US elections throughout the world's blogs.
All the attendees seemed to agree that the internet is nothing more than people linked together, who are learning how to interact on a daily, yet spontaneous basis. However, one hard question raised during the discussions is not necessarily about freedom of speech, but rather what happens after speech.  Often the behavior of individuals and how they react to others’ opinions are where the problem lies.  Some attendees asked, “Do we need to fix people?”  A Russian attendee and another individual working in Asia raised these concerns.
There was also a lot of focus on new ways to overcome problems.  For example, computer games are being used to teach about technology and transmit expertise in developing countries, as well as new inventions to share information in Cuba.  The Facebook campaign that mobilized Colombians against the FARC was also used as an example.  However, access issues still remains a top concern, where it appears that the internet is only used by a limited group of people, and that it is not only a digital divide, but also a participation divide. The closing commentary was provided by Kevin Wallen of the Prison Diaries project, which has been funded by Rising Voices. He described the project, but also added that it is really hard to get people from the grassroots connected, involved and to become interested in the message. He asked how it would be easier to collaborate with people on the ground in order to make a real difference in the real world.
The Future of the Internet and the future of The Berkman Center is still “unforeseeable”. However, now they can proudly say that via action, via breaking the patterns that they are making a real change in the world.

author: Renata Avila


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Palestine: Expression of Nakba  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Window into Palestine announces the winners of the Expression of Nakba (catastrophe) online gallery.


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Palestine: Sixty Years of Al Nakba   · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Celebrations are under way to mark Israel's 60th anniversary – but for millions of Palestinians whose great grandparents, grandparents and parents were made refugees in the process, today marks Al Nakba – a day they were forced to flee their lands or were forcefully expelled from their homes as the State of Israel was born.
Lord Nabeel  [Ar], who lives in Jordan, writes about how Palestinians in diaspora dream of the day they return to their homes – and how the dream is kept alive, one generation after the other. He says:
كفانا صبرا
ومع ذلك فالنصر قريب
والحق كالشمس مضيء
حق العودة كالشمس يضيء ويرق بعيون وقلوب
وعقول كل الأجيال الفلسطينية
حق ملكية المفتاح ينتقل من جيل لجيل
أجمل ما سمعت وشاهدت
( جد يقول لحفيده : – سيدي هذا مفتاح الدار اللي في بلدنا
وهو أمانه بعنقك إذا ما رجعت أنت أمانه تسلمه لأبنك
وما تنسوا يا سيدي الدار والبلد وفلسطين )
وأنا أقول وأستحلفكم بالله أن تقولوا لكل أبنائكم أن لا ينسوا
ابدا بيوتنا وأراضينا
وحقهم بالعوده لها مهما حصل وصار
حق العوده مطلب حق وأساسي لكل فلسطينيي الشتات
ستون عاما واليهود يحتفلون بإستقلال دولتهم
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
أي دوله
ومين كان محتلها
وكيف إستقلوا
أنا ما بحب الحكي الكثير
وزهقت ومليت من السياسه والتنظير
مليييييييييييييييييييت
قرفت بجد قرفت
قال إستقلال دولتهم
؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
هههههههههههههههه
وإحنا شو نقول
؟؟؟
ستون عاما على نكبتنا
؟؟؟
ستون سنة على هجرتنا
ستون حولا على تعاستنا
ستون عاما على تشردنا
الله كلمات ذات معان جزله ومنمقه جدا
الله الله الله
حلوة كثير مش هيك ؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
ومفتاح البيت ينتقل من يد ليد ومن جيل لجيل
ويا الله كم من جيل سيستلمه بعد هذا الجيل
يا ريت ما ينسى الجيل القادم شو يعني فلسطين ؟
يا ريت ما ينسى شو حق العوده بيعني له ولسيده وأبوه
؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟
خلص كفايه
بجد مليت من الحكي واللت والعجن
عن جد بيكفي حكي
سلام
We have had enough of waiting,
And despite this, victory is close,
And truth is as bright as the sun,
The right to return shines through the eyes, hearts
And minds of all generations of Palestinians,
The right of ownership of the key, is passed down one generation to the next.
One of the most beautiful things I have heard and seen is a grandfather telling his grandson: Sir, this key is for our house in our country. It is a trust. If you are not able to go back, give it to your son. Sir, I don't want you ever to forget our home, our country and Palestine.
And I ask you to promise to tell all your children never to forget our homes and our land, and their right to return, whatever happens. The right to return is an integral right to all Palestinians in diaspora.
The Jews are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the independence of their country!!!!!!
What country?
And who was occupying it?
And how did they become liberated?
I would like to say a lot but I am fed up of talking, of politics and of theories. Seriously fed up.
They say the independence of their country??????
Hehehe
And what do we say?
Sixty years for our catastrophe (Nakba)?
Sixty years of us being forced to leave our home?
Sixty years of our misery?
Sixty years of us not finding a home?
Words with a lot of meanings? Aren't they nice?
And the key to that house being passed on from hand to hand, from one generation to the other, and God only knows how many generations it will still be passed on to.
I hope the next generation don't forget what Palestine means. I hope they don't forget what the right to return means to themselves and their fathers.
I am now seriously fed up of talking. Enough of talk.
Peace.
Still in Jordan, The Black Iris shares with us the following apology to Palestine on the 60th anniversary of Al Nakba, saying:
It’s been 60 years
And I am sorry for your loss
I am sorry for your continued loss
I am sorry for the sorrow
I am sorry for the grief
I am sorry for the bloodshed
I am sorry for the apathy
I am sorry for the indifference
I am sorry for the sympathy
I am sorry for the empathy
I am sorry for the funerals
I am sorry for the casualties
I am sorry for the politics
I am sorry for the history
I am sorry for the ongoing history
I am sorry for the injustice
I am sorry for the ongoing injustice
I am sorry for the past
I am sorry for the present
I am sorry for the future
I am sorry for the massacres
I am sorry for the darkness
I am sorry for the seconds
I am sorry for the minutes
I am sorry for the hours
I am sorry for the days
I am sorry for the weeks
I am sorry for the months
I am sorry for the years
I am sorry for the time we remained silent
I am sorry for the time we will continue to remain silent
I am sorry for not speaking enough
I am sorry for not saying enough
I am sorry for not caring enough
I am sorry for not writing enough
I am sorry for not acting enough
I am sorry for not saying sorry enough
I am sorry for the heart ache
I am sorry for the tragedies
I am sorry for this legacy
I am sorry for this exodus
I am sorry for this catastrophe
I am sorry for this calamity
I am sorry for this apology
And all other apologies
That seem to never
ever
end
Egyptian blogger Zagazig [Ar] has a different take on the issue and writes:
اليوم هو يوم التدوين عن فلسطين ….واليوم هو أيضا يوم التدوين عن النكبه …النكبه التي يصر الجميع – ولا أدري السبب – علي تسميتها النكبة وليست الهزيمة …ربما !!
.فلسطين التي كانت منذ سته عقود فقط ملكنا ! – ولو إسما – فلسطين التي كان الحجاج منذ سته عقود فقط لابد وحتما أن يمروا عليها وهم ذاهبون وهم عائدون من الحج …فلسطين التي كانت منذ عقود بسيطة تابعه لمصر – ولو إداريا – ، فلسطين هي الأرض التي يغني لها كل العرب من ستون عاما ” عائدون ….عائدووووووووون ” ولكن ياللحسرة فلم يعد أحد !!
….فلسطين هي أيضا الأرض التي يصر الجميع أننا بعد ستون عاما ” للعوده أقرب ” …علي الرغم أنهم لا يملكون – علي الأقل – أمخاخا تؤهلهم لهذه العوده !!
أما الكيان – إسرائيل – الذي يهنيء اليوم قائدنا ورئيس شعبنا المغوار الكيان الصهيوني بمناسبه إحتلالهم لأرضنا المقدسة ،،
الكيان الذي يصر جميع العرب – ماعدا الرؤساء بالطبع – أن مصيرها إلي الزوال !!
مصيرها إلي الزوال وهي تنفق 6.5 % من دخلها القومي علي البحث العلمي بينما ننفق نحن 0.2 % من دخلنا القومي علي الإنتاج ….فعلا إلي الزوال !!!
مصر التي تنفق المليارات علي التسليح – ليس للحرب أيها الأذكياء – بل لصد هجوم الشعب – القله المندسه – عبر مليوني جندي أمن مركزي !!
إسرئايل دولة – فعلا وأؤكد – مصيرها إلي الزوال بينما الحسين بن طلال يبكي شهداء اليهود في الهولوكوست !!
إسرائيل – دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال – بينما تقضي عائله أمير قطر ” الويك إند ” علي شاطيء تل الربيع ” تل أبيب ” في قصرها الخاص هناك وأرسل طائرة خاصه لإعادتهم بعد أن هدد حسن نصر الله بقصف تل أبيب …
إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال بينما التجنيد هناك إلزاميا للنساء والرجال ،، ومن يتخرج من التجنيد يكون جنديا إحتياطيا طوال عمره …ليس التجنيد هناك بأن ” يتشمسوا قليلا ” بل بالتدريب علي السلاح بأنواعه !!
نعم إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال ،، وهم يمتلكون القدرة علي البكاء علي الهولوكست حتي الآن وممارسة حق تطبيق قانون معاداة الساميه القادر علي الإطاحه بأعلي رئيس دولة من منصبه ولهم القدرة أيضا علي المطالبه بتعويضات بملايين الدولارات – من مصر – لمساعدتها الإرهابيين في غزة ….بينما نحن لا نجرؤ ، أو لم نفكر بالأساس في المطالبه بتعويضات لشهدائنا في 67 أو شهداء الحدود ، سواء كانو جنودا أو مواطنين تم قنصهم بالعمد من أبراج الحراسه !! بينما رؤساؤنا الأفاضل يمارسون ضبط النفس بكل قوة وحكمة !
نعم إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال وهي تمتلك من الأسلحه النووية وتعلنها بأن لديها أسلحه نووية ، ونحن العرب نرفض بكل شهامة وسماحه خلق وأدب أن نمتلك سلاحا نوويا ، لأننا – نحن العرب – مسالمون !! ولأن إسرائيل هي دولة صديقه !!
ونعم إسرائيل دولة مصيرها إلي الزوال وهم يحاصرون مليونا ونصف المليون في غزة ويقتلونهم – عفوا يذبحونهم – ولا من أحد يحرك ساكنا …ولا من أحد يسمع صرخات الباكيين …
Today is the day to blog about Palestine. It is also the day to blog about the Nakba. I don't understand why everyone insists on calling it the Nakba and not the day of defeat! Perhaps …
Palestine was six decades ago ours! Palestine was the place pilgrims to Mecca used to stop by six decades ago on their way to and from Hajj. Palestine, which was just a few decades ago administratively under Egypt's rule. Palestine is the land all Arabs have been singing to “We will return .. We will return..” for 60 years. The misery is that no one has ever returned!!
Palestine is the land which everyone insists on saying – after 60 years – that we are getting closer to returning to it – even they don't even have the mentality to enable them for this return!! But all Arabs (except their leaders) still insist that the entity – Israel – which the leader of our people congratulates on the occasion of their occupation of our land, will cease to exist!
It will cease to exist when it spends 6.5 per cent of its gross national income on scientific research while we spend 0.2% of our income on production. It will certainly cease to exist!!
Egypt spends billions on armament, not for war you smart people but to fend off an attack from the public!! Israel is a country, which I insist, will no longer exist, while King Hussain bin Talal cries on the Jewish martyrs during the holocaust!! Israel, a country will won't be there, while the family of the Amir of Qatar spends the weekend on a beach in Tel Aviv, in its private palace there, and who had to be evacuated by private helicopters, after Hassan Nasrullah threatened to bomb Tel Aviv. Israel is on its way to oblivion, while military service is mandatory for men and women and whoever drifts from training is made a reserve soldier for the rest of his life. Military service there is not for tanning purposes is on training how to use different types of weaponry!!
Yes, Israel will cease to exist, and they have the ability to cry over the holocaust until now and are able to impose the anti-Semitic law, which is able to bring the downfall of any leader. They also have the ability to demand millions of dollars in compensations – from Egypt – for its help for the Gazan terrorists, while we don't have the courage, and have never thought, of asking for compensation for our martyrs from the war of 1967 nor for the martyrs of the borders, whether soldiers or civilians, who have been purposely targeted by snipers from the guard posts. All this is happening while our leaders are exercising self-control, with all strength and wisdom!!
Of course Israel will cease to exist, while it owns nuclear weapons and announces to the world that it has nuclear weapons, while we Arabs politely refuse to own nuclear weapons, because we Arabs, are pacifists!! And because Israel is a friendly country!!
Yes, Israel will soon cease to exist while it surrounds a million and half people in Gaza, which it is killing – excuse me, slaughtering – without anyone doing anything about it nor hearing the cries of those who sob..


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Russia: CIS Affairs Agency · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes on PM Putin's newly-created Federal Agency for CIS Affairs.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Russia: Roses and Migrant Workers · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russian photographer Oleg Klimov (translation of his travel notes from Russia's Far East are here and here) visited a commercial greenhouse outside Moscow and posted his observations (RUS) about a birthplace of the roses one buys in Russia's capital:
[two photos from the greenhouse]
Why is it considered romantic to give flowers as gifts? I went to [Podmoskovye], observed how they are growing roses there. It's easy. Dutch technologies. Expensive. The director is from Cosa Nostra or is representing it: black shoes, black jeans, black leather jacket and a black Beemer. The real owner is a deputy from the [Putin-led United Russia Party], still a businessman, but a future politician, too, or, more likely, both. Engineers and the agronomist are Dutch. The workers are [gastarbeiter, migrant laborers], and they have fewer rights and respect than Moscow bums from [Kurskiy train station]. And a corresponding salary – “whatever God sends down.” One rose costs 30-40 rubles [$1.25-$1.70] at the […] farm, and 130-140 rubles [$5.45-$5.90] in Moscow. Everything they produce goes to Moscow. There are not enough flowers. The business is flourishing and growing. Damaged flowers are sent to churches. For free. A way to atone for their sins, obviously. God is not at the market – won't notice the damage.
[Migrant workers] can barely speak Russian. They work almost illegally, and perhaps their status in the country isn't too official, either – but it's hard to find out. […]
A woman from Tajikistan, whose hands are all covered with bruises from rose thorns, said to me in Russian: “I love flowers, they are hope.” It was strange to see the silent and humiliated human beings – as if transfered from the Middle Ages – work next to the high-tech [equipment]. And I still don't understand why women like everything that has to do with slavery: diamonds, gold and flowers.


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Russia: “Siberian Language” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes about “Siberian language.”


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Saudi Arabia: Human Rights Appeals  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Two human rights bodies are appealing to Saudi Arabia to drop charges against two Saudis – one for setting up a website and another for sitting with a woman in a coffee shop, reports Saudi Jeans.


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Saudi Arabia: Just Hit, Don’t Bite! · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Saudi Arabia, Nzingha comments on a news report which says that a Saudi woman attacked and bit a man who was sexually harassing her on a street and says: “Fighting back I'm all for, but biting? Who knows where that pervert has been. A good beat down yes. But I wouldn't recommend biting him.”


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Serbia: Future Coalition · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A skit on the prospects of coalition-building in Serbia – at Anegdote.


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Sri Lanka: Cricket purists · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The new Twenty-20 format of cricket has received a mixed reception. Emphemeral Ruminations writes an open letter to the cricket purists.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Sri Lanka: Responsibility and Burma · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

ICT4Peace on the idea of international responsibility and citizen-centered disaster response in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Burma.


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Syria: Call to Release Jailed Relatives in Saudi Arabia  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Or Does it Explode reports on a protest in Damascus, Syria, calling for the release of their relatives, who are imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. According to the blog, Saudi Arabia has sentenced to death at least 28 Syrians for drug possession and jailed hundreds more.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Press Conference Gone Awry  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Anyone who saw today's Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago press conference…must now be clear of one thing…this country is in serious trouble”: Trinidad and Tobago girls, politics, sports, technology, carnival, and lifestyle is unimpressed with the behaviour of a Senator, while Jumbie's Watch adds:  “Here is a man receiving money from the government, for sitting on the board of a government owned company, and standing in parliament pretending to be independent.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Ukraine: Moscow Mayor’s Sevastopol Controversy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov got himself barred from Ukraine this week, after announcing during a trip to Sevastopol – “a Ukrainian naval base mutually used by the Ukrainian Navy and Russian Navy” – that the city did not belong to Ukraine.
Below are a few opinions from the Russophone blogosphere.
LJ user shusharin wrote this (RUS) in the ru_politics LJ community:
[…] SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] has told him: come here no more […]. And they were right. Basically, they've done what the Russian federal authorities are supposed to do. Look in the [Constitution]. Russia's foreign policy is an exclusive prerogative of the head of our state.
But, of course, the state is weak, the vertical of power is a fiction. [Chukotka]'s governor [billionaire Roman Abramovich] lives in London and doesn't give a damn. In Chechnya, the federal government is not working. As for Luzhkov – he's got his own foreign policy.
Which serves his business. Of which they reminded him:
“SBU is investigating the circumstances of the controversial statements that Luzhkov made in Sevastopol on May 11, which may be related to his alleged involvement in “dirty money” laundering in Sevastopol.” [link to a Gazeta.ru text, in Russian]
And what nonsense was he saying about Sevastopol. That it was the city subordinated to the [Soviet] state [and not to Ukraine]. But this only confirms Ukraine's rights! [Ukrainian SSR] was not [the least significant] republic within the Soviet Union. A UN member, by the way, unlike RSFSR [Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic].
In the comments section, LJ user pan_andriy seems to have proved Luzhkov wrong, by a linking to a Soviet-time article on Sevastopol from the Big Soviet Encyclopedia (RUS), which described Sevastopol as “a city of republican subordination to the Crimean region of the [Ukrainaian SSR].”
LJ user reverendsfd wrote this (RUS) in the ukraine LJ community:
SBU is SBU, but those who are giving orders to them should know well that there could be no better PR action to help achieve national consensus on Ukraine's NATO membership than the presence of Mr. Luzhkov with his long tongue in Crimea!
Everyone would've felt good –
Luzhkov, earning his political capital for the chauvinistic segment of the Russian population of the Russian Federation; his state bosses need this kind of screaming badly now, the country really needs to have as many enemies as possible, to distract the people; and for Ukrainian politicians it would've been a blessing, too – because only in Moscow they believe that the coal miners of Donetsk as well as the Crimean residents desire to become part of their “state”… […]
LJ user irek_murtazin wrote this (RUS) in the ru_politics LJ community:
[…] [Yuri Luzhkov] flew to Sevastopol and … prolonged his mayor's term for an unspecified period of time. What kind of extraordinary things did he say there? Nothing extraordinary. It's common knowledge that Sevastopol is Russia's city. But [Luzhkov] managed to present it in a way that made Ukraine declare him a persona non grata… And how after this are you supposed to rid Luzhkov of his Moscow mayor's post? No way. Even if [president Dmitry Medvedev] had had plans to [make Luzhkov retire], he'll have to postpone these plans now. Seriously, [we can't be ordered around] by Ukraine, thus hurting [Luzhkov's feeling]. […]
Like LJ user irek_murtazin, LJ user den-shi seems to believe (RUS) that Luzhkov's Sevastopol speech was meant to help him keep his mayor's post:
[…] Well, how can you fire this hero now? […]
In the comments section, LJ user vatasi made a rather humorous suggestion that, perhaps, Luzhkov would be appointed to Sevastopol next, following his dismissal as the mayor of Moscow.


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Ukraine: Update on Political Crisis · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

An update on yet another political crisis in Ukraine – at Foreign Notes.


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Ukraine: “Yulia’s Bloc Blocks President for Blocking Yulia” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Orange Ukraine posts a Ukrainian politics roundup with this telling title: “Yulia's Bloc Blocks President for Blocking Yulia.”


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Afghanistan: Roads Host Explosives? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust looks into interrelation of two problems – lack of paved roads in Afghanistan and Taliban insurgents planting their improvised explosive devices.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Angola: On the standardization of the Portuguese language · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Eugénio Costa Almeida [pt] breaks the news that the deal to standardize the Portuguese language in all countries was ratified in the Portuguese Parliament and within six years new spelling rules may be adopted. “Everyone has thought about “getting into the habit” but the most important thing was forgotten:  children who will begin studying.”

author: Paula Góes


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Bahamas: Growing Rice?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com says: “In The Bahamas there are concerns about running out of rice.”


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Bangladesh: Child Labour · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices on the increasing trend of child labour in Bangladesh.


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Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica: Rice Row · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bajan Global Report says that Jamaica and Guyana have come to an agreement after their recent rice row.


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Blog for Palestine Day · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Blogger za3tar has organized Blog About Palestine Day on May 15, the anniversary of the Nakba and Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations.  Bloggers around the world were invited to blog for Palestine, as noted by Global Voices here.  Many bloggers chose to participate in the event; here is a selection.
za3tar, the organizer of the event, blogged about being Palestinian, sharing a story of his family and concluding:
For us Palestinians, only two things remained true during the past 60 years; First, life for ordinary people only gets worst every year. Second, from the minute you are born in Palestine, you are immediately a suspect, and you are continuously treated so for as long as you live. No one in the world can condone mass punishment of civilians, but punishing suspects is not a big deal.
We must be suspects, otherwise what explains 60 years of Israel’s direct violation of numerous UN resolutions without any consequences. We must be suspects, otherwise what explains our denial of basic human rights. For me and my family, the only crime that we are suspect of, is simply existing!
These stories are not unusual for Palestinians. As a matter of fact, i come from a blissed family, my parents were able provide us with food and shelter, and none of my relatives was killed. Unfortunately however, the stories of average Palestinians are much grimmer still.
Rebellious Arab Girl, a Canadian resident, also blogged about being Palestinian:
What do I represent?
I represent my self, a Palestenian with hot blood through my veins and a voice to speak about my existence. I am Palestenian. I will always be one. I was born as one, and will die as one.
It has been 60 years since my home was taken away, isn’t that too much?
I may be one person. I am not a celebrity or someone who is famous and well known. However, I have the right to speak out when I say, “we had enough!”
Vivirlatino blogged about the Palestinian population in Chile:
Last month about 40 Palestinian families, refugees from Iraq, were welcomed into Chile.
“We hope that suffering will be a thing of the past, and Chile the source of your new happiness,” Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe said as he welcomed the 16 adults and 23 children who had spent months stranded at a desert camp on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
The rest of about 117 refugees from this specific camp arrived in the Santiago neighborhoods of La Calera y San Felipe this week. They were welcomed with flags, dancing, and music.
While these homes in Chile, which come with the support of the Chilean government and all of it's resources (including a monthly stipend and counseling services), do not replace or erase the need of Palestinians to have a home in their homeland, the right to return, historically it makes sense. So many people left Chile after the 1973 U.S. backed military coup. So many lives lost and disappeared through state sanctioned violence. The links are there. The connection is there.
And Far Away blogged about the changing face of both Palestine and Israel, sharing fascinating photographs:
It’s been 60 years since the Palestinian Nakbeh. That means around four generations of Palestinians.
Of course, in these past 60 years, life for Palestinians for those still living in Palestine and the ones living in exodus have changed drastically. Thanks to ethnic cleansing, injustice, barricading, lack-of-educational means, poverty, bad health care, constant pressure, among other racist and unjustifiable actions, life has changed.
Life for “Israelis” has also changed.
The wheels have turned…
Bruised Earth wondered about the false hope being given to Palestinians…
So on this day of of the Nakba, the catastrophe, all this site can ask and ‘hope’ to encourage is the ongoing search for the truth. Hope more people can wade through the politics and media that filter what we all need to know; what we all must confront. Everyone must find that for themselves.
…and encouraged readers to seek the truth from outside sources:
Read other Web sites – beyond Fox, CNN, BBC, and Reuters. Forget about the 30 minute news updates – and instead piece together 30 minutes of real news from other sources every day.
Read the facts. Find more facts. Find more truth.
Syrian blogger Maysaloon discussed the Nakba:
In many ways, how we choose to commemorate May the 15th says a lot about us in the Arab world. Those of us who remember it as something from the past and, to put it biblically, with much “wailing and gnashing of teeth”, miss the point. The Nakba did not happen and end in 1948, it has continued to this present day. You can see the Nakba in Gaza, in the refugee camps and, dare I say it, it has expanded to Iraq. However, from the Nakba we also saw the birth of resistance. From the heroism and selflessness of al Husseini and the resistance in 1948, to the battle of Karameh in '68, Beirut in '82, Iraq today and the South of Lebanon in 2006. The struggle against occupation continues, as it does against those who collaborate. May 15th reminds us of the tragedy which befell a people, our people but also strengthens our resolve to resist and to push on. Am I the last person to talk about resistance from the comfort of my home, in a country which was Israel's midwife? Perhaps, but just as a first person is necessary in a set, so is the last, and it is belonging to the set and playing your role in anyway possible which is what counts. The only thing, the easiest thing, for us to do is to forget, to count ourselves defeated or irrelevant. Each of us has a moral duty to resist zionism, empire and neo-colonialism in all aspects of our lives and it will be a poor excuse to say, one day, that you were only being realistic. The enemies of Palestine know that every person they kill or bomb they drop only creates more determination to fight them, that their time is running out. Sixty years on, the dream of ending Israel is that little bit closer. Sixty years on, the struggle continues.
Finally, My Home Away From Home, who lives in Canada, shared her desire to go to Palestine, the country of her ancestors:
Palestine…it is my home that I have never set foot in, it is the land I love without boundaries.
My heart cries for Palestine, I want to touch its soil even once in my life. My heart and soul are always with Palestine, it is a part of my prayer ritual. I pray that one day we get our freedom we get our right to return. I pray for the gruesome murders and unfairness to stop, for children to start living like they are supposed to without fear, for mothers to be able to sleep the night without worrying that tomorrow or the day after she may lose some or all of her children. I pray for families to live together all in one place without a brother, a son an uncle in the isreali prisons for life. I pray that children can go to school or out to play and come back home safely. I pray that wives and husbands are not widowed too soon, and children are not orphaned when they are still young. I pray for people to live in peace and harmony and for all of us Palestinians born all over the world to reunite and meet in our homeland, a land who’s love was born in our heart…

author: Jillian C. York


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Brazil: Rio carnival will have LGBT samba school · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Arco-Íris de Amor [Love Raimbow], the first LGBT samba school, will parade Rio de Janeiro Carnival next year, according to Thiago Velloso [pt].


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Brazil: The prohibited march that keeps marching · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

After a long period of dictatorship, and since the political liberalization of the 80's, Brazilians have learned to value freedom of expression as a key democratic right. But the last weeks have shown that some issues such as marijuana legalization still don't hold the status of being entitled to a legally sanctioned public debate. This year's edition of the Marijuana March was prohibited by courts in 9 capital cities across the country due to allegations of illegal promotion of drug use. The theme provoked responses by many local bloggers.
Enquanto em alguns países o uso da maconha é restritamente aceito, no Brasil esse tipo de debate não é nem ao menos permitido. Falar sobre maconha se tornou mais que um tabu, visto que poucos dias antes da marcha acontecer ela foi proibida pelo Ministerio Público, decisão essa que impediu um recurso contrário devido a proximidade da data do evento. Fica clara a incapacidade desse país em permitir com que seus cidadãos possam debater em prol das relações que temos com alguns problemas vividos por aqui. Seria uma passeata, apologia? Debater se tornou influenciar? Alguns termos estão muito mal definidos na cabeça do poder legislativo, o que impede o cidadão de se reunir para reivindicar o que lhe julga de direito: a liberdade de expressão.
Fascismo Tropical – Obrog!!!
Obviamente, decisões judiciais não se descumprem, mesmo que as achemos inconstitucionais, pois gozam da presunção de legitimidade necessária à segurança jurídica das relações humanas e sociais reguladas pelo direito, valor maior a ser preservado no sistema jurídico. Mas nada impede que sejam objeto de debate acadêmico e mesmo político, sob um ponto de vista crítico. Os direitos à livre expressão do pensamento e à reunião são garantidos pelo artigo 5º de nossa Constituição como valores fundamentais do regime democrático. Princípio democrático é a norma constitucional que determina não apenas a adoção de decisões por uma maioria legislativa ou social, mas também – e em especial -, a preservação dos direitos das minorias… Subtrair de parcela da cidadania o direito de protestar contra a vigência de qualquer lei, penal ou não, é ferir de morte o regime democrático. É subtrair-lhe o sentido, traduzindo-se em ato imperial, impróprio ao Estado Democrático de Direito… Se postular pela revogação de uma lei não é conduta salvaguardada pelo direito de livre expressão, que condutas da cidadania seriam salvaguardadas por este direito? Posso expressar que sou contra as normas vigentes, mas não posso dizer quais e as respectivas razões?… Fica agora a questão: será que passeatas em favor da descriminalização do aborto e outras semelhantes também serão proibidas? Podem também serem compreendidas como um estímulo à prática do aborto, conduta tipificada em nossa ordem penal. Se forem, obviamente o sentido da democracia brasileira se esvairá.
A Marcha da Maconha e o direito à livre expressão, por Pedro Estavam Serrano – Última Instância
Cannabis was brought to Brazil by the first Africans arriving from Angola, and it's use and cultivation was encouraged by the Portuguese, which resulted in it being culturally assimilated by the mestizos and by some Indian groups. Medical use was also common, mostly during the second part of the 19th century, and even advertised in Brazilian medical journals up to the first years of the 20th century. Some commenters focused on the cultural aspects of the censorship.
Tal proibição numa cidade como Salvador, afronta um significado étnico e cultural do uso dessa planta, que é uma parte da herança cultural africana. Sobre esse aspecto assim se expressou Gilberto Freyre: “as tradições religiosas, como outras formas de cultura, ou de culturas negras, para cá transportadas, junto com a sombra das próprias árvores sagradas, com o cheiro das próprias plantas místicas – a maconha ou a diamba, por exemplo – é que vêm resistindo mais profundamente, no Brasil, à desafricanização. Muito mais do que o sangue, a cor e a forma dos homens. A Europa não as vencerá.” (Sobrados e Mucambos, 2003, p.797). Poderia Gilberto Freyre ser enquadrado como “apologista” da maconha?
Democracia Cultural e a Marcha da Maconha – Blog Oficial do Tio Tod
Recentemente, o Ministro da Cultura Gilberto Gil apresentou uma proposta p/ tombar a Ayahuasca, planta alucinógena que compõe o chá do Santo Daime, como patrimônio cultural nacional. Se a “Pequena Morte” pode, por que não a Manga Rosa, o Cabeça de Nego, o Cabrobó?… Enquanto não se chega a um consenso, e muito menos a uma solução p/ o problema, o presidente do Conselho Federal da OAB, Cezar Britto, defende a liberdade de expressão como bem primordial de um Estado democrático: “O maior mal que se pode impor a um país é calar, censurar o pensamento.”
A marcha que não quer calar – Viva la Brasa
The 20th century brought about the spreading of the notion of the plant as a great danger to individuals and society, and also a surge of international agreements for the adjustment of national laws criminalizing the use of cannabis. Ecologia Cognitiva offers a good account and links showing how the the early Twentieth Century American movie industry played a key role in disseminating the new cultural references for the plant, and the ideological elements displayed by some commenters adds up to the notion that politics seems to play a role bigger than science when it comes down to defining how harmful cannabis really is.
Ao examinarmos os fatos percebemos claramente que os mais comuns e perigosos mitos e inverdades sobre a substância ilegal mais utilizada no mundo são concebidos e difundidos pelo governo americano, em desacordo com as descobertas oficiais… Em 1936 o filme Reefer Madness (vale à pena assistir) inaugura a perseguição mostrando como apenas uma tragada da fumaça maldita pode levar jovens sadios a uma escalada de violência e luxúria que resulta em morte e insanidade. Apesar da declaração de que os fatos narrados no filme não apresentavam nenhuma relação com pessoas ou situações reais, o filme explicita que cumpre a missão de informar a população incauta sobre o ‘novo inimigo público número um’ (veja ao lado)… O famoso estudo de 1972 da ‘National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse’, formada por especialistas e congressistas convocados pelo então presidente Nixon, sugeria no relatório final que “deveríamos desenfatizar a maconha como um problema” e afirmava que “o uso de drogas por prazer ou outros motivos não-medicinais não são inerente irresponsáveis”. Tal resultado certamente não atendeu à agenda política da época e foi totalmente ignorado pelo governo — o período que se seguiu foi marcado por grande censura à pesquisa com psicoativos.
Em 1988, após 4 anos de estudos envolvendo centenas de testemunhas e milhares de páginas em documentação, Francis Young, Chefe do Depto. Jurídico do DEA publicou relatório onde sugeriu uma reclassificação de periculosidade da cannabis declarando: “é razoável concluir que existem utilizações seguras para a maconha sob supervisão médica — afirmar o contrário constitui claro erro de julgamento”. Novamente os estudos oficiais foram desconsiderados, e aproximadamente 10 anos depois o drug-czar do presidente Clinton (Barry Macfrey), afirma à imprensa que “não existe nenhum traço de evidência científica sobre segurança ou benefícios medicinais da maconha.”… Enquanto isso, na Europa, pesquisa encomendada pelo governo inglês em 1996 registrou parecer que também recomendava a reclassificação da substância, indicando que “os malefícios não devem ser superestimados: a cannabis não é venenosa e não apresenta algo grau de adição”. E o National Institute of Health (EUA) promoveu em 2001 workshop sobre as possíveis utilizações médicas da cannabis, e dentre as conclusões afirma que podem existir casos específicos de pacientes onde o uso da cannabis (a fumaça) supera em resultados os medicamentos que utilizam o princípio ativo (thc) em cápsulas.
Planta proibida, perseguição denunciada – Ecologia Cognitiva
In 1988, after 4 years of study involving hundreds of testmonies and thousands of pages of documentation, Francis Young, DEA Administrative Law Judge published a report where he suggests reclassifying the dangerousness of cannabis, declaring: “it is reasonable to conclude that there exists safe uses for marijuana under medical supervision — to affirm the contrary is a clear error of judgement”. The official research was again not considered, and aproximately 10 years later President Clinton's drug-czar (Barry Macfrey), declared to the press that “there is no trace of scientific evidence about safety or medical beneficials of marijuana use.” …. Meanwhile, in Europe, research ordered by the British government in 1996 registered an opinion that recomended the reclassification of the substance, indicating that “the negative aspects of the use should not be exaggerated: cannabis is no poison, and does not represent a high addiction level”. And the National Institute of Health (US) has promoted a workshop about the possible medical uses of cannabis, and among the conclusions it affirms that there may be some specific cases where the use of cannabis (smoked) surpasses the results of the medicines which utilizes the active principle (thc) in capsules.
Prohibited plant, denounced persecution – Ecologia Cognitiva
… Deputado Federal Marcelo Itagiba (PMDB-RJ), ex-secretário de Segurança do Estado, que entrou com uma ação contra a passeata que resultou na sua proibição pela Justiça, contrapôs que o ato era ilegal, pois diligenciava em favor do uso da maconha: “A marcha foi criada para promover um crime, que é o consumo de drogas. Eu não sou contra a liberdade de expressão, mas essa discussão não deveria ser feita em local público, e sim em meios acadêmicos e no Congresso. Essa é um movimento de meia dúzia de burgueses que buscam satisfação pessoal para o seu vício”. O deputado Itagiba está coberto de razão, mas, coitado, não sabe com quem está lidando, ou sabe e não quer falar: pois é justamente no seio da “comunidade” acadêmica, no âmbito das ONGs ambientalistas e, de forma camuflada, nos bastidores dos partidos “progressistas” – e radicais – que se trama a luta pela descriminalização da droga e a sua posterior liberação. O ex-presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso, o Vaselina, e o governador Sérgio Cabral, leitor do “Estado e a Revolução” (de Lenin), dois produtos típicos do nosso meio “politicamente correto”, são favoráveis e laboram, sempre que possível, em função da sua descriminalização. A tese é a de que com a legalização da produção, comercialização, distribuição e o controle da droga pelo Estado, a violência que a cerca acabaria como num passe de mágica… O fato concreto é que nos últimos 50 anos a droga massificou-se em escala universal. E, paralelamente, tornou-se um negócio (porco) dos mais lucrativos do mundo, com renda global em torno dos US$ 800 bilhões anuais. Por trás dele estão as máfias internacionais, o crime organizado, os guerrilheiros das FARC, interesses ideológicos e revolucionários de todos os matizes, para não falar da própria polícia, dos políticos e de setores do poder judiciário – justamente as instituições que deveriam combater a ferro e fogo o narcotráfico.
A Marcha da Maconha – Blog sem Máscara
One thing is certain: this year's edition of the Brazilian Marijuana March is to be remembered by activists from all the different positions of the spectrum. On one hand, it is the first time that the movement to legalize was spread across the country, and on the other, it is worth some reflection on what could be called a backfire in the repression strategy, as the issue earned even more visibility in the media. The two videos posted at Filipeta da Massa illustrate well the situation: the first is a brief documentary of the single legal March in Recife, Pernambuco     and the other reports the negative reaction to the prohibition as shown on the main TV news program in Brazil.
Among the many different points-of-view, some people are just starting to approach the issue. For them, it seems illogical trying to understand something without having fair access to all sides of the debate. Kind of obvious, isn't it?
Sobre a marcha: fiquei sabendo há acho que faz duas ou três semanas e, assumo, achei ridículo. Imaginei que só teria um monte de gente que não quer saber de nada da vida, que acha que abala, fumando com a maior pose de ‘prenda-me se for capaz’. Mas, quando soube que, durante a marcha, o consumo da maconha não seria permitido, me esquivei. Esquivei porque senti que seria um negócio sério, mesmo que, obviamente, pessoas tipo citadas acima estariam lá estragando todo o ideal. No fundo eu achei que não fosse dar certo mesmo, a maconha é um grande tabu e ninguém – das pessoas ligadas à política – quer ser o primeiro a discutir sobre sua legalização. Eu não tenho uma opinião formada sobre isso. Lí um folhetinho sobre a marcha e não me convenci que isso deve ou não deve acontecer; tem seus problemas, tem seus benefícios, mas eu realmente não sei o que achar disso. Se fosse comprovado que iria diminuir o tráfico, eu até iria à marcha, defender de verdade a legalização, mas como isso é só uma dedução – mesmo que pareça lógico – e não uma certeza… De qualquer forma, barrar a manifestação foi o cúmulo do autoritarismo, e isso sim eu não apoio de verdade. O pior nessa história toda, é que ninguém sabe agumentar e respeitar. Todos têm suas opiniões a respeito, querem impô-las aos outros, mas não sabe ser pacifico e convincente para isso.
A história de como eu perdi um dente + A Marcha da Maconha – Grão de Estrelas

author: Jose Murilo


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Brunei: Energy conservation marathon · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Brunei Lifestyle announces Brunei’s half-day energy conservation marathon next week. “Bruneians are urged to take part in the ‘e-Saving’ drive simply by turning off unused electrical appliances, use them in moderation and switch to energy-efficient equipments.”

author: Mong Palatino


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Cape Verde: It is elections time · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Abraão Vicente [pt] has a long and reflective post about the upcoming elections in Cape Town, which he iltustrated with a Gilbert & George pic. “I'm a little bit confused, I must confess. During the election campaign everything seems to be easy. It seems that all dreams are possible to achieve. There are plenty of promises, and there is distribution of hugs and kisses”.


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Caucasus: Creative Commons · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Social Science in the Caucasus posts more details, including a video, on Creative Commons and comments on the importance of introducing the licensing concept to the South Caucasus. My Caucasus Knot also weighs in on the significance of promoting Creative Commons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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China: Time to pray · Global Voices
John Kennedy

‘Pray for the disaster victims, god bless China’ has been the main motif on many main Chinese blogging websites as the country moves past the hundredth hour of mourning, fund-raising and blood donations.
The call for prayer has been the theme of coverage at new media and blog service provider Netease, which has also created a map mashup wherein users in Wenchuan can report in live time what's happening in their area. Blog service and news provider Tencent, like many of its peers, has set up a number of different pages allowing users to express their support and shared experiences. has just released its first 2008 beta version of the company's hugely popular instant messaging client with a disaster relief theme, QQ Prayer; downloading it allows the user to send candles and yellow ribbons to display their support and compassion to earthquake victims. As with all internet companies, QQ has set up a donations page which has already seen users sending in over 13 million RMB, as well as a channel to report fund-raising scams.
QQ has continued aggregating user-shot video clips from around the earthquake disaster scene which now number in the hundreds, as well as having set up a chart showing the latest figures and updates from the relief mission, including a missing person's bulletin board which can be seen further down.
Sina.com has gone for a green ribbon campaign, and is also calling on users of its blogging services to pray for those lost and yet to be unburied, as well as compiling official CCTV footage along with user-shot video.
Sohu.com's main Earthquake page is also featuring clips from the few media allowed to report from the disaster zone as well as those uploaded by users, with the emphasis on the latter. As with most blog portal websites, details on how to donate to Chinese Red Cross are being given prominence.
Chinese search engine leader Baidu has turned its Earthquake page into a sort of operations center for all the different online and offline relief initiatives it has underway, with calls to action aimed at users also being seen on smaller blogging sites such as Blogbus, BlogCN and Xici Hutong, among many others.
Cat898 has put most of its front page toward discussion of the earthquake, and features a photo set of the men working on the relief mission front line.
And the blog portal at China.com, while featuring what appears to be one user's photos of the devastation hundreds of thousands are experiencing, is also now highlighting one post which proposes that people allocate 1% of their monthly income toward the relief campaign:
每人月工资的1%，对每个人来说不算什么，但是对于灾区的人民可是救命钱呀。相信我们的民族一定能够在危难中崛起。
借用一句广告词
有我，中国强
The overwhelming reponse to the proposal has been that people have already donated far more than 1% of their monthly salaries. The third comment on the proposal reads:
这次灾难中最大的灾难就是留下了数以万计孤儿！！！此时他们还在和其他的灾民一样接
受着救济，可日后的日子恐怕难以想象．时间长了我们的政府还会一如既往的想着他们吗？
即使想着他们无非也是逢年缝节的象征性的救济一下，况且专项救济资金不一定都能按期而
至！各个部门截留挪用之例每每发生，真正落到实处也是杯水车薪啊！因此我在此强烈呼吁
或建议！！！政府能不能即刻制定一政策：让全国有爱心的人民来领养！！当务之急是政府
出台相关的户籍政策和配套政策．如全部免去１２年的一切义务教育学杂费．．．等等！这
样就可以使领养者少去许多人为的麻烦，特别是户籍！！！
Anti-CNN.com has also set up a new ‘Earthquake Status’ section, the top thread in which at present is a response to those making the argument online that corruption led to poorly-constructed school buildings in the Wenchuan area, which is why so many schools collapsed while government buildings remained standing: ‘Those saying that the government buildings are still in good condition can just shut their mouths’
Pioneering web 2.0 site Douban has also been at the forefront with aggregation pages like Help Wenchuan gaining thousands of users quickly; other groups set up include:
[Earthquake] How netizens have used Fanfou and Wikipedia to file real-time reports
Why the country is not accepting foreign assistance for now
Anti-poverty funds: ways to donate and know where your donation is going
There have also been prayer groups, more tips on how to donate wisely, a group to publicize new access points into cut-off Wenchuan as they are discovered, discussions over whether the torch relay ought to be put on hold, and even a group just to discuss initial photos that came out of the disaster areas. Groups set up by religious intellectuals like Wang Yi have seen numerous discussions taking place.
Some Douban groups have been deleted, but others have been set up to host discussions that were deleted off other sites. Then there's Douban's moving special earthquake page, where it turns out actually dozens of earthquake groups have been set up, each with their own avatars and many with hundreds of members.
Douban was actually one of the first to set up a space to help users find their missing loved ones. QQ's is still growing, there's even been a site set up especially for those missing from the 5-12 earthquake, and on Friday Google China released its own contribution, which builds off existing efforts underway on Tianya, Baidu, Soso, Sina and Netease.
Citizen and independent online media have been making contributions of their own. The Chinese-language entry for the 2008 Sichuan earthquake on Wikipedia was set up more quickly than its English-language counterpart, despite that Wikipedia Chinese is blocked from within China.
Citizen reporter Zuola has come out of retirement and arrived in Sichuan Friday with a shovel, batteries and medicine to help with the rescue efforts and will be sending updates to his Twitter account [zh] and late Friday night posted photos to his blog recounting what he saw from on the train to Chengdu and in the city itself, after meeting up with a local NGO:
The SocialLearnLab has posted in support of those organizing post-disaster psychological counseling for relief workers, volunteers and the victims.
Countless bloggers in Sichuan have been reporting what they see; BlogCN.com user Ayue writes of trying to go on with life and work in Chengdu, of rumored explosions and water stoppages and food shortages, long line-ups at supermarkets and having to go hungry:
Blogbus user Frees writes also of going on with life post-earthquake, and shares a picture of the crowd gathered outside the local Ikea where they work:
Photos from Netease blogger Wan, also in Chengdu:
Baidu user Cinderella in Ya'an, Sichuan posted photos from one of her nights spent sleeping with the community outside in the park:
One outdoor enthusiast and photographer has posted a number of photos of blood and goods donation drives from where he blogs in Leshan, and Yahoo!China blogger Puping777 has a wide variety of photos of his own, taken in devastated Beichuan while there to help out. The Wuqing blogger has photos of road slides on mountains near Aba in Sichuan province.
Well-known Bullog blogger Song Shinan, who lives near Chengdu, has been working overtime to aggregate all bits of information he can find in what has now turned into a series of highly-informative posts that are being mirrored onto his Netease blog.
Technology Sociology Science Fiction futurism blog Qixianglu, another website calling on readers to turn to their spiritual sources of support to pray for the earthquake victims, has been tracking stories related to the earthquake as they come out; part of their strategy has included a QQ group, a Douban group, and tags on Technorati, Del.icio.us, Zooomr and Flickr.
The MeMedia collective has being doing in Chinese for total coverage of Earthquake discussions what the crew at Shanghaiist have been doing in English; among all the links MeMedia has been aggregating and sharing publicly on Diigo has been the last blog post from a teacher in Beichuan who didn't survive the earthquake, photos of a school sports activity from May 11.
Entertainment reporter/blogger Tu Motuo at Bullog.cn is actually in Dujiangyan right now and has posted photos of a crumbled hospital and a city in darkness with only generators at this point with which to function.
Tang Buxi at Blogging for China has translated a blog entry from a medical volunteer at one of the sites visited by Premier Wen Jiabao this week:
I really am not used to those Sichuan provincial leaders. We’re chewing on bread rolls, and our beloved PLA Army, Armed Police warriors… they’re chewing only on dried instant noodles. But those leaders are eating two warm dishes and rice. At lunch I saw the premier while he was resting, and he was only eating a roll and salted vegetables. I cried at that moment.
Also from the MeMedia links comes a Tianya thread that's been getting passed around, ‘Photos from the earthquake disaster site that you won't see on TV!’ showing the full extent of the both human and structural damage that has taken place.
Blogger Oliver Ding has set up a community space on SlideShare for those affected by and working against the damage done by the earthquake, one of the many ways to help the earthquake victims that in turn is being shown support on Digg.
Veteran blogger Popoever has posted quite a number of graphics of different styles and sizes for those wishing to display and rally up support for relief fund-raising being carried out by Chinese Red Cross, both on his own blog and on Flickr. Several of those blog badges contain the information for a campaign Chinese Red Cross is carrying out in collaboration with China Mobile, which allows any of its hundreds of millions of users to donate 1 or 2 yuan via SMS from their mobile phones:
Perhaps as a response to concerns many bloggers have vocalized regarding donating to Chinese Red Cross, but at least in keeping in line with several previous fund-raising drives over the past two years, blog portal Bullog, which hosts many online celebrity and high-profile media workers’ blogs, was quick to launch a donation drive of its own, with accounts opened and organizers in Sichuan by the 14th. Those organizing the Bullog donation activity are some of the most well-known journalists, editors and bloggers in the country.
Support for relief efforts from English-language bloggers has been equally swift and thorough. Overall support for Red Cross China has been so strong that accessing the Red Cross website for the past several days has been difficult due to the high volumes of traffic it has been receiving.
In no particular order, here are just a few of the many blog posts foreign and English-language bloggers in China have given us in just a few hectic days:
http://www.ifgogo.com/80/how-to-donate/
http://cnreviews.com/uncategorized/china_earthquake_relief_and_donation_guide_-_will_update_20080514.html
http://cupofcha.com/2008/05/16/ways-to-donate-to-earthquake-relief.html
http://www.chinavortex.com/2008/05/how-chinese-websites-are-helping-donations-for-sichuan-earthquake-victims/
http://shanghaiist.com/2008/05/13/red_cross_society_earthquake_sichuan.php
http://beijingbookworm.com/whatsnew.htm
http://www.pandapassport.com/chinese-internet/donate-for-adspace/
http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/05/15/add-a-quake-relief-donation-badge-to-your-blogsite/
http://rconversation.blogs.com/rconversation/2008/05/help-chinas-qua.html
http://chinesepod.com/earthquake_relief
http://shanghaiist.com/2008/05/16/green_scene_how.php
With only a few handpicked pro-CCP media being allowed to report openly from the disaster scene combined with the roadslides and remote locations being the hardest hit, the not-so-new role that microblogging has played in overall coverage of the earthquake hasn't been discounted.
With sites like Summize.com making it instantly possible to see what's being said at any given time in Chinese on sites like Twitter, domestic Chinese services such as Jiwai and Fanfou took it a step further and provided their own [Earthquake] tags. On Fanfou alone there are even accounts that have been set up specifically to track developments as they unfolded; one here from charity NGO 1kg.org, and another from liveblogger ‘River Crab Goes Ashore’. On Twitter, someone has set up an account just to track seismological events in China as they take place.
With Summize.com for Twitter and Fanfou's built-in regional search options, it's quite easy to seek out those microblogging their experiences of the past few days according to location; say Guangyuan, for instance, just 15 miles away from one of the nuclear warhead plants that might have been disrupted during the quake.
Anyone who follows the ‘friends’ of the chinaquakewatch account on either Twitter or Fanfou will be given instant access to a carefully-selected group of users who have been sticking closely to microblogging the events of the last few days as they personally have seen them unfold. Aftershocks could be felt in Chengdu on Friday, and here's what several Fanfou users had to say:
10:40 am, Ameko随
中共你救不了人就快滚一边去!强烈要求境外支援!别把希望放在恶魔身上…快快自救啊中国人!!
11:46, parco77
现在4级左右的余震我已经开始觉得摇着爽了。摇麻木了。
13:28, fruitfan
又震了
13:29, venqia
又来
13:29, Alex06
刚刚又震了.估计成都感觉更明显!
13:34, Flying
刚才又晃了一下
13:37, fruitfan
今天的余震还比较明显~
13:40, parco77
刚才那一个。。太震撼了= =|||。。我看到隔壁几幢楼的人纷纷又跑下楼。
14:03, yalaner
又震了?杯里的水晃着.
14:39, 橘子皇
余震一起，卖场人跑光光
14:45, yalaner
又震了,很厉害的余震.
16:08, tokyoegg
今天中午又发生了一次余震，震感很烈。以前还不觉得，现在有点恐慌了。
16:13, tokyoegg
我现在坐在这里都能感觉到房子在很轻微的晃动。
16:32, kake
韩国救援团，欢迎…
17:20, Flying
现在四川手机卡打电话都不停机
18:52, tokyoegg
又来一强余震，要崩溃了！
19:28, Alex06
紧急通告：四川AB型血液告急！！！
21:08, winning
花了一个小时才打通志愿者热线，却被告知只有男生才能奔赴前线，我草，你歧视咱女生么，我可是比某些男生要强悍的呀。
22:53, fruitfan
到汶川的路又断了~
(May 17) 00:16, 橘子皇
恩，这次余震持续时间比较长
00:16, venqia
又震了~！
00:47, Flying
据说已经有伤员转移到乐山的医院，团委什么时候可以组织我们出动啊？
00:57, Pandaemonium
受不了我爸，每次余震都要打个电话来说一次…你不要告诉我你害怕…

author: John Kennedy


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Egypt: Torture for Bloggers and Activists  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian bloggers, cyberactivists and activists on the ground continue to pay the price for speaking up against the rising cost of living and calling for higher wages and a better life. What started as a call for a strike on April 6, quickly spiralled out of control, with a face off between rioters, protesters and the police. Here's an account of what has happened and is still happening to some of the activists who have used the worldwide web to spread news of what is happening at home.
During the unrest, on April 6 and 7, Egyptian bloggers worked round the clock telling the world about the workers’ revolt that shook their country, as thousands rioted at a textile mill in Al Mahalla. They were also among the first casualties of the unrest, which left some killed, scores injured and an undetermined number of activists, organisers and mere spectators behind bars. Their coverage came in the form of blog posts, YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, Flickr shots, Facebook messages and all other online tools they could get their hands on.
The saga seems to continue, as some activists are still detained, six weeks after their arrest, prompting calls from their colleagues for their immediate release. Others, allegedly harassed, physically abused and later released by the police, continue to use online tools to tell the world their story.
This is one of many images of the back of Egyptian Facebook user Ahmed Maher, taken by award winning blogger Wael Abbas and posted here, under the title: The Newest Egyptian Method to Find Out Your Facebook's Account Password.
أحمد ماهر هو المؤسس الحقيقي لجروب الإضراب على الفيس بوك وليست إسراء عبد الفتاح كما زعموا والسبب في وجود إسمها وحدها على الجروب الآن هو أن فيس بوك أوقفت حساب أحمد ماهر لأنه كان يرسل عدد ضخم من الرسائل يوميا ليضم أعضاء للجروب وكان هذا المجهود هو سبب إنضمام أكثر من سبعون ألف عضو للجروب فإعتبره سبامر واوقفوا حسابه بينما كان كل دور إسراء هو المساعدة في الإدارة وحذف التعليقات المسيئة فقط لكن بعض وسائل الإعلام كانت تبحث عن قصة شيقة وبالونة لنفخها ولم يكن همهم أبدا الدقة في المعلومة أو البحث عن الحقيقة والقصة السليمة مما أضر بالحركة الوطنية من اجل التغيير ككل وبمصداقية نشطاء الإنترنت خصوصا وهو أمر لا يمكن التسامح ف
Ahmed Maher is the real founder of the Strike's Facebook Group and not Esraa Abdulfattah as everyone assumed. The reason why her name alone appears on the group until now is because Facebook suspended Ahmed Maher's account because he used to send huge numbers of messages daily for new members to join the group. It was as a result of this effort that more than 70,000 members joined. They considered him as a spammer and closed his account while Esraa's role was to help in administrating the site and deleting derogatory comments only. Some media organisations, which were looking for an exciting story and a balloon to blow, were not concerned with the accuracy of the story or looking for the truth. This has negatively impacted the national movement for change overall and the credibility of cyberactivists, in particular and this is an issue we can't forgive.
Elijah Zarwan tells us what happened to Maher:
I’ve just heard from a friend that Ahmed Maher, a 27-year-old engineer quoted in the Western press as a May 4 Facebook activist, is alleging that he was beaten in State Security custody. Details are still sketchy, but apparently State Security called him in for a “friendly” coffee earlier this week. When he didn’t go, my friend tells me, State Security took him from his home in the middle of the night, beat him, and released him with the warning that they were “just pulling his ear” this time, and that next time would be worse. He is reportedly in hospital now.
And Abbas posts the following video showing the extend of torture Maher has been subjected to:
In the video [Ar], Maher says how his clothes were ripped off by the police and then shows us scars on his back which he says were caused by policemen beating him on his back with their bare hands.
Blogger Hossam el Hamalawy links to a newspaper report on what happened to the Facebook user and how he was arrested and tortured by police here.
Hamalawy  also draws our attention to the plight of blogger and activist Kareem Al Beheiri, who has been behind bars since April 7. He writes:
In an interview with el-Badeel, released Karama Party activist Ahmad Amin Ahmad Eid said that:
Kareem el-Beheiri was tortured in Mahalla’s State Security Police office for more than 18 hours. He told me his torturer was listening to the Quran while torturing him. I saw in Mahalla’s 2nd Police Station children no more than 13 years old, whose eyes and bodies were injured by rubber bullets. They said police kidnapped them from the hospital where they were receiving treatment and accused them of participating in the strike.
Hamalawy also reports that Mohamed Maree, a translator who was arrested along with American photojournalist James Buck, while interviewing the families of those arrested in Mahalla, has been tortured. While Buck was released and asked to leave the country, Maree continues to languish in prison, despite an outcry from activists for his release.  Hamalawy writes:
The latest information we have on Mohamed was by rights lawyers who visited Bourg el-Arab Prison on Saturday:
We managed to visit Bourg el-Arab Prison today. It turned out that translator Mohamed Saleh Maree is detained as a ‘criminal’ after he was detained in the company of US journalist James Buck. The latter was released by the police in Mahalla after pressures from his embassy, but Mohamed Saleh was kept in custody despite a release order from the prosecutor. We couldn’t back then find out where he was kept. Today we visited him, and he mentioned he was tortured by beatings and electric shocks in Mahalla’s State Security office. Mohamed was also banned by the prison administration from taking his exam at the university.
Buck continue to fight for his colleague's freedom and is spearheading a campaign to draw the world's attention to his friend's plight. He has also set up a petition on his blog calling for Maree‘s release.


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Guyana: And The Winner Is… · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal reveals the secret to winning and getting away with it.


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India: Dr Binayak Sen and the Government · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Break All Chains on the case of Dr Binayak Sen, who is a public health specialist and currently jailed in India on charges of being associated with the Naxalite movement.


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India: Going to the US · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Heartcrossings on the huge range of opportunities available to the youth in India, and why going to the US is no longer a big dream.


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India: The cost of Terrorism · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Rabble Rousing Random Ramblings on why terrorism has an financial cost associated with it.


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Indonesia: Fuel prices · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

nomad4ever tackles the reasons and impact of rising fuel prices in Indonesia


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Iran: Child Labor in Photos · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Yazdnegar,Iranian blogger,has published several photos of working children in Yazd, a historic city,in Iran.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: “The Internet is a gift to us” · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Arsham Parsi is the founder and director of the Iranian Queer Organization based in Toronto, Canada. He talked to us about the presence of Iranian homosexuals in cyberspace, their challenges and projects. Homosexuality is banned in Iran, and punishable by prison or death.
How do you evaluate the presence of homosexual blogs in the Iranian blogosphere? Are there many bloggers that talk about their homosexuality?
Yes, we have many Iranian LGBTIQ bloggers, and most of them live inside Iran. They have nicknames and write anonymously, which is safest for their security, but sometimes the government finds them through their IP addresses. But they do exist and are very active.
How do you use the Internet, including blogs and video films, to talk about Iranian homosexuality?
The Internet is one of our most important communication tools. Without the internet our organization could not do many things. We don't have representatives in Iran because we fear for their safety; we don't want to make problems for them. We monitor their weblogs, and it is one of our resources. The Internet is a gift to us.
What about Iranian reactions to your website/blog? Is there any dialogue there between people who are homosexual or defend homosexual rights, and people who consider homosexuality a “sin” or “an immoral act”?
There are different reactions. We receive many hate messages, and also many messages of support. In the Iranian queer weblogs, they have dialogues with other people, and sometimes bloggers address these issues. But in general, people have changed their views in the last few years.
Is there any online forum where Iranian homosexuals exchange their ideas or leave comments?
We have a magazine, Cheraq. And we have a forum for Iranian homosexuals too. It started a few months ago. But weblogs are more common.
How you see the situation of homosexuals in Iran? Are they involved in cyberspace in order to express themselves?
As I said, a lot has changed. I remember a few years ago, nobody talked about our rights, but now you can find thousands of pages online. According to them, they cannot have physical relations freely, but they exist and they try to be active. I think now, Iranian queer issues have become a human rights issue.
When you look at Iranian gay and lesbian blogs. Do they face different kinds of difficulties?
Of course yes, it is totally different. They have different situations. Lesbians are more invisible, and it is because of Iran's general lack of women's rights. We don't have many lesbian blogs, and those that I know, are active in trying to say lesbians exist too. We have an online magazine for lesbians, Hamjens-e man. It is the first magazine for Iranian lesbians.
Do you have any project, comment or idea to share with us?
We exist, but we cannot speak out. We should support each other. It is our freedom tax.


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Iran:A Park just for women · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Osyan,an Iran based blogger, informs [Fa] us a new park was inaugurated by Tehran's mayor office for women. The blogger says our city needs more recycling places/parks for garbages rather than separate-gender parks.


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Jamaica, Guyana: The Jaguar · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp posts a poem by Guyanese writer Abdhur-Rahman Slade Hopkinson.


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Japan: Tokyo Graffiti  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Lee posts some graffiti photos from Tokyo at Tokyo Times.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Jordan: Three Activists Detained  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Three leftist activists were detained by the Jordanian police for putting up posters about the Nakba in the streets…” reports Hossam el Hamalawy, from Egypt.


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Kazakhstan: Azat Offers Its Platform on Financial Crisis  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog reviews the Kazakhstani opposition party's plan to address economic stagnation and financial crisis.


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Kazakhstan: Scandal Shakes the Presidental Family Again · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam reviews the Wall Street Journal article, telling that in 2003 Dariga Nazarbayeva, elder daughter of the Kazakhstan president, hired an American consulting firm to collect data on the Kazakhgate trial, a probe into corruption among top Kazakh officials.


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Korean internet site attacked by Chinese hackers · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

The biggest auction site in Korea, “Auction,” was involved in a hacker attack in February and lost the personal information of at least 11 million customers. Recently, the hackers were found to be Chinese. In addition, Koreans are related to this crime. The fact that the personal information is used by Chinese netizens in China at present shocks Korean netizens and they question how they have to deal with this problem.
Martian Martin gives the details in his post.
지난 2월 옥션을 해킹해 회원 천만 명의 개인정보를 빼내간 중국인 해커가 이미 한 달 전에 중국 공안에 붙잡혔다고 합니다. 체포된 중국인 해커는 산둥성에서 활동하는 중국인 전문 해커인데 아직 공식적인 발표는 없었지만 산둥성 공안은 이런 사실을 부인하지 않았습니다. 그런데 이 해킹 사건의 배후에는 한국의 개인정보 암거래상이 있다고 중국 해커들은 전했으며, 또 그들에 의하면 옥션의 발표와 달리 1800만명이 넘는 옥션 전체회원의 정보가 모두 유출되었다고 합니다. 이들 중국 해커들은 중국에서 한국인들을 위해서 일을 하며, 의뢰를 받아 해킹을 해서 한국으로 건네주면 한국의 정보 암거래상들이 다시 한국에 판다고 합니다. 개인정보의 가치는 중국에서 보다 국내에서 더 효용이 있는 것이 당연하겠지만, 이 정보를 습득하는 과정은 중국을 통해 이루어졌기에 우리나라 국민의 절반의 개인정보는 중국을 비롯한 여러 나라에 수출이 되었다고 해야 하나요? 인터넷과 디지털 정보의 특성상 한 번 공개된 정보는 어떤 방법으로도 회수할 수 없으며 회수한다고 해도 일부에 지나지 않을 것입니다. 이번 옥션의 경우도 유출된 모든 정보는 이미 중국과 한국에 퍼질 대로 퍼져서 해킹범을 잡았다고 해도 이미 회수도 불가능하며, 우리나라 국민 1/2의 주소, 전화번호, 주민등록번호, 계좌번호 등이 포함된 고품질의 개인정보는 세계적으로 떠돌게 되었습니다. 국내의 개인정보 암거래상도 이미 옥션에서 해킹된 DB의 데이터가 우리나라에서 거래되고 있는 것을 인정하고 있습니다.
정부는 자국민의 절반의 정보가 사기를 비롯한 각종 불법행위에 이용되고 있음에도 해결과 보완에 대한 어떤 움직임도 없으며, 솔직히 적극적인 해결 의지가 있는지 조차도 의문스럽습니다. 이만한 규모의 손쉬운 해킹 결과와 그 후속조치의 미비와 부적절한 대응과 소극적인 의지로 우리나라의 보안 수준은 퇴보했으며,[…] 이미 회수할 수 없는 정보라면 피해를 최소화 할 수 있는 대책과 개인 정보 관리에 대한 법적인 방안과 앞으로 재발을 방지할 수 있는 강력한 장치가 있길 바랍니다. 그리고 이번 해킹을 의뢰한 한국인과 그 정보를 거래한 모든 취급자들을 반드시 잡아서 온 국민 앞에 공개해서 매국노의 최후가 어떠한지 본보기로 삼았으면 좋겠습니다.
The government knows the information of the people is already used in illegal ways for the evil intentions, but they seem not to solve this problem actively. The extent of the security of our country has been backward and our country is just famous for having the fast speed of the Internet.[…] If it is information that we can’t take back anymore, there should be other methods to prevent other crimes or to protect individual information. And we should catch these betrayers of our country at all means and punish them in front of all other people in order to set a good example to show what would be the end of traitors.
Not a few netizens worry about how the personal information is used and feel insecure.
[…]최근 중국을 다녀왔다는 한 사업가는 “중국학생들이 PC방 등에서 한국인의 실명과 주민등록번호 등이 있는 사이트를 이용해 아무런 제한없이 국내 게임에 회원으로 가입하고 있다. 이 사이트에는 수백명의 한국인 개인정보가 고스란히 올라와 있다.”라고 귀띔했다. 기자가 방문한 중국 내 또 다른 사이트도 상황은 마찬가지였다. 한국인 이름과 주민등록 변호, 연락처 등이 고스란히 개제되어 있었다. 최근 해킹을 당한 옥션의 아이디 및 비밀 번호를 벌써부터 이 사이트에서 판매한다는 문구도 올라와 있다[…] 중국의 사이트에는 심지어 국내 최대의 포털 사이트인 네이버의 아이디 및 비밀번호를 판매한다는 글도 간간히 올라오고 있다. 네이버측은 해킹 가능성을 일축하고 있다. 그러나 네티즌들은 각 포털이나 블로그를 통해 네이버가 해킹되었을 가능성을 제기하고 있다[…]
Current chaos in Korean society over other issues generates criticism toward the present government.
탄핵이다..광우병이다. 청문회다. 이명박이다…[…] 이런 망할 와중에… 좋겠다 옥션…이명박 정부덕에 조용히 잊혀질 분위기가.. 남들이 다 이명박을 버려도 너희는 버리면 안되겠다. 허허…
A netizen criticizes the attitude of people toward computer hackers and how to react to this coming threat.
지난 2월초 국내 최대 오픈마켓인 옥션이 한 해커에 의해 뚫렸다. 1000만 여건이 넘는 개인정보가 속수무책으로 빠져나간 것이다. 해킹과 협박에 가담은 일당 3명이 중국에서 붙잡혔지만, 주범의 행방은 아직까지도 오리무중이다. 게다가 LG텔레콤의 가입자 정보가 인터넷에 노출되는가 하면 하나로텔레콤은 회원정보를 고의로 외부에 빼돌렸다.그외에 국민은행 인터넷 뱅킹 서비스에도 악성코드를 통해 해킹당하는 사고와 포털업체 다음도 전문해커에 의해 해킹당했다. 이렇게 해킹으로 유린당하는 사고가 계속적으로 벌어지고 있다.이처럼 계속 사고가 벌어지는 이유는 무엇일까 가장 커다란 요인은 전문 인력 부족과 보안의식의 실종을 들 수 있다. 아직까지도 해커와 크래커를 구분하지 못하고 컴퓨터 기술이 뛰어나면 부정적으로 보는 시각이 존재한다. 또한 해이해진 보안의식이 더해져 이러한 사태들이 끊이지 않는 것이다. 전문인들은 큰 기업을 해킹하는 것도 어느정도의 지식과 툴만 있다면 불가능한 것이 아니라고 말한다. 또한 이를 막아야 하는 기업 관계자들의 보안의식도 문제라고 지적한다.안철수바이러스 연구소의 안철수 소장은 이러한 일들은 이미 예견된 인재였다면서 허술해진 보안을 지적했다. 앞으로는 철저한 사이버세계로서 보안전문가를 육성하여 다가올 사이버전에 대비해야 한다. 심지어 한 중국 해커는 마음만 먹으면 대한민국 전체를 무력화 시킬 수 있는건 일도 아니라며 호언장담하고 있다. 이러한 상황에서 우리는 서둘러 보안전문가를 육성하고 이러한 인력들에 대한 지원을 아끼지 않아야 한다. 하지만 가장 큰 문제는 이들에 대한 시선이다.어둡고 음침한 사람이 아닌, 미래의 중요 인재로 인식하고 뒷받침 해줘야 한다. 그것만이 다가올 사이버 전쟁에서 승리할 수 있는 길이다.
This photo shows ID numbers and Korean names after putting a random Korean name in a Chinese portal site

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kuwait: Zero Hour for Elections · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

Kuwait is all set for its National Assembly elections on Saturday (May 17). A total of 246 male candidates and 27 female candidates are running for 50 seats in the hotly contested elections, which should be held every four years. Elections are however held earlier if the Emir (Ruler) exercises his constitutional power to dissolve parliament and that is what happened on May 21, 2006, when the Emir dissolved the National Assembly through constitutional means and Kuwait held national elections on June 29, 2006. On March 19, the Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, dissolved parliament again after constant clashes between the government and the elected MPs, and called for new elections on May 17. With the election date so close, it is no wonder that Kuwaiti blogs are full of election material.
Amer over at Hilaliya  gives his reason why he is so into the elections this year:
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not ‘social’ individual, not social in the Kuwaiti ‘political animal’ sense of visiting diwaniyas, campaign headquarters, and ‘getting out the vote’
“What's gotten into you?” relatives and close friends ask.
But the answer is simple really…The country is in a severe state of gridlock, buffered by corruption, waste and inefficiency. Now we have no control over who the government appoints to run the country but we do have the power to make the right choice on May 17.
Forzaq8 over at 5-Q8 writes his final thoughts on the elections:
Election should be taken seriously , it is not a game
Tomorrow your Vote decide your future and your sons future
for example don't ask why didn't they build a new hospital when the member you voted for didn't approve the funding for it , and more example could be said
Still on the topic of the elections, Aggz The Aggressor writes a brief history of democracy in Kuwait:
Many may argue against this post, though I hope it ‘at least’ makes sense to most readers.
We’ve come to realize that democracy in Kuwait is something of a unique experience, especially to those of us that never saw Kuwait in it’s infancy
Away from the elections, Dr Mahbob brings us news of an agreement between the government and Knet (Knet is a national company providing electronic banking services to all the banks in Kuwait) and what he thinks of it.
I think this is big step toward e-payment and I hope hackers don’t show up when the smell chance of stealing money online.
Q8Ba7th writes about his experience going to P2BK2008:
P2BK is a new youth initiative to organize annual forum for small and startup businesses. A healthy and definitely needed concept I say for startups and small business who can’t afford to take place in big expos like Info Connect and others.
And finally Ducatiq8 explains his feelings when he abides by the new law of not using his cell phone while driving:

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


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Kyrgyzstan: Edil Baisalov Appeared · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena reports about the interview with the young liberal politician Edill Baisalov who left Kyrgyzstan last year after a criminal prosecution had been initiated against him.


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Malaysia: Military torture camp? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Susan Loone's blog asks if there is a military torture camp in Malaysia following the release of a two minute video clip which showed military commandos being tortured by their superiors.


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Mozambique: In defense of native languages · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Jorge Saiete [pt] is very disappointed that some people in Mozambique believe that native languages, such as  Xangana, Xitswa, Ndau, Nhugwe, Macua, and Chuabo should be avoided and are often reprimanded and labeled as language of evil. “I think the national languages are our heritage that most deserves to be saved, and the way we can do is passing them (languages) on to our children”.


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Myanmar: Government information website · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

In case you are looking for the Junta's official mouthpiece, visit myanmar.com.


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Myanmar: Media coverage of cyclone · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

New Mandala is shocked to discover that a state-run newspaper in Myanmar reports the impact of the Cyclone Nargis only on page four of the paper


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Pakistan: Vigilante justice · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan on the trend of vigilante justice in the country – with its horrible consequences.


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South Korea: Left Wing Politics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Newcham posts an article reviewing the left wing politics since the general election in April.


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South Korea: Peace Festival  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Seoulidarity blogs about the forthcoming Peace Festival for Conscientious Objection to Military Duty in this weekend.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Hijacked for Water · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“With cutlasses at their necks, truck drivers are being hijacked by desperate villagers to deliver water to certain parts of the country…”: Blogging from Trinidad & Tobago, KnowProSE.com thinks that perhaps the government is “just not speaking the same language as the people around them.”


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Uzbekistan: Beyond Mark Weil · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nick reports about the new BBC documentary dedicated to Mark Weil, the murdered director of the Ilkhom theater in Uzbekistan.


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Myanmar: Citizen videos in Cyclone Nargis’ aftermath · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

On May 2nd, 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar (Burma), generating massive damage and tens of thousands dead or missing. The situation would be considered critical for any country. However, the military government or “junta” has restricted the entrance of aid by requiring all donations to pass through them. The junta has also set up guidelines for journalists on how to report on the cyclone, restricting their communications, particularly on showing dead bodies or reporting about insufficient aid for victims, according to Burma News, a local online news source.
In spite of these restrictions on people carrying cameras and taking pictures, some have gone out to record the extent of the damages. There is anger over the failure of authorities to evacuate the affected villages, even when they were allegedly aware of the impending cyclone and the possible devastation it could cause. The following images, uploaded by YouTube user  aungsayapyi may affect sensitive people: they are very graphic, include dead bodies and should be viewed with discretion and an adult's consent:
YouTube user AfterNargisYgn has been uploading a multi-part series of videos featuring images of the effects of the Cyclone in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, previously known as Rangoon. People removing downed trees, wading through waters and drying up their mattresses, clothing and in general trying to clean up and move on.
YouTube user Burma4u uploaded a video of the aftermath in Latbutta, with Cyclone Nargis’ victims crowded in refugee shelters, trying to sleep as they mull over what will happen to them in the near and far future.
An insightful video about the Burmese people's future has come from myochitmyanmar, another YouTube user who has uploaded a video with some English subtitles, interviewing Laputta survivors and refugees on their current situation: at the refugee camps, on the streets: rice donations and clothing hand-outs for children, private initiatives done without the State Peace and Development Council who governs them. Meanwhile, a picture on Burma News  shows what looks like Red Cross aid, which is supposed to be for Cyclone refugees, being sold on the streets.
The following video, also from   aungsayapyi shows how people are experiencing life in the refugee camps with donations from private donations, and a Military General's arrival, carrying promises instead of clothing, food or water. They proceed to tell refugees that the people who died, died because of bad karma, and that they should consider themselves lucky to be alive. They give some recommendations about grouping themselves according to villages and then leave. It has been subtitled in English for a better understanding of the events:
In the YouTube Blog they've also highlighted the video community's efforts to help Myanmar and provide aid, and they highlight both news networks and private initiatives who are documenting the cyclone and letting the world know what is going on in this small Southeast Asian country. For example, Nightwatcher1982 of the Netherlands has promised that for every video response to his video he gets, he will donate $5 to the Red Cross, and if it's a good video, he'll donate $10:
Global Voices Online has been providing extensive coverage of the disaster, aggregating information from different citizen media sources in the region on what is happening with food aid, water and the refugee situation as death tolls continue to rise. Please don't hesitate to go over to our Special Myanmar Cyclone Coverage page and read the posts that the amazing team of volunteer authors have been writing with translations from Burmese blogs telling first hand accounts of life in Myanmar right now. You can also follow our Myanmar feed on twitter.
There will also be a global blog action day on behalf of the Burmese victims on May 17th, when people are asked to tell others about the crisis in Myanmar, and some are already organizing  fundraisers and events.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Vietnam: Latest bicycle fashion craze · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Magnoy Samsara notes “feather-boa bicycle bandits” have invaded Vietnam's city streets.


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Vietnam: Media versus government · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Freedom Against Censorship Thailand or FACT mentions the confrontation of state-controlled newspapers and the Vietnam government over the arrest of reporters who wrote about a corruption scandal.


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Zimbabwe: E-Cards For Democracy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Online activism using e-cards in Zimbabwe: “Sokwanele will be releasing regular e-card designs in the days leading up to the run-off election, now scheduled for June 27. We’d like to ask everyone around the world to join us and use them to help all Zimbabweans stay fully engaged with their hope and confidence for the future…”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Zimbabwe: Taking your power back · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Taking power back to the people in Zimbabwe: “As Zimbabweans, we also have to start taking our power – from the politicians and unelected ministers and military authorities who are running the country instead of the democratically elected parliament.”


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Argentina: High Speed Train a Bad Idea · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The constuction of a high speed train linking the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires and Rosario and Córdboa is ready to begin at a cost of 4 billion dollars. Fabio M. Baccaglioni provides a lengthy list of reasons why this is a bad idea and will negatively affect many groups. [es]

author: Eduardo Avila


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Armenia: International Day Against Homophobia · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

To mark International Day Against Homophobia, Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts its Unzipped: Gay Armenia List 2008 which recognizes individuals, organizations, media outlets, blogs and events which have worked towards promoting gay rights and equality in Armenia and the Diaspora. The blog, which coincidentally celebrates its first anniversary today, also posts Human Rights Watch's 2008 Homophobia Hall of Shame.


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Armenia: News Roundups · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer rounds up and comments on the news headlines of the week. Not unpredictably, the main topic discussed in the local media was the post-election situation in Armenia although interestingly, the focus is more on the personal conflict between the first two presidents rather than the new elected head of state and his main rival.


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Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Interview · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Krik! Music Corner posts an interview it held with Armenia's entry into the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho, while she was on promotional tour last week. The blog was impressed by the young singer who it says was beautiful, kind and friendly.


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Armenia: Sirusho Eurovision Rehearsal, Opposition Urges Boycott · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer posts video of the first rehearsal by Armenia's entry into next week's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, but also reports that opposition plans to urge a boycott of the young local pop star, Sirusho, continue. Regardless, with interest in Eurovision and Sirusho eclipsing local political frictions, my The Caucasus Knot reports that the 21-year-old is currently one of the favorites to win.


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Belarus: Gay Pride and Other Developments · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A brief update on Belarus – including the recent gay pride parade in Minsk – at Eternal Remont.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Brazil: Brazilian Network of Virtual Memory · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Marcos Palacios [pt] brings the news of a project that aims to automate and make available online collections of all national institutions which have a visual or textual heritage. “The Brazilian Network of Virtual Memory is a project that concerns all of us. And it depends on our support and collaboration to consolidate itself and to become a fundamental point of our culture, in these transition times in which we are privileged to live.”


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Brazil: Making your blog speak tongues · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Tiago Dória [pt] tips bloggers about Der Mundo, a multilingual publishing tool for blogs whose “idea is to follow a hybrid model in which machine and the readers themselves translate”. The Brazilian blogger remarks that besides culture differences, the language barrier is still a conversation stopper in the web.


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Bulgaria: Murder of Georgi Stoev · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Maya of Maya's Corner writes about the murder of writer Georgi Stoev, 35: “In his youth, Stoev was involved in Bulgarian organized crime. […] Later on, he turned his back on mafia and began to write books about it. […] [My husband] usually skips voting, but now every time when Stoev's name is mentioned in the news, says, ‘I will vote next time – and not fot them.’ ‘They’ are today's rulers who transfered their power to the underground world.”


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China: Dealing with Negative Comments · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

China Digital Times has a post on how the Chinese police are using their own forum participants and blog comment makers  to deal with online negative comments. (via Imagethief)

author: Preetam Rai


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China: Right Time to Question · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Many comments said that the whole nation should focus on rescue and put aside criticisms. Garbledtext from Bullog pointed out that it is a right time to question in order to avoid further mistake during the earthquake rescue [zh].


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Diaspora: Armenian-American Homophobia · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Writing on its blog, The Armenian Gay & Lesbian Association of New York reports on a recent anti-homophobic event at a Glendale school and the ensuing battle of words that materialized in the local press between ethnic Armenians living in the United States.


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El Salvador: The Capital City’s Vulnerability to Earthquakes · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Tim Muth links to a report that found the San Salvador, El Salvador is the 7th most vulnerable city to earthquakes and that a 6.0 rated quake could cause 11,500 deaths.