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Rwanda: Remembering the Rwandan Genocide · Global Voices
Etienne Mashuli

April 6, 2011, marked the beginning of the seventeenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. It is a time to reflect on the unforgivable human errors that led to the despicable slaughter of close to a million Rwandans, mostly Tutsis. The horrors of the past are still visible in many layers of the Rwandan society today.
On an official level, this week will be both solemn and somber with very limited commercial activity. The main commemoration ceremony will take place at the stade Amahoro or the Stadium of Peace. Consistent with the Rwandan belief that the name of a person represents their personhood, ‘izina niryo muntu’; the stadium hosted about 12,000 people, mostly Tutsi under the protection of the United Nations during the 1994 genocide.
Unburied bones of victims of the Rwandan genocide at a memorial centre. Image by Flickr user DFID – UK Department for International Development (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
The Rwandan blogosphere also focused on this monumental event. A variety of themes all related to the genocide were discussed.
Kigaliwire blogger took us back seventeen years, exploring the way in which the killings were first reported. In particular, the infamous radio station Muhabura which openly incited the population to kill Tutsis. He reminds us that:
Between July 1993 – July 1994, Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) broadcast from the second floor of this non-descript office building on the corner at 12 Avenue de la Paix in downtown Kigali. The second floor office is now occupied by Gapco Rwanda, a petroleum company. A mobile phone shop operates out of the ground floor and KCB bank have a branch on the first. Seventeen years ago today, on April 6, 1994, the hate speech radio station based out of this building went into overdrive,
Furthermore, he posted a prescient warning written by Lindsay Hilsum , the only foreign correspondent that was in Rwanda at the time. In retrospect, it is painful to think that the world would coldly turn a blind eye.
Writing on April 6 1994, Hilsum had sounded the alarm:
The Rwandan capital of Kigali descended into chaos yesterday as troops, presidential guards and gendarmes swept through the suburbs killing the prime minister, United Nations peacekeepers and scores of civilians.
Gangs of soldiers and youths kidnapped opposition politicians, and killed members of the minority Tutsi tribe, clubbing them to death with batons, hacking them with machetes and knives, or shooting them.”
Blogger Dan Speicher reflects on his personal visit to Rwanda about ten years ago and the horrors that he witnessed:
It’s hard to believe that 10 years ago I was In Rwanda. I had just arrived a few days earlier. Now I was participating in Genocide Memorial Week. While parades and ceremonies went on outside, images of murder and hatred flashed on the every tv screen turned to public channels.
I still vividly recall mass graves. Thousands of bodies dumped into the earth, unceremoniously left to rot. A woman I met, missing part of her skull from the swing of the machete, her husband murdered just a few years before by Hutu militia attacks, was left her fending for her children on her own.
The Rising Continent blog delves into the issue of President Habyarimana’s assassination which many believe sparked the subsequent genocide:
On April 6, 1994, two missiles blew the plane carrying Rwanda’s President Juvenal Habyarimana out of the skies, killing all on board, including the President of Burundi and Rwanda’s army chief of staff.
That attack was surely one of the worst terrorist acts of the 1990s. Think about it! Two African heads of state were killed–President Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi was also in the plane , the fragile peace based on the Arusha accords of 1993 was shattered, war resumed, and masses of people were massacred.
Blogger Olga Bonfiglio raises awareness on the psychological consequences of the genocide. She writes that:
Today, not surprisingly, 100 percent of the people are traumatized by the genocide—survivors and perpetrators alike, according to priests and human service professionals I talked with last November when I visited the country.
Deep pain, guilt, embarrassment for surviving and the urge for retaliation remain in the hearts of many people, said Philippe Ngirente, a social service director.
She adds that the government as well as the church are important stakeholders in building a new Rwanda:
The Kagame government desperately wants this [healing] to happen as it continues to try to stabilize the country through policy and economic development.  Reconstruction abounds in downtown Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.  The effort to appeal to multiculturalism is also apparent in the vast array of Western and Asian restaurants available there.  A massive hotel and conference complex is being built to attract tourists and businesspeople.  English was declared the official language of Rwanda last year.  (Kinyarwanda and French are also the official languages.)
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has become a major player in taking on the task of emotional and spiritual reconstruction in this predominantly Catholic country.  They do it through the reconciliation of genocide survivors and perpetrators.
Democracy Watch blog takes a harder stance on the government of Rwanda. Although the author is impressed by some positive gains during the last seventeen years, she is concerned that the gains are not enough to prevent a repeat of the past. She writes:
Most outsiders fail to recognize the lack of political freedoms and economic inequalities that confront Rwandans who are not members of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The vast majority of Rwandans—Hutu and Tutsi alike—who survived the genocide remain politically marginalized, extremely poor, and in many cases, traumatized by what they have lived through. Daily life for many is characterized by lack of food, clean water, and affordable and proximate health services, while the elite enjoy European coffee houses, wireless internet hotspots, new housing and shopping malls, accessible health care and other services. The gap between urban elites and the rural citizenry – some 90% of Rwandans live in rural areas – has never been larger.
It is this growing socio-economic inequity between the ruling elite and average Rwandans that makes another round of political violence possible.
But the situation is not entirely hopeless and through partnership with the international community, it is possible to build a more sustainable and democratic future. Here is the solution:
In order to maintain the peace, international actors active in Rwanda, and the broader Great Lakes Region of Africa, must push the RPF towards a real democratic opening.
Finally, Lutheran World Federation youth blog reminds the world to stand up in solidarity. They explain how:
This week, the world remembers the devastating genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Around 800,000 people were murdered. Annie Bunio, a young Lutheran from the USA, proposed to friends to wear Purple on Thursday. Purple is a color of grief in Rwanda. This should be a sign of remembrance and call for action against all other genocide and mass murders that are currently happening.

author: Etienne Mashuli


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Singapore: Did Senior Minister ridicule farmers? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Cheong Wing Lee reacts to the report about the alleged comment of Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong about farmers in poor countries having no understanding about quality of life.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Mong Palatino


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Singapore: Open letter to Opposition parties · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Blogger Live.Life from Singapore writes an open letter to Opposition parties which will participate in this year's elections: “To win our hearts you have to offer concrete programs and ways to better Singaporeans’ lives.”


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Singapore: Political website to shut down · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The editorial team of The Temasek Review, a political website in Singapore, has confirmed that the website will soon be closed due to financial difficulties.


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Singapore: Understudy MPs · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Chua Chin Leng blogs about the training of understudy Members of Parliament in Singapore where rookie leaders are ‘understudying’ the job of senior politicians.


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South Korea: Four Students Committed Suicides in KAIST · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Four students at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST), South Korea's one of prestigious universities, have committed suicides this semester, reportedly because of the pressure of competition and KAIST's penalty system which charges students extra fee for underachievement. Net users have filed an online petition[ko] urging the KAIST president to step down.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Southeast Asia: Why ‘exits’ are important for start-ups? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Bernard Leong explains why ‘exits’ are important for start-ups in Southeast Asia. He cites the small number of exits in the region as a reason why venture capitalists are not investing in Southeast Asia.


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Trinidad & Tobago: No Impartiality  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

B.C. Pires suggests that the former head of the Police Service Commission has shown his true colours by “putting out a public call to police officers who feel they are being victimized”, saying: “So. It was ‘an Indian thing’ all along.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Ukraine: “Stalin” Tea Sparks Controversy · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

According to a recent poll [uk], up to 46 percent of Ukrainians feel nostalgic for the USSR, most of them being pensioners, as well as residents of Eastern and Southern regions of the country. At the same time, only 18% of Western Ukrainians and 19 percent of young people share this sentiment.
Such blurred attitudes toward the recent communist past are being eagerly exploited by manufacturers, who have been using Soviet symbols to market their goods for years. Nevertheless, the recent promotion of a domestically-produced tea named after the notorious Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin has sparked a heated discussion among Ukrainian netizens, many of whom felt that this time marketers have overstepped the line.
In February, Dnipropetrovsk city Internet forum user Vtoroy shared several photos of a billboard advertising the “Stalin” tea. He wrote this [ru]:
Впервые вживую вижу наружную полиграфию с изображением Сталина.
Some bloggers, however, pointed out that this brand has been on and off the market for the past three years. When seeing it for the first time in 2008, LJ user sparrow_hawk wrote this [uk]:
спосіб заварювання: на крові. і поміцніше
LJ user bulavec posted a photo of the “Stalin” tea on a store shelf in the Donetsk LJ community and noted [uk] that it was being sold in Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk back in 2009. Around that time, LJ user Tamila Tasheva (tamila_tasheva) from Crimea wrote [uk] that she’d seen the tea in her region as well.
Apparently, this year “Stalin” tea has made a comeback on the Ukrainian market. A few days ago, Facebook user Father Nikanor Skipin shared another photo of a tea-advertising billboard also taken recently in Dnipropetrovsk:
Advertisement of Stalin tea in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. Photo by Nikanor Skipin
Under the photo, he has posted [uk] the following question:
ЯК ВАМ ПОДОБАЄТЬСЯ ТАКА ОСЬ ДУРНЯ ???
User Tykholaz Igor agreed [uk]:
дурня…
User Vlad Pupych wrote [uk]:
боюсь, отруюсь.
User Alina Lukashevich wrote [ru]:
хорошее чувство юмора у производителя))))))))))
User Sergey Bacha also commented [ru]:
Этот чай судя по всему рассчитан на пожилых и очень пожилых людей, вот поэтому портрет Сталина взяли а основу. […]
User Valeriy Kolosyuk replied [uk]:
Моїй бабці 89-ий рік. Не помічав у неї прихильності до Сталіна.
A Facebook user from Belarus, Ales Reznikov, wrote [be]:
беларусау гэтым ня здзiвiш
Sharing an example of Stalin being used for marketing purposes in another post-Soviet country, a Kyiv-based LJ user and photographer boga4 posted a 2010 photo of a bottle of wine taken in a souvenir store in Georgia [Joseph Stalin’s country of birth].
A bottle of Stalin wine at a souvenir store in Georgia. Photo by LJ user boga4
Although in 2007 the former Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko issued a decree banning all symbols and monuments to those responsible for the Holodomor (which would include Soviet leaders), it has hardly been carried through. The attitudes of the current authorities are made obvious by the fact that youth activists held guilty for destroying a monument to Stalin in Zaporizhzhya in 2010 have been prosecuted on charges of terrorism.

author: Tetyana Bohdanova


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Venezuela: Violence in Caracas · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Mirelis Morales Tova [es] reflects on violence in Caracas and asks: “Why? Why have we reached the levels of violence of Colombia and Mexico? Where did we fail? And what can be done? Too many questions, without answers. And in the meantime… do we continue to adapt to live with fear? or do we wait for our turn?”

author: Silvia Viñas


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Video: Checking out the BOBs Video Channel Nominees · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The Deutsche Welle International Blog Awards, known as  The BOBs are one of the most important awards for content producers online. One of their 17 categories is the award for Best Video Channel and today we'll get to know a bit more about the 11 nominees you can vote for.
Yaqoob in Japan is the videoblog of Jacoub Al-Slaise, a Bahraini living in Nagoya, Japan. In his video posts he tells a bit about his cross-cultural experiences: sightseeing and feeding deer in Nara, walking around the city,  flower arranging, sumo and even a guide to having babies in Japan.  This next video [ar] has Yacoob showing us around his apartment:
From Bangladesh comes Unnayan TV, an online TV channel featuring many documentaries on the topics of development, cultural issues, education and human rights. For example, this short piece speaks about rickshaws, explaining their cultural importance and how new legislation is affecting rickshaw pullers’ who now have an even harder time making a decent living. Or this next video, showing how although there are laws and embargoes to products made using child labor, this is still pervasive in Bangladesh:
Stands with a Fist is a nominee from Iran, selected due to the channel's importance during the Green Revolution in Iran. The most watched video of his site is  We are all Majid Tavakoli. After the police detained student leader Maji Tavakoli,  the media showed pictures of him dressed in female garb, the police said he had put on the hijab to be able to escape arrest. Iranian citizens believed that he had been dressed that way to ridicule and discredit him so to show their support they took pictures and made videos of themselves wearing head scarves as well:
Shawn Ahmed of The Uncultured Project has been featured several times here in Global Voices as well: his humanitarian work in Bangladesh has inspired many. Whether it is doing disaster relief with funds raised through online activism, working to get people clean water or helping build schools, his heart is in the right place and his videos help bring the message home. In this next video, he tackles the important subject of “eve teasing” and how this sexual harassment is, in a girl's own words a terrible psychological torture that makes them weak:
Grani.tv [ru] is from Russia, and according to the description on the BOBs’ website it is the place where people get together to see and discuss investigative reports, interviews, human rights issues, opinions from opposition politicians and more. In this video, naturalists try to stop the cutting down of some trees in Moscow:
Isla Presidencial (Presidential Island) is a web series by Venezuelan animators of false news outlet elChiguirebipolar.net, who decided to see what would happen if presidents from different Latin American nations ended up in a deserted island after a presidential summit. The Presidential Island is quite successful not only in Venezuela, but also the rest of Latin America. In the latest episode [es], after fixing a radio they overhear that poverty, debt and other issues in their countries have been eliminated after their disappearance the information gets interrupted by a mayday call from a plane which crashes on the island. They decide to check out the wreckage and later meet with other heads of state who appeared on the island as a time vortex forced them to cross themselves in the past and future… and then we see a mysterious character who may just be the mastermind behind this all.
Lao Hu Miao (Tiger Temple) videoblogs from behind the Firewall of China about life, culture and human rights in China. Citizen journalism, interviews and road trip videos showing the sights around Beijing fill the channel. Like this next video showing the Dongyang Hill Temple:
After the Haiti earthquake lots of media focused on the region, but as the time passed, foreign interest began to wane and advances in the reconstruction of Haiti stopped making the international news. That's where Goudou-Goudou [fr] comes in: with a team of journalists and media specialists they've managed to keep people informed about what is going on in Haiti, and what the situation is like more than 1 year after the Earthquake. For example, this video on Plas Timoun an initiative that is using art to help support the psychological health of kids still living in the tent villages.
L’art, une réponse au cauchemar des enfants… por AsianProjekt
Engage Media focuses on the Asian Pacific region, and curates video content submitted by people in the region who try to bring attention to their issues, concerns and causes. Like this documentary done by an artistic group which is painting murals around Yogyakarta in Indonesia, for example:
Project Germany follows two filmmakers as they travel around Germany and interview people they meet along the way until they reach the 50 interview mark. So far there are 9 interviews on the site, and this is the latest one:
Rodrigo Leitão from Brazil has previous experience as a cultural reporter, and he uses it to his advantage in his YouTube channel where he showcases the lives of Brazilians. In this video [pt] he visits Sebastião Martins Vieira, a pen salesman who has been in business 53 years and who obviously is passionate about what he does as he shares his fountain pen collection and his thoughts:
These are all 11 nominees for the Best of Blogs Video Channel Award: did you like one in particular? Let them know your appreciation by voting for them and getting them closer to winning the audience award. Voting closes on April 11th, and you can cast one vote each 24 hours.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Zhao Lianhai: we will not be silent  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Media Project has translated Chinese activist Zhao Lianhai's video calls for the release of Ai Weiwei and other Chinese dissidents who have been jailed and detained in recent months. Zhao is a victim of the 2008 poisoned milk scandal and has been sentenced to 2.5 years for “provoking social disorder” but was released on medical parole in December 2010.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Bhutan: A Young Actress For Organic Farming · Global Voices
Rezwan

Zoltan Valcsicsak at Volunteering in Bhutan  highlights Kejang D Wangmo, a young Bhutanese actress, singer, dancer and poet, who dedicates herself as a  goodwill ambassador for organic farming in Bhutan.

author: Rezwan


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Brazil: Was the shooting of Ricardo Gama politically motivated? · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

The Brazilian blogger Ricardo Gama, “forceful critic” [pt] of the Governor of Rio de Janeiro state, Sergio Cabral Filho, and the Mayor of the city, Eduardo Paes, as well as “one of the most favorite activists of the blogosphere” [pt] on what concerns abuse of power and other irregularities by the police in Brazil, was shot on Wednesday, March 24.
Marcelo Delfino, from the blog Brasil, um País de Tolos (Brazil, a Fool's Country) reported [pt] the crime:
Ricardo Gama […] foi baleado hoje de  manhã em Copacabana. Levou dois tiros no rosto e um no tórax, disparados  por um homem que o abordou em um carro prata.
A “politically incorrect” blog archive
A controversial blogger, Gama is known for shooting videos with denunciations of the Government and posting them in his blog [pt], gaining admirers and enemies wherever he goes. A few hours before the attack, Gama published two posts criticizing the governors of Rio de Janeiro – “his favorite targets”, as blogger Antônio Mello comments – for the new procedures for disclosure of data about dengue in the city [pt] and for the imprisonment of political activists [pt] during Obama's visit to Brazil (reported by Global Voices).
This is not the first time that Gama has suffered an attack, says [pt] Conceição Oliveira, from the blog Maria Frô:
Ricardo  Gama é aquele blogueiro que ficou famoso por exibir durante a campanha  eleitoral um vídeo em que um adolescente negro cobrava o governador  Sérgio Cabral e era destratado por este.
Em  fevereiro durante a ocupação do Complexo do Alemão o Carro do blogueiro  Ricardo Gama já tinha sido alvejado como ele denuncia aqui.
Ricardo Gama is that blogger who became famous for showing a video during electoral campaign where a black teenager was holding  Governor Sérgio Cabral to task and was insulted by [the Governor].
In February, during the [military] occupation of the Complexo do Alemão [a slum settlement in the north area of Rio de Janeiro] Ricardo Gama's car was shot at as he reveals here.
Concerning this particular attack and its investigation, journalist Antônio Mello shares some troubling information [pt]:
A   polícia ainda não tem pista alguma sobre o autor dos  disparos. Testemunhas afirmam que ele chamou Ricardo pelo nome e este,  quando se virou para ver quem o chamava, foi atingido pelos tiros. Ao  cair, sempre  segundo testemunhas, Ricardo teria repetido algumas vezes “queima de  arquivo, queima de arquivo”.
[…]
Há pouco tempo teve um bate-boca com um policial da Delegacia de Copacabana, por causa do registro de uma ocorrência que o delegado se recusou a fazer. Nome do delegado: Bruno Giladerte, o mesmo que investiga agora  o atentado.
The police doesn't have a clue yet about the shooter. Witnesses say that [the shooter] called Ricardo by name, and he was hit by gunfire as he turned to see who called him. While he was falling, still according to witnesses, Ricardo repeated a few times “file burning, file burning”.
Not long ago he had a quarrel with a police officer from the Copacabana bureau, due to a police report the officer refused to write. Name of the officer: Bruno Gilardete, the same person who now investigates the attack.
While Rio de Janeiro's police works within this context on the claim that Gama's texts may have been the motive for the crime [pt], the blogosphere started wondering about the reasons for the attack.
The writer José Fonte de Santa Ana comments [pt]:
A probabilidade de motivação política paira no ar porque   Ricardo Gama  fazia inúmeras denúncias sobre os descasos da   administração pública (…).
Fernando Peregrino, a former candidate to Rio de Janeiro's government asks [pt] if Gama would have raised political intolerance with his online advocacy:
Que Ricardo Gama é um militante social criativo e audacioso ninguém tem  duvida. Mas será que ele despertou a intolerância política em nossa  terra? […] e o uso de  métodos criminosos para resolver divergências políticas. Ricardo exercia  uma função jornalística destacada, então por que as instituições do  setor não consideram um Atentado à liberdade de Imprensa? Ou elas só  gritam para defender a liberdade de Empresa, e não de Imprensa como um  todo. Será um recado? Podemos todos dormir tranqüilos de que as  instituições de defesa da democracia estão em boas mãos?
The taxi driver and blogger Jorge Schweitzer prefers not to believe [pt] that the crime may have had political motivations:
Descreio  que a  falta de inteligência ou motivação por ódio pelo  blogueiro  tenha levado  algum político a tramar eliminar Ricardo  Gama…Seria  muita burrice…
The blogger Ricardo Gama, printscreen from a video posted by him in the web.
On the day of the attack, Paulo Ricardo Paúl, a professor, colonel and the former Mayor of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro, and also a friend of Ricardo Gama, vented [pt] via Twitter that the “Rio's independent media has suffered an assassination attempt”. Paúl believes [pt] that the crime's “early signs [pointed] an attempt of execution” and he does not discard the possibility of an attack with a political connotation:
É muito cedo para falar em atentado com  conotação política, uma hipótese que não pode ser desprezada, em face de  Ricardo Gama criticar e denunciar diariamente os governos federal,  assim como, o estadual e o municipal do Rio de Janeiro.
Blogosphere Solidarity
For some bloggers, such as Bruno Kazuhiro, from the blog Perspectiva (Perspective), the crime was [pt] “clearly an attack on freedom of speech”.
A few hours after the attack, on Twitter João Carlos Caribé (@caribe) showed [pt] his solidarity:
A blogosfera precisa entender que somos todos Ricardo Gama, estamos todos sujeitos ao mesmo que ele, ou você tem duvida?
"Dont touch the bloggers". A video of the protest on March 30 by coronelprpaulo on Youtube
On the following day, March 25, Fernando Peregrino announced the creation of the movement “Don't touch the bloggers” [pt], aiming to gather “everyone who maintains or reads blogs and now feels affected with the attempt of silencing one of us, the blogger Ricardo Gama!”. The movement had its first “civic-democratic act” one week after the attack, on March 30, despite the restrictions [pt] by Governor Sérgio Cabral.
On the following day, the 31st, Ricardo Gama was discharged from the Hospital Copa D'or where he was hospitalized recovering from surgery. From the hospital he had given an interview [pt] to a national newspaper promising he would start blogging again. Since the 31st of March, the blogger has been publishing almost daily still with visible wounds, and he keeps the promise [pt]:
No mais esse blog em nada mudará, e vamos em frente.
Reporters Without Borders issued a statement demanding “a steady and deep investigation about the attack”. Meanwhile developments in the police investigation are awaited to determine whether this was “one more case of suffering and persecution of bloggers and journalists with sharp critical sense” as AF from the blog Mingau de Aço (Steel porridge) points out [pt].

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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China: Ran Yunfei’s Blogging for Political Change · Global Voices
Andy Yee

The Deutsche Welle International Blog Awards, as GVO writer Filip Stojanovski and Juliana Rincón Parra have written about, is one of the most prestigious awards for online content producers. Organized by German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle, it features 17 categories with winners chosen in two ways – those by the jury and those by Internet users who can vote until April 11.
Ran Yunfei at the 2009 China Blogger Conference. Photo taken by Rebecca MacKinnon and posted to Flickr.
In the Best Blog Chinese category, a number of political writers are nominated. Amongst them are Ran Yunfei, Chang Ping and Yang Hengjun, who have been subject to the latest round of crackdown on free speech and the media in China this year. Leading journalist Chang Ping was forced out of his job at the Southern Media Group in January. Sino-Australian blogger Yang Hengjun mysteriously disappeared for a few days in March, and nearly caused a diplomatic role between China and Australia.
Ran Yunfei has received the harshest treatment. An internet activist, blogger and writer from the Sichuan province, he is known for his advocacy of rule-of-law and democratic reforms. On February 19, he was detained by the authorities and, after five weeks of unacknowledged custody, formally charged with ‘inciting subversion of state power’ on March 28. This is the same crime that China’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo and many other dissidents have been charged with.
A prolific writer and editor, his writings range from current affairs, politics and history to literature. Ran once reflected on why he keeps on writing one blog per day to criticize social wrongs:
一个民主自由制度的建立固然重要乃至是绝顶重要，但把争取民主自由当成自己一生修练，恐怕才使自己不至绝望而崩溃，这也就是我为什么赞赏胡适先生日拱一卒、功不唐捐的原因。即令我的努力没能见着民主自由的实现，也不枉我一生努力过，就像司徒华先生所谓：成功不必在我，成功我在其中。我很欣赏刘宾雁先生的墓志铭：躺在这里的中国人，说了他该说的话，做了他该做的事。
Apart from his daily blog entries, he also tirelessly publishes a weekly selection and critiques of major news and social issues, and a weekly update on the development of civil society and NGOs in China.
Following Ran Yunfei’s custody and arrest, a number of writers in China have voiced their support for him.
Fellow activist writer Yu Jie from Sichuan wrote:
冉云飞的言论，表面上看像鲁迅，骨子里却更接近胡适，即便作怒目金刚状之时，亦遵循“有一分材料，说一分话”的原则。他是以积极自由的方式来捍卫更多人的消极自由，他的文字是清晰的、坚定的、简洁的。在《通往比傻帝国》一书中，他着力批判的便是官方愚民的宣传、教育以及对历史的伪造。他对史料的搜集可谓竭泽而渔，其结论才能如铁板上钉钉，让官方教科书中的那些造假之处昭然若揭。
Xiao Han, professor at the China University of Politics and Law, published an open letter to Ran Yunfei:
十数年间，我读过你很多文章，所喜欢和认同的你，即在你出世地入世。你写过关于庄子的专着，有着自由精神和独立思想的读书人，谁能不喜欢庄子呢？我曾撰文，认为你的言论无论质和量，都堪称当代中国公共知识分子第一人，你的文字，文采与论理并举，激情和理性兼美，倡导者无非公义、情理与善政，反对者无非邪恶与暴政，倘因此而被视为“颠覆国家政权”，那一定是他们自认为代表着邪恶与暴政，是公义和善政之敌。
Wang Yi, a Christian activist and friend of Ran Yunfei, wrote:
据云飞说，1992年后，他停止了写诗。这个国家也在那时，停止了对一场屠杀的追悼。邓小平的南巡讲话，就像漫长的葬礼上，有人干咳了一声，然后一部分人就先笑起来了。越笑，越理直气壮。越笑，越讨厌那些为什么还不笑的人。此后，云飞就从一个言辞稀少的哀歌诗人，变成四川盆地内分贝最高的作家，和一个推崇胡适式的渐进改良的、自由主义知识分子。用阴笑、嘲笑、冷笑和皮笑肉不笑，来抗议一个傻笑的时代。
This is how retired newspaperman and columnist Ceng Boyan described Ran Yunfei as an intellectual:
冉云飞以他前期写诗的诗感，锻炼出那敏感时代的神经，去敏感现时为文，往往快捷得令海内外惊奇，借助互联网的信息，某些刚出现的社会溃败、邪恶或镇痛，很快就在他的博客或推特中反映与评说。却反映得准确，评说得很到位。他的博客，每天一大早就有人等着出炉。在天涯社区未封之前，跟帖长达数百。其日拱一卒之勤奋，引人浩叹。人家闷声发大财时，云飞在放喉吐真话。不爱钱也不爱权的这种说真话的书生，也是自古以来称为知识分子脊梁的，难道60年来你们重拳打断那么多知识分子的脊梁，种也不留一个才放心么。

author: Andy Yee


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Egypt: Debating the Role of the Media in Covering Blogger’s Arrest · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.
On the 31st of March, journalist and blogger Sarah Carr sent the below tweet asking about the status of Maikel Nabil Sanad's military trial. Blogger Nabil was arrested from his home on 28 March, and he is accused of “insulting the army” as well as publishing [Ar] “false news about the army”.
Meanwhile, many users on Twitter accuse the local media of ignoring Nabil's case, and have started to ask the Egyptian ON-TV host (Yosri Fouda) to shed some light on the case. Fouda then decided to elaborate more on his stance.
Carr then decided to debate with Fouda about his role as a TV host.
Other users on Twitter joined the debate.
While others couldn't agree more with Fouda
Fouda then continued to elaborate more on his stance and the role of the media according to his own point of view.
Finally, and away from Yosri Fouda being one of the few TV hosts who have a presence on Twitter, Andre Fares has his own reasons why such heat from Twitter users was directed to Fouda specifically. Fares also clarified that they are criticizing him mainly because they respect him.
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.

author: Tarek Amr


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Egypt: Remembering Bahr El-Baqar Incident · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Forty one years ago, on April 8, 1970, and during the War of Attrition, the Israeli Air Force raided a primary school in the Egyptian village of Bahr el-Baqar, south of Port Said, in the eastern province of Sharqia. Bahr El-Baqar School – a three-classroom school that housed 150 students – was destroyed, about 30 of its students died, over 50 were severely wounded, and many were left with disabilities. And after all those years, Egyptians still remember the massacre.
Zeinobia tweeted a post she wrote a year ago about the massacre.
Users on Twitter shared videos of television documentaries and songs made about the massacre which Ahmed Shalaby quoted and Monica Ibrahim commented on.
Some others decided to compare the Bahr El-Baqar incident to the ongoing air strikes on Gaza. Radwa El-Shami wrote the following note at the end of her most recent blog post.
And finally Sharif added:


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Guatemala: Photos of Lent Processions in Antigua · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Antigua Daily Photo will be publishing one photo per day for one week of Lent processions in Antigua, Guatemala.


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Indonesia: Ministry Orders Removal of Buddha Statue  · Global Voices
Tikno

Indonesia's commitment to promote religious tolerance has been questioned again after the Religious Affairs Ministry ordered a large Buddhist statue in the Tri Ratna Buddhist monastery  in Tanjungbalai, North Sumatra, to be taken down after some ‘hardliners’ in the area complained against its presence.
A few months ago, leaders and members from other churches were attacked by Muslim ‘fanatics’ which led many people to observe that religious minorities are being harassed in Indonesia. Indonesia is the most populated Muslim nation in the world.
The controversial Buddha statue that must be lowered in Tanjungbalai. Source: Website of Buddhism Discussion Forum
The problem in North Sumatra started after a number of people calling themselves GIB / Gerakan Islam Bersatu (United Islamic Movement) began to consider the Buddha statue in Tri Ratna a threat to Islamic faith in the city. They argued that the statue could upstage the city's historical symbol ‘Balai di Ujung Tanduk’ located in front of it. GIB's letter demanding the removal of the statue was published in a Buddhism discussion forum website.
A discussion thread was also created to give support to the appeal of the Buddhist monks to the local government:
Mohon berikan tekanan kpd Walikota Tanjung Balai SUMUT agar mencabut Surat Keputusan ttg Penurunan Patung Budha di Vihara Tri Ratna Tanjung Balai, Sumut.
Various efforts have been made by the monastery and other sympathetic parties to prevent the statue from being removed but the Ministry, in the end, it chose to issue an order against the appeal of the monks.
Blogger EKSPRESI HATI posted the chronology of advocacy efforts undertaken by Veryanto Sitohang, Direktur Eksekutif Aliansi Sumut Bersatu (Executive Director of The Alliance of North Sumatera United). First, the Alliance complained to the Mayor, then they went to the local parliament, and then they proceeded to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, until finally they lobbied in the House of Representatives. But the group failed to get a satisfactory answer. That is why many were surprised to learn that the Ministry eventually decided that the statue should be taken down.
Here are some online reactions: THE INDONESIAN ANTI DISCRIMINATION MOVEMENT issued this statement:
“Negara tidak berhak untuk mengatur apalagi menurunkan perlengkapan apapun yang ada di tempat ibadah. Penurunan patung Buddha di Vihara sudah dapat dikategorikan kekerasan agama yang dilakukan oleh negara. Ini akan menjadi catatan pelanggaran konstitusi dan hak asasi manusia”, demikian ditegaskan oleh Wahyu Effendy, Ketua Umum Gerakan Perjuangan Anti Diskriminasi (GANDI) dalam pernyataan persnya.
Blogger JOEBIGJOE said:
Walaupun agama Buddha dianggap sebagai agama minoritas, tetapi apakah agama yang mayoritas harus menindas yang minoritas? Apakah hanya sebuah patung Buddha saja harus mendapatkan restu dari yang beragama mayoritas? Dan dimana rasa saling menghormati antar beragama di Negara ini?
Colson, a blogger of Pelopor said:
Well, it is Aceh 2011 and  not Afghanistan 2001, it is Shariah “Veranda of Mecca -style” not Taliban, the statue is just another Buddha and not a 1700 years old part of the world´s cultural heritage and  the height is merely 6 meters and not 53. But in both cases the background of  religious intolerance even aggressiveness, self-righteousness, narrow-mindedness and cultural barbarism, backed by the political establishment, are there.
Blogger LAPAK INFO notes that religious pluralism is now dead in Indonesia:
INI ADALAH PERUSAKAN TERHADAP KEBEBASAN BERAGAMA, PLURALISME DAN RUNTUHNYA BHINEKA TUNGGAL IKA
‘Unity in Diversity’ is Indonesia's national motto.

author: Tikno


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Indonesian Netizens Support ‘Dancing Cop’  · Global Voices
Tikno

First police brigadier Norman Kamaru, a young policeman in Gorontalo City in Indonesia is now an internet and media sensation after his dancing video generated more than a million hits on YouTube alone.
In the video, Norman was seen dancing and lip-syncing to the tune of an Indian song Chaiya Chaiya while on duty.
Police authorities who reviewed the video decided to give Norman a mild sanction since he recorded the act while on official duty. But netizens who were entertained by Norman's funny performance were quick to declare their support in blogs and other social media sites.
A discussion thread was created on Kaskus website asking readers if Norman deserves to be punished. The title of the thread is  “Briptu Norman Kamaru pantasnya dihukum atau tidak?” (First Brigadier Norman Kamaru, does he deserve to be punished or not?).
Blogger  Ikada links to various Facebook pages in support of Norman. For example: “1 juta dukungan buat oman kamaru untuk tidak ditindak” (One million support for Norman Kamaru for him not to be punished); “Melepas rasa jenuh bersama Briptu Norman” (Express support for Norman); and “Dukung Briptu Norman Kamaru: BERJOGET ADALAH HAK SETIAP WARGA NEGARA” (Support First Brigadier Norman Kamaru: DANCING IS THE RIGHT OF EVERY CITIZEN).
Norman has already received numerous invitations to appear on television. Despite the mild reprimand that the police will give to Norman, the Chief of the National Police gave Norman the permission to appear in a television show.
Here's an interesting statement from Baby D Library expressing support for the ‘dancing cop’ and urging the authorities to make Norman the ‘friendly police’ icon:
If you appreciate him but still give him sanction to him, it's still not nice. If I were you, I'd rather choose him to be a “friendly police” mascot. He can be the police who is respected and loved by society. He is not a comedian who will disgrace your institution. But Sir, if you are still persistent that police must be stern and disciplined like before, well go ahead. People will still fear you, not respect you.
Syaifuddin added:
Aksi Norman memberi bukti bahwa Polisi ternyata tak segarang seragam yang dikenakannya. Institusi Polri butuh citra lembut seperti itu, dan bila Polri pandai memaintain ini bisa dijadikan pencitraan yang baik bagi Polri.


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Mexico: March Against Violence or Against the Government? · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

This post is part of our special coverage Mexico's Drug War.
On  Wednesday April 6, 2011, thousands of Mexicans in various  cities throughout the country and some abroad, such as New York, Buenos Aires  and Madrid, took to the streets to protest against violence. Some  demanded the resignation of President Felipe Calderón,  as they believe his strategy in the fight against crime and drug  trafficking has exacerbated the bloodshed, according to reports by the  BBC.
The murder of the son of journalist and poet Javier Sicilia [es], which happened in the state of Morelos at the end of March this year, revived a wave of indignation [es] against violence in Mexico and gave rise to the protest marches.
Mexicans protesting against violence in Mexico City's town square. Image by Alberto Millares, copyright Demotix (06/04/11).
Citizens’ reactions quickly appeared in various blogs. Víctor Hernández [es], whose opinion appears in the blog Michoacán en Resistencia (Michoacán in Resistance), celebrated the fact that the marches were  organised by ordinary citizens and were not the result of a media  campaign orchestrated by some political faction:
Le aplaudo a la marcha contra la violencia que se llevará a cabo hoy en diversos estados de la República el ser auténticamente ciudadana. Fue convocada por el escritor Javier Sicilia, pero su organización y difusión la hizo la gente, principalmente de clase media, por medio de redes sociales y sin la ayuda de los medios.
Por primera vez la clase media se organiza para exigir un alto a la violencia sin ser convocados a ser parte de un acto mediático de la derecha. Lo hizo la gente por si misma.
I applaud the fact that the march against violence that will take place today in various states around the country is authentically grass-roots.  It was called for by the writer Javier Sicilia, but it was organised  and publicised by the people, mainly middle-class people, through social  networks and with no help from the media.
For  the first time the middle class is organising itself to demand a stop  to the violence without being called on to be part of a right-wing media  stunt. The people did it for themselves.
Javier Hernández Alpízar [es], for the blog Zapateando2,  reproduced part of the open letter that Sicilia addressed to the  government and the criminals, a document that was released before the  protests. Hernández Alpízar pointed out that:
La carta, que se está convirtiendo en un documento que encarna la indignación de muchos, dice con palabras fuertes y claras lo que muchos ciudadanos ahora también suscriben: “Estamos hasta la madre de ustedes, políticos –y cuando digo políticos no me refiero a ninguno en particular, sino a una buena parte de ustedes, incluyendo a quienes componen los partidos–, porque en sus luchas por el poder han desgarrado el tejido de la nación, porque en medio de esta guerra mal planteada, mal hecha, mal dirigida, de esta guerra que ha puesto al país en estado de emergencia, han sido incapaces –a causa de sus mezquindades, de sus pugnas, de su miserable grilla, de su lucha por el poder– de crear los consensos que la nación necesita para encontrar la unidad sin la cual este país no tendrá salida (…)”.
Journalist and blogger Jenaro Villamil [es] reported that more than 10,000 people marched in Mexico City. For Villamil, the reason for the protest is clear:
Poetizados y politizados, multiclasistas e indignados, más de 10 mil personas marcharon de la explanada de Bellas Artes al Zócalo de la Ciudad de México para protestar por los efectos de la guerra contra el narcotráfico, al mismo tiempo que otros 8 mil ciudadanos, encabezados por el poeta y periodista Javier Sicilia, protestaron en Cuernavaca, el epicentro de esta protesta simultánea, a raíz de la ejecución de 7 jóvenes el pasado 28 de marzo en Temixco, Morelos.
“¡Fuera Calderón! ¡Fuera Calderón!”, gritaron durante su paso los ciudadanos convocados en las últimas 36 horas que se reunieron en un templete improvisado, frente a Palacio Nacional, en el Zócalo de la Ciudad de México. Reclamos similares se escucharon en Monterrey, Mérida, Guadalajara y decenas de ciudades más donde se escuchó el grito de protesta.
Poeticised, politicised and outraged, more than 10 thousand people of all social classes marched from the Palace of Fine Arts to the Town Square of Mexico City to protest against the effects of the war on drug trafficking, while another 8 thousand citizens, lead by the poet and journalist Javier Sicilia, protested in Cuernavaca, the epicentre of this simultaneous protest, sparked by the execution of 7 young people on the 28th of March in Temixco, Morelos.
“Out with Calderón! Out with Calderón!”, was the cry of the citizens who were called together in the last 36 hours and met in an improvised bandstand outside the National Palace in Mexico City’s Town Square. Similar calls were heard in Monterrey, Mérida, Guadalajara and dozens more cities where the cry of protest was heard.
Mexicans protesting against violence in Mexico City's town square. Image by Alberto Millares, copyright Demotix (06/04/11).
Meanwhile, the administrator of the blog México Sí [es] (Yes Mexico) expressed some interesting questions relating to the  marches, while making it known that his view is that the marches are  against crime, not against the government, and wondered about the efficacy  of these mobilisations:
¿Por qué la marcha? ¿Se acaban de dar cuenta de que existe el crimen organizado que ejerce una violencia estúpida contra nosotros? ¿Y cuál es la solución? ¿Salir la sociedad a la calle a comunicar que está en contra de la violencia? Creo que todo eso no sirve de nada, la violencia es ejercida por sicarios carentes de una formación social, tipos sin estudios la mayoría de las veces, drogadictos, alcohólicos, gente deshumanizada para los que asesinar a alguien es como cuando un vendedor hace una venta. Los sicarios son pagados por sus líderes, tipos a los que tampoco les interesa la sociedad excepto para extraernos dinero. Al momento de la marcha los sicarios estaban borrachos o drogados, los capos felices porque habían logrado el impacto que querían, tener atemorizada a la población. Si la gente está asustada, será más fácil extorsionarlos, secuestrarlos y sacarles más dinero.
And the blogger ends his post with an invitation to his readers:
No podemos dejarle la solución total de la inseguridad al estado, debemos involucrarnos y no esperar a que nos maten un hijo para empezar a protestar.
These  are just some of the opinions generated by the simultaneous marches of  April 6 in Mexico. Hence it is clear that there is no consensus on the  reasons for the march, who is being protested against and what will be  achieved. However, it will be interesting to see how the country  confronts the situation of insecurity and social unrest, with a view to  next year’s electoral process in which a new president will be elected  and the people will be able to decide in the ballot boxes, whether to confirm the rule of the party currently in power (which is conservative) or to give their trust to a candidate from some other political camp in the hope that the situation might improve.
This post is part of our special coverage Mexico's Drug War.

author: J. Tadeo


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Nicaragua: Experiences of Online Citizen Participation  · Global Voices
GV Contributor

The web in Nicaragua is increasingly active, with projects for social events or small businesses finding niche markets to serve online. In order to learn a little more about these practices, with the support of the Technology Support Fund [es], I created five videos or episodes for video on the web,  touching on the topics of tourism and the web, the social integration of migrants and people with limited resources, gender and sexual diversity and initiatives from the free software community in Nicaragua.
These videos cover the cases of Vianica.com, Amazing Nicaragua, La Carpio online, the blogs of  Grupo Safo, IDSDH, The Transgender Association, Space for Sexual Diversity, The Feminist Movement of Nicaragua, The Homosexual Community of Nicaragua, the projects Ubuntu Tablets, POSOL, and the events carried out by the Free Software Community in Nicaragua. (All links are in Spanish, except Vianica.com [en].)
The Vianica and Amazing Nicaragua videos show the feasibility of setting up sustainable businesses which can offer services in response to a higher demand for online content, be it from foreigners visiting Nicaragua or from the web-using Nicaraguan population itself.
The case of La Carpio online is relevant because it is the quintessential bi-national Costa Rican-Nicaraguan community and shows how the web can be used to serve as the face of a community which is normally excluded from the mainstream media agenda.
The Sexual Diversity and Free Software groups use facts to show, in different ways, how they organise themselves and work to achieve their aims, molding citizens who are aware that the fight for their rights may take them to hold social, legal, political or economic positions in their social environment.
Vianica.com
Vianica.com started in 2005 with a start-up capital of 1,000 US dollars and is dedicated to offering services to the large number of visitors to Nicaragua who come from abroad.
The site was set up to promote the idea of offering services for tourists and has become a pioneer in showing that a web page can form the basis of a sustainable business in Nicaragua. Vianica.com offers a nationwide hotel reservation service, advice for travellers, events and restaurant listing, services and news, all in English and in Spanish.
Vianica.com advises others thinking of doing same thing to follow clear objectives and dedicate as much time as possible to it.
Amazing Nicaragua
Amazing Nicaragua was set up with the aim of providing a web-based service for the large numbers of people coming to Nicaragua, thanks to its proximity to the United States and the Caribbean.
The site gathers together publicity regarding Nicaragua into one place, including photographs, images from google maps and comments from the users themselves.
Amazing Nicaragua is available on amazingnicaragua.com, twitter, facebook, youtube and foursquare.
Amazing Nicaragua has integrated itself into the Nicaraguan Twitter community, taking part in events such as the recent Twestival [es], held on March 24. The Twestival was a global initiative to mobilise Twitter users to support local causes through fund raising and and social awareness activities.
La Carpio online
This project based in Costa Rica works with the community of La Carpio, the biggest bi-national community of Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans. In this report we see how the site visits the area and turns it into a webspace which is representative of the voices of the community. You can learn more about this community on the webpage La Carpio Online [es], with statistics [es], galleries and information resources about La Carpio.
La Carpio Online is set in the area of the same name, in the town of San Jose in Costa Rica, born of a project by the University of Costa Rica which was aimed at bringing the local population to the attention of society in general.
Thanks to the project the area went from being known as a poor area full of immigrants, to a community of people with their own stories to tell.
La Carpio online has been created as if it were the community itself, with different ‘stops’ which allow the user to journey through the area and learn about its history. People can tell their stories about about the discrimination they have suffered and their struggle to build houses and maintain basic services.
The site can be found at www.lacarpioenlinea.ucr.ac.cr [es]
Gender and Sexual Diversity in the Nicaraguan blogosphere
There are numerous blogs written by NGOs and civil society groups tackling the subject of human rights for sexual diversity from different focuses. Whilst Grupo Safo focuses on the lesbian identity, the Transgender Association supports another focus; wide-ranging organisations such as the Feminist Movement include groups, of different tendencies, from all over the country. (All links in Spanish.)
Recent media debates regarding same sex-marriages have revealed opposing opinions on the subject.
This is a collection of blogs which are promoting opinions about sexual diversity:
The Homosexual Community of Nicaragua:
A site encouraging debates on topics as varied as as sexual diversity – at both the national and international levels, to how sexual diversity should be represented at carnivals and fiestas.
The Transgender Association:
Published for last time in August 2010, this site contains a lot of information regarding the transgender community's reaction to the debate about sexual diversity and same-sex marriages and society in general.
The Space for Sexual Diversity:
This site was founded in 2007 and looks at the subject of relationships between men from a point of view which society in general does not see.
The Feminist Movement of Nicaragua:
This is an organisation with enough economic power to fund media publicity, encouraging public debate. It is able to bring together a number of different groups at a national level who can then work together on campaigns with shared goals.
ISDH: Initiatives from Sexual Diversity for Human Rights
A politically-oriented site fighting against the law making homosexuality illegal and informing people about forthcoming demonstrations and marches on subjects such as HIV and AIDS and campaigning against homophobia.
Grupo SAFO:
This website promotes the image of lesbian women. The site brings together a collection of documents and articles about the work they do.
These groups are militant, active, organised, with country-wide structures and political aims.
Projects by the Free Software Community in Nicaragua
One of the groups which makes most intensive use of the web and new technologies is the free software community in Nicaragua. Due to the technological nature of its initiatives, this group is always using new methods of communication, such as social networks – like Twitter, Identi.ca, Facebook – the production of multimedia for radio or for video [es], mass conferences in universities and events organised at a regional level but with international recognition.
They coordinate activities and training through the Linux Tour [es] portal and thanks to a Wiki-format website, which allows users to correct, edit and add information in an open and collective way.
Ubuntu Tablets is a series of 3 minutes tutorials on how to use Ubuntu and related applications and is free for Linux users. The Community for Free Software has organised a number of successful events, including festivals and conferences. In 2012 Nicaragua will host DebConf12 – one of the most important conferences on Linux software in the world.
The study “Free Software in Nicaragua: an expression of collective action?” covers topics such as protecting author's rights and patents.
The study “Free Software in Nicaragua: an expression of collective action?” [es] by Rodrigo Rodríguez sums up many of the social characteristics of this group and is a point of reference on this topic.
We offer our congratulations to the current organisers of Debconf12 — a conference for developers — for making Nicaragua the venue of such an important event.
These videos and reports were made with with the support of the Technology Support Fund [es],  headed by the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation [es].

author: GV Contributor


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Nigeria: Tweeting Parliamentary Election 2011 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

This post is part of our special coverage Nigeria Elections 2011.
Using the hashtag #NigeriaDecides, Nigerians online talk about today's parliamentary elections that was originally scheduled to be held on 2 April, 2001.
@dejigbenro:
Voting comences, turn out is impresive. #Nigeriadecides http://plixi.com/p/90828803
@llyotowo:
Voting has commenced! The excitement is palpable! Larger number of women voters! #girlpower ! #Nigeriadecides
@oluwafemipitan:
A guys walks down my street ringing a bell & announcing that voting has commenced. The people have truly awoken! #NigeriaDecides
Newspaper vendor outside a polling station during the 2011 elections in Nigeria. Image by Flickr user ComSec (CC BY-NC 2.0).
@madayo:
Naija culture in action: At my polling station, the eldest voters were allowed to cut the line http://twitpic.com/4ioz1k #nigeriadecides
@MsChika411:
They have hijacked the materials in Owerri Municipal and only allowing PDP people in the INEC office cc:@inecnigeria #nigeriadecides
@purefoyCNN:
Reports of ballot boxes being stolen and young men shooting in air at Ughelli, Delta #Nigeriadecides http://tumblr.com/x7f21tjyg9
@aaramz:
The bomb detonated at Maidokiri polling unit. #NigeriaDecides
@4eyedmonk:
60 voters turned up out of 800 on the register for accreditation at Idowu Martins, VI – Eye witness report #NigeriaDecides
@Tomi_Oladipo:
Just got to Lekki. Lots of drama because voters name are still not on the list #NigeriaDecides
@tutite4life:
#nigeriadecides out of 786 that registered at unit 10 ward 12 ibadan north only 60 were accredited to vote. This is ridiculous in nigeria
@arhyell:
#NigeriaDecides- I ask that the whole world Prays 4 this country- we need Good Leaders, we need a transformation, we need one Nigeria #sobs
@aikayboy:
According to @inecnigeria voting lines should be formed in 30 mins, but accreditation still goes on in a lot of centres. #NigeriaDecides
@odemo:
In malsandari area of Borno… 50 of the 100 presiding officers still awaiting ballot papers to get to them since 8am…#nigeriadecides
@MsChika411:
They have hijacked the materials in Owerri Municipal and only allowing PDP people in the INEC office cc:@inecnigeria
@JideAboderin:
My PU in Alhaji Jimoh Str. off Adeniyi Jones. 334 people registered to Vote but only 48 came out to be accredited and vote. #NigeriaDecides
@AyoBankole:
Long queue as elderly,pregnant&YOUTHs wait under umbrellas in d sun to effect change #NigeriaDecides #iamLagos http://plixi.com/p/90834277
@akinwalexy:
Policeman at this polling station looks bored. Rather be at a checkpoint it seems. #NigeriaDecides
@dejigbenro:
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo casting his vote. #Nigeriadecides http://plixi.com/p/90833904
This post is part of our special coverage Nigeria Elections 2011.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Peru Prepares for the 2011 Presidential Elections · Global Voices
Isabel Guerra

With the country's presidential candidates celebrating their last campaign meetings [es] on April 7, 2011, the Peruvian electoral process entered into its final resting state until this Sunday, April 10, when more than 17 million Peruvians  [es] will elect their president for 2011-2016, along with 130 congress members (members of Parliament).
According to recent surveys taken up until last week, the current legislation anticipated that only five of the eleven presidential candidates [es] had the possibility of passing to the second round or ballot: ex-militarist Ollanta Humala Tasso (Gana Perú), Keiko Fujimori (Fuerza 2011), daughter of ex-President Alberto Fujimori, Pedro Pablo Kuzcinsky (Alianza Por El Gran Cambio [es]), ex-Minister of the Economy in the government, along with the option of Alejandro Toledo (Perú Posible), and ex-Mayor of Lima, Luis Castañeda Lossio (Solidaridad Nacional).
President of the Congress of Peru, César Zumaeta Flores, voting in the previous municipal elections. Image by Flickr user Congreso de la República (CC BY 2.0).
The campaign has been long, multifarious, controversial and very harshly disputed. This week, in accordance with the latest surveys spread abroad (Peruvian law prohibits publishing them [es] in the local media the week before the elections), the two leading candidates would be Ollanta Humala (31.9%) and Keiko Fujimori (22.3%), numbers that, according to Reuters, come from the Peruvian poll, Datum.
Polls from CPI and Ipsos Apoyo, cited the day before by the same agency, gave 28% to Humala and 21.4% to Fujimori.
In this campaign, the preference percentages have come close to a technical tie at times, shown in a marked auto-generated chart/dispersion of votes, a phenomenon that an Ipsos Apoyo study has interpreted statistically and blog GranComboClub [es] cites:
El votante medio está al centro. A la derecha hay hartos, pero a la izquierda sólo hay uno: (…) No es de sorprender que Humala acabe de puntero y los otros acaben  corriendo unas “elecciones primarias” a ver quién compite con Humala.
Ipsos Apoyo poll. Published in the blog GranComboClub.
Ewing Jesús Falla Arévalo explains his point of view in his blog, NauseaPolitica [es]:
Al parecer Humala esta focalizando de una forma alarmante el descontento  de la población que se siente excluida frente a un sistema que  beneficia a unos pocos en desmedro de miles de ciudadanos. Lo más llamativo viene a ser la incapacidad de los demás candidatos para  capitalizar este descontento y ofrecer alternativas que permitan a  estos peruanos hacer escuchar su voz.
Blog Artureando [es] comments:
Se  intenta “alertar” a los electores de la inconveniencia de votar por   Ollanta para los intereses del país y de todos los peruanos porque nos   haría retroceder  a años de  barbarie y de dictadura al estilo de Chávez   en Venezuela, de Castro en Cuba, etc. Sin embargo, es evidente que es   una campaña que no está dando resultados.
Blog Profesor Mario Ceroni [es] expresses the unease of the Peruvians that do not feel comfortable voting for any of these five candidates:
Voto  en blanco ya que no quiero tener cargo de conciencia de haber elegido a  un incompetente, irresponsable, mentiroso (…) El  voto por el menos malo es uno de los argumentos que, a primera vista,  tiene sentido pero tras un profundo análisis no es razonable. Uno tiene  tres opciones; votar por alguien, votar en blanco y votar viciado si  desconfía de los miembros de mesa y personeros. Todas son opciones  validas. Si no crees en ningún candidato ¿por qué otros te van a obligar a votar por uno de ellos?
Blog Apuntes Peruanos [es] reminds us that Peruvians are electing not only the president, but congress members as well:
EL DEBATE [de los candidatos] sin embargo no aclara las cosas en donde deberían estar todos los ojos : en la representación congresal. Las influencias y los intereses de varios niveles se plasman ahí.
On the other hand, this electoral campaign has been characterized by the preeminence of personal marketing over the presentation of proposals, as a resource for differentiating oneself from the rest of the contenders. As such, the five primary candidates have turned to the diverse social networks as an additional platform to dispute the voters’ preferences. This has originated heated posts, debates and confrontations among Peruvian internet users, who continue disputing the convenience or inconvenience (and speculating the possible positive and negative consequences) of one or another elected candidate.
Eddy Higa [es] expresses the disenchantment and skepticism of many Peruvians:
Keiko, Toledo, Humala, Ppk……. harto de los politicos ladrones de siempre, por que no juntaron el dinero que utilizaron en sus campañas para darselos a los pobres??? minimo entre los 5 mas populares 40 millones de soles, es que tanto piensan robar cuando salgan elegidos?? su ptm!!! politicos de m***a……
Teresa Romero (@tedicha) [es] affirms:
Con Humala tendremos un gobierno como el de Chávez: abuso de poder, mordaza, saqueo, pobreza. ¡¡CAE, CAE HUMALA!! ¡¡CAE, CAE HUMALA!!
@Giselle More [es] agrees:
Creo q debería existir un fuerte contra keiko-humala… Todos contra dictaduras!
Manuel Pérez (@m_perezg) [es] expresses his opinion that,
Si gana Humala o Keiko el Perú se dividirá: Todos perderemos. El conflicto social escalará inevitablemente.
But Humala and Fujimori have supporters; although these are not viewed often in the social networks, it is not in vain that their candidates are first in the polls. Carlos Puelles (@Barnicito) [es] tweets:
Bueno, zafo a clases, regreso temprano para seguir cagandome de risa de como se orinan de miedo con Humala :D
Others go even further to express their support for Humala, as Manuel Santillana (@nocorruptosdm) [es], and Carlos A. Quiroz (@_Peruanista) shows optimism before Humala's rise in polls:
Si “encuestadoras” de Lima le dan 32% a #Ollanta Humala, considero MUY probable que este mas arriba #eleccionesPeru en 1ra vuelta! #GanaPeru
Carlos (@Carlosgr1) [es] affirms:
Si gana Toledo o PPK es lo mismo y si gana Keiko también.  Si gana Castañeda se cambiará algo, y si gana Humala sí habrá un cambio
But for Kuczynski's supporters, known as “PPK,” his candidacy continues to be disputed. Giovanni Vítor [es] declares:
Si Toledo no ha sido capaz de sostener su caida de casi 30% a 15% hoy, creen que será capaz de derrotar a Humala en una segunda vuelta? No! por eso hay que votar seguro y hacerlo por PPK! El ha sido capaz de subir de 5% a casi 20% en menos de 3 meses y posicionarse entre el 2do y 3er lugar… y sigue subiendo! Sube Sube PPK!
Reiner Silva (@_reiner_) [es] comments:
Votemos por PPK!! A Toledo se le volteo la torta, se va a 5to lugar :) PPK tienes que ser presidente!!
But Toledo's supporters, like Chalres Rodriguez (@Chajles) [es] have not thrown in the towel just yet:
And with their desire to stay informed, Peruvians have found ingenious ways of making fun of the ban on publishing or spreading polls, including on social networks, using Twitter primarily [es]; one of the ways is posting messages references the candidates as though they were menu dishes, and alluding to their ethnic origins, as Patricia Lúcar (@patricialucar) does, for example:
No siempre lo + caro es mejor> Rancho [refrigerio que se le da en los cuarteles a la tropa: Humala]: S/.28 (.10 US$), Minpao [una especie de pan al vapor que venden en restaurantes chinos:  Keiko]:S/.21 (.08 US$), Combo KFC [Kuzcinsky]: S/.18 (.06 US$), Quinua [Toledo]: S/.18 (.06 US$), Pan con soledad [o pan solo: Castañeda]: S/.10 (.04 US$) Encuesta A Pollo c/Papas
Peruvians wait the true exit poll this Sunday, April 10, whose results, whatever they may be, undoubtedly will not leave any citizen feeling indifferent.

author: Isabel Guerra


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Russia: “Political Schizophrenia” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A Good Treaty writes about “Russia’s bastard democracy” – which “drives most anyone to a sort of civic manic depression” – and journalist Oleg Kashin's political “mood swings.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Singapore: Debate on ‘Pampered’ Soldiers · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Are Singapore soldiers ready for battle? This is one of the many questions raised by netizens who are reacting to the photo of a young serviceman whose backpack is being carried by someone believed to be their family domestic helper.
The photo was first uploaded on Facebook and immediately caught the attention of the media. The serviceman has since then expressed his remorse over his behavior and is now being counselled.
Senang Diri points out that the photo confirms the perception that Singapore soldiers are ‘spoilt softies’:
(The picture) sums up what the SAF’s detractors have long argued and what local authorities have taken pains to correct – that Singapore’s national servicemen are soft city boys. Spoilt softies, pampered by mummy and daddy, fussed over by a domestic helper, unfit for battle, potential liabilities in combat clearly not up to the mark for the rigours of warfare. You don’t need a picture caption to figure this out, do you?
rogerpoh blames parents for the poor discipline of Singapore children:
The root of the problem in part lies in the poor school discipline prevailing in our schools. A soft approach to discipline in our schools is breeding generations of spoilt and ill-disciplined students seconded by their parents.
Loh and Behold drafts this satirical letter to illustrate his point:
Our dearest Wussy darling,
You are famous!
Your picture is everywhere!
And our entire nation is waiting with bated breath for you to turn around and show your face but son, daddy and mummy suggest that you press on and proceed without flinching.
Keep those losers guessing son, and don’t you ever dare carry your own backpack!
For your future is bright, dear Wussy, and daddy and mummy, for your own sake, cannot bear to see you get hurt or injured by such trivial, menial tasks as carrying your own backpack, loaded full with fortifying goodness like ginseng, bak kwa, chicken essence and several cans of abalone for your midnight snack. (The can opener is in the side pocket on the left, darling son.)
Mr. Brown urges the public not to be “too harsh” on the boy:
I think we should not be too harsh on the boy. He is, after all, doing what Singapore likes to do: getting foreigners to do work that we don't want to do ourselves.
Want some tau huay? also blames bad parenting but also asks why 18 year old Singaporeans are considered mature enough to hold a rifle but too young to vote:
Yes, the boy is in the wrong in asking the maid to hold his field pack, but the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the parents.
The argument is that since 18 year olds are already taught to hold a rifle (18 is the age where Singaporean males are conscripted), why can’t they have a say in Singapore’s politics? I hold firm to this argument. But pictures like those above doesn’t help people like me in our quest for the voting the age to be reduced.
Singapore Kopi Tok believes that the soldier’s photo damaged the image of the army:
This soldier has done the SAF a disservice. It may be only one case, but it has damaged the reputation of the service, and all others who don the uniform with pride.
To all serving SAF national servicemen. Carry your own field pack and polish your own boots; a soldier’s pride demands no less.
Vicky's Writings thinks the boy belongs to the generation of schoolchildren who grew up with maids carrying their school bags:
He is probably one of the thousands of boys and girls who had grown up having their maids carry their school bags. I had written in my blog here before, of a boy in my neighbourhood whose maid had to carry his school bag from his house to the school bus waiting at the gate, barely 10m away. (Shake my head as I recall.
My boys are due for enlistment next year. I showed them the news and they were adamant that we are making a mountain out of a molehill. What’s wrong with that? Adults like to complaint about every little things we do.

author: Mong Palatino


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Angola: Monitoring the Use of the Internet · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

A “storm of criticism” has been raised in Angola following the discussion of a draft law on computer crime, says Mukelani Dimba, expert on right to information in Africa. Dozens of cybernauts have commented an interview [pt] where Mihaela Webba, lawyer and professor, clarifies the scope of the bill and says it is unconstitutional concerning privacy rights.

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Egypt: “Cleansing Friday” in Tahrir Square Reboots the Revolution · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.
For the tenth week in a row since the Egyptian revolution began in  January 25, 2011, Cairo's people took to downtown Tahrir square in large numbers to peacefully  demonstrate against corrupt officials remaining in power and to show solidarity to Arab uprisings.
“Cleansing Friday” in Tahrir Square was livetweeted by many citizen and professional journalists alike, in  English and Arabic, as has  been the case with every demonstration since the beginning of the Egyptian  revolution. As in previous instances of this photogenic revolution, a torrent of photos of the Friday rally were posted on various online services.
Vantage points on the revolution
Jubilance was the order of the day in Tahrir square once again, as the  weekly Friday protests in Tahrir provide revolutionaries with  opportunities to catch up, reminisce and demand. Deena Adel summed up the mood early on in a popular call to action on Twitter:
@deena_adel: On weekdays, we work on fixing our economy. But on weekends, we work on achieving democracy. Head to #tahrir today and demand your rights.
and later boasted playfully from on high:
Can I show off for a sec? Me with hundreds of thousands of #Egyptians in #tahrir. #PROUD (Ignore the hair)
Lilian Wagdy roamed the streets, posting a photoset of the protests on Flickr and an overhead video on YouTube, while reporting on Twitter throughout the day and evening:
"People are flocking from everywhere to #Tahrir Sq" – Photo by Lilian Wagdy on Flickr, licensed as CC-BY
Al Jazeera correspondent Adam Makary and others also had a bird's eye view of the packed square throughout the day:
"The call to prayer sounds off over Tahrir, the square is packed as you can see" – Photo by Adam Makary on Yfrog
While freelance journalist Lauren Bohn, having recently returned from Syria where she posted street reports from the nascent uprising, looked to the sky:
"Happy Friday from Tahrir" – Photo by Lauren Bohn on Twitpic
Tarek Shalaby, proprietor of the Freedom Motel (Bansyon el Horreya) in Tahrir Square during the revolution – pictured here with co-proprietor Waleed Fateem – had some catching up to do with the revolution after returning from a solidarity trip to Libya:
"This is catching up with some of the 18 days" – Photo by Tarek Shalaby on Twitpic
Tahrir “veteran” Mosa'ab Elshamy -whose Twitter bio reads “I revolted and overthrew a dictator”- also uploaded photosets on Flickr, as well as a video of the celebrations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zagbEVoBnEU
While photojournalist Hossam Hamalawy uploaded videos on YouTube of former political prisoners protesting against military tribunals and military factory workers demanding free unions.
Fear was broken long ago in Tahrir; the realization is still thrilling to revolutionaries:
@norashalaby: I love seeing protesters climb onto that police kiosk that has been on  the university bridge 4 so long intimidating anyone who dared pass by
But not all memories of the revolution were joyous:
@NadiaE: Certain parts of downtown Cairo have very painful memories for me since the revolution #jan25
Absences
Tahrir hasn't forgotten Mohamed Bouazizi and Khaled Said, the two youths whose deaths ignited the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions:
@mosaaberizing: Books about Tunisian & Egyptian revolutions and their inspiration, Bouazizi & Khaled Saeed, sold in Tahrir.
Books about Tunisian & Egyptian revolutions and their inspirations – Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy on Twitpic
As many young Egyptian revolutionaries have become the toast of activists and the press worldwide, not all of them were able to join the protest this time. Fearless activist Mona Seif, who phoned impassioned reports to Al Jazeera English during Mubarak's final days in power, tweeted as she was leaving on a short trip:
@monasosh: Heading to the airport. Lonely quick trip to Berlin and back in 48 hrs.  Can't believe I am missing tomorrow. 1st Friday I miss since #Jan25
Gigi Ibrahim, iconic firebrand and “face of the revolution“, on a worldwide tour of the lecture circuit, pined for Tahrir from Boulder, Colorado:
@GSquare86: #Tahrir looks so amazing ..i sooo wanna be there right now :( ,,go Egypt!
Arab and interfaith solidarity
A strong interfaith solidarity theme, evident since the beginning of the revolution, but also for other Arab uprisings, ran through the protest:
@adamakary: The sound of the congregation in #tahrir chanting ‘ya allah’ ‘amen’ all in unison is simply indescribable.
@ianlee: Tahrir is more like revolution square. There are flags waving from almost every Arab country in revolt #egypt
@obeidanahas: Just in from #Tahrir Square in #Cairo, #Egypt: banners and slogans supporting #Syria uprising
@3arabawy: wow someone on the mic is chanting for African brotherhood and solidarity. You don't hear that often except in football
The Syrian flag for the first time in Tahrir #Solidarity – Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy on Twitpic
The feeling of solidarity to Palestine, especially, was strong. Crowds gathered in front of the Israeli embassy for the first time, protesting privileged gas exports to Israel and the ongoing military assault on Gaza, which has resulted in 14 reported deaths, in response to an alleged Hamas missile strike on a school bus.
@alla: yaaay protest in front of israeli embassy in cairo, this used to be almost impossible to do during mubarak's era #Jan25 #Gaza
@mosaaberizing: Seeing more Palestinian flags than ever before, after recent Israeli attacks on Gaza. Protesters demand uplifting the siege. #Tahrir
@sandmonkey: Dear Israeli government, not the best time to attack ghaza. There are now huge demos heading the way of ur cairo embassy. #jan25
@tarekshalaby: I don't see the point in burning the  #Israel flag. It's much more powerful to chant for Arab solidarity and demand the removal of embassy
Tons of Palestinian flags in Tahrir square – Photo by Mohamed A. Hamama on Twitpic
The army enigma continues
Anger at the army -especially it's leader, Field Marshall Tantawi- for banning protests, failing to arrest Mubarak and   investigate the torture of activists and forced virginity tests was a   major theme of the demonstration. Despite a strict ban, soldiers also joined the protests, and were protected by the crowd, reaffirming the undercurrent of solidarity of parts of the army with the people.
@adamakary: Several red & white banners in #tahrir, questioning the army's loyalty to the revolution
@LaraGibaly: First time I hear chants against tantawi 2day,stark change from last firday when ppl said they just wanted military to work faster #tahrir
@ianinegypt: 3 soldiers in uniform moving towards platform in Tahrir, defying an order for soldiers not to be here. #Egypt
@mand0z: Army officers in #Tahrir demanding the removal of corruption within the army. Protected by lines of civilians.
@mar3e: I,m crying, these officers are so great,need to return back to home but couldn,t leave them alone
@ianinegypt: Protesters chased away the military police after they tried to arrest those soldiers who joined the protest in Tahrir. #egypt
@ianinegypt:  The situation in Tahrir is tense as protesters say they are going to  stay to protect the soldiers who joined them today. #Egypt
@mosaaberizing: Mixed emotions about the army soldiers who joined the protests today;  very proud of their courage, yet deeply terrified for their fate.
Army people on podium at Tahrir – Photo by Amr El Beleidy on Twitpic
Symbols of lingering corruption
Deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak, reportedly still in the country, underwent mock trials, as protesters boasted they would march to his residence in Sharm al-Sheikh and bring him to justice if the army and judges would not:
@mosaaberizing: A figurative trial of Mubarak, his family & his men is underway.  First witness was Khaled Saeed (RIP). Everyone chanted “We're all  Khaled!”.
@adamakary: Just met Khalid Saeed's mom, a very symbolic figure to Egypt's revolution, she too wants Mubarak to stand trial #jan25 #april8 #tahrir
@3arabawy: chants against the public prosecutor from the main stage in #Tahrir
@yasserseif: #Tahrir today in a nutshell: “Get Mubarak back to Cairo for trial, otherwise we'll go get him ourselves from Sharm.” #Jan25
A Mubarak puppet in prison attire and Mubarak stand-ins behind prison bars were among the attractions of the day:
Mubarak puppet in prison orange – Photo by Lubna Olama on Yfrog
Mubarak behind bars in #tahrir square – Photo by Lara El Gibaly on Yfrog
The “tree of corruption”, mounted by a precariously perched lumberjack, symbolized the difficult struggle ahead for the revolutionaries:
The best piece of art at Tahrir today: Corruption Tree – Photo by Yasser Seif on Yfrog
Tahrir spirit rebooted
The Arabist, who also uploaded a Flickr photoset of the protests, summed up the pulse of this particular Tahrir Friday:
@arabist: Just got back from packed #Tahrir Sq. Very different crowd: larger, poorer, more religious. But still same anger with army, esp. Tantawi.
and Lilian Wagdy produced yet another ringing endorsement of Twitter as an activism platform:
@lilianwagdy: There is no denying that twitter has taken the concept of Citizen Journalism to a whole new level. #Egypt #Tahrir #Jan25 #Apr8
As night wore on, the demonstration wove it's way back to the square and a tense overnight sit-in looked to be in the works. Perhaps for the first time since Mubarak's ouster, it looked like the spirit of Tahrir had fully returned to it's birthplace.
@deena_adel: #tahrir at this hour is a lot like a carnival. Lots of food vendors. Tens of  thousands still here, but not nearly as crowded as earlier.
@occupiedcairo: And the enthusiastic street sweeping has started #jan25
@ianinegypt: A wedding party just entered Tahrir Square. Ha, not your typical night. #egypt
@lilianwagdy: What I love most about #Tahrir today was how cosmopolitan it was: a true melting pot it was :))
@deena_adel: Just spoke to a couple of people in #tahrir who plan on spending the night. They said lots of people are spending the night too.
@AmrBassiouny: people in #tahrir setting up barricades for the night. Two buses full of military police hidden nearby. #jan25 #egypt
@estr4ng3d: I hope #tahrir makes it safely through the night.
Tahrir at night. Youth cleaning the square after a long day – Photo by Lilian Wagdy on Twitpic
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.

author: Asteris Masouras


text:
Egypt: Crackdown on Tahrir After “Cleansing Friday” · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.
Tahrir Square was the scene of a brutal crackdown on the night of the biggest protest  since Mubarak's ousting, which seemed to have revived the spirit of the revolution, harking back to some of the darkest Friday nights of the country's 18 days of protest.
The situation already looked tense, as a clump of several thousand protesters were digging in for an overnight sit-in around several army officers who had denounced the military council, after unprecedented demonstrations in front of the Israeli embassy had taken place earlier in the day.
Abdelrahman Hassan made a furtive wish, but it wasn't meant to be:
@estr4ng3d: I hope #tahrir makes it safely through the night.
Armed crackdown during the night
Security forces began deploying around the sit-in, completely surrounding the protesters. An armed assault took place at about 3:30am, clearing the square under heavy gunfire:
This street level YouTube video from Amr Bassiouny was reportedly taken right before the ring of troops attacked protesters:
@AmrBassiouny: Military and amn markazy sorrounding the area. Getting very tense. #Tahrir
@AmrBassiouny: #tahrir garden is completely sorrounded by heavily armed troops
The assault that followed was recorded in a series of long range overhead videos of the eerily lit Tahrir Square, uploaded promptly to YouTube by user Kikhote. The following video shows security forces assaulting protesters and taking down the tent that had reportedly housed the soldiers who had joined them. Continuous gunfire is audible:
@hambaka: Riot Police attacking us with tasers to disperse the people.. #tahrir http://plixi.com/p/90698768
@Linaattalah: Heard shots over phone with @ahmadshokr . seems intense and continuous. #tahrir
@meshelmay: gunfire just below my window — back in the bathroom. hiding.
@meshelmay:  Kitchen vantage point: military has completely encircled Tahrir Square.   Can hear protesters in the distance. Ugh & now, more gunfire..
@meshelmay: riot police marching chanting Allahu Akbar.
Jan25 Voices, a phone-to-tweet service set up during the shortlived Internet blackout, was put in use again, as a caller described the assault by the security forces:
@jan25voices:  LPC: We had joined hands saying ‘we are one’ to protect the army officers who were protesting with us in #Tahrir #Egypt
@jan25voices: LPC #Tahrir: Security forces came from near Cairo museum. Shots fired into the air.
@jan25voices: LPC: The army captured the soldiers who were protesting with us in #Tahrir and have taken them. There were injuries. #Egypt #Jan25
Confusion reigned as to whether the army officers that had joined protesters, ostensibly the target of the operation, managed to escape. This YouTube video by user sawrasilmeya reportedly shows  injured and officers being smuggled out in Talaat Harb, 10′ after the shooting started:
@AmrBassiouny: they cleared us out. Pro #jan25 officers escaped safely. Still lots of shooting #tahrir
@AmrBassiouny: Maybe some officers were arrested, but i saw at least 7 out to safety.
Protesters were chased by the security forces in streets around the square. Some managed to regroup temporarily:
@LeilZahra:  Most people don't know where to go, it is curfew. Total chaos. But  spirit of solidarity is amazing. People still chanting #tahrir
@LeilZahra: Gathering again, people still in the square. Soldiers still shooting heavily. This is a war zone #tahrir #jan25
@AhmedMorsy07: in talaat harb st and the #army chasing us and blocking some exitx #tahrir #egypt #jan25 #april8
This video by Kikhote reportedly corresponds to the Talaat Harb Street sweep:
YouTube user EgyptKingofarab posted a low resolution overhead video reportedly showing a protester being beaten by security forces after being shot.
Photographer David Degner braved the streets and returned with a gripping photoset of the clashes and a chilling sound recording of the heavy gunfire.
The assault continued with heavy gunfire ringing in the square and surrounding streets well after curfew was over, as harried protesters desperately sought shelter:
@ahmadshokr: After 45 minutes, heavy shooting in #tahrir has eased, but sporadic shots still being fired
@lilianwagdy: Pic of #Tahrir now. Almost empty  http://twitpic.com/4iitzo
@Rana_Elnahal: Didn't they disperse the protest why the hell are chasing after protesters and shooting fire! #EgyArmy #Tahrir
@degner: Protesters hiding in alleys, two on cell phones, two in the midst of prayer.  Gunfire and screams continue. #Tahrir
@ianinegypt: Curfew is technically over but the battle still rages. Cairo once again sounds like a war zone. #Egypt
@lilianwagdy: Made sure that all my friends are safe. Will attempt to get some sleep tomorrow is a big day
Gunfire was still audible as the day dawned, as is evident in this video by Kikhote:
The morning after
The aftermath of the battle found Tahrir Square in disarray, reminiscent of darker days:
Burned out truck in Tahrir. Situation is tense – Photo by Ian Lee on Yfrog
@ianinegypt: Tahrir resembles the revolution. Rocks are everywhere and protesters own the square. #egypt
@mosaaberizing:  Barbed wires and barricades have been set in all entrances of the  square, no cars allowed in. Haven't seen such thing since #Jan25 days.
@adamakary: Some of the vehicles set ablaze last night were military transport vehicles #tahrir
@Beltrew:  Reports from #Tahrir are so confused, we need clear information and  then let's target press. We need press coverage of last night. #Egypt
But the toll of the crackdown was more than material, and  reports from eyewitnesses were horrifying:
@mosaaberizing: Hearing horrific accounts from last night witnesses. Said the shooting took place for 3 hrs, and army shot directly at them.
@dadatrew: Last night in #Tahrir was terrifying: shooting, stampedes, hysteria, beatings and burning. #Army violence out of all proportion vs civilians
@alaa: baby sis @sana2 was in #tahrir when army cracked down, says some soldiers crying, probably means they got orders to shoot early on #Jan25
@Beltrew:  Went to bed fearing #Tahrir would turn nasty, woke up to my sister  saying she had fled machine gunfire. It feels like February again.  #Jan25
@adamakary: Our sources are quoting eye witnesses saying that two people have been killed from last night's violence in #tahrir
@yasminerashidi: A young man was shot+trampled by army tnk last nite, his body thrown into a garbage dump by army. #egypt #tahrir
@liamstack: doctors: 2 #tahrir protesters dead, 35 injured. #egypt health ministry: 1 dead, 71 injured. lawyers: 42 arrested will get military trial
@pakinamer: Army count for injuries is a far cry from the Health Ministry's official  count which said at least one person was killed, and 71 injured!
Evidence of live ammunition having been used was apparently plentiful:
@mosaaberizing: One of the sporadic shots from last night went through the metal bars in the square. http://twitpic.com/4in7xa
@SarahCarr: Picture of live and blank casings used last night by the army against civilians RT @salmasaid http://t.co/qZje09W
@mosaaberizing: Live bullets from last night. #Tahrir http://twitpic.com/4imj9t
Spent ammunition was also evident in Lilian Wagdy's photoset on Flickr of the aftermath of the night's clashes, while the Arabist's Flickr photos displayed wreckage and barricades, in sharp contrast to the joyous scenes of the day previous. Amr Bassiouny also posted photos on Facebook, covering the tail end of the protest, the crackdown and the aftermath.
Anger, divisiveness and hope
Protesters reacted furiously to the bloody crackdown, feeling betrayed by the army, which had never until that point assaulted them so openly and brutally, and angered at the return of riot police, banished from the streets since the early days of the revolution:
@Rana_Elnahal: I cannot believe that riot police are back and beating up protesters. First time since Jan 28. Fuck this. #Tahrir
@mfatta7: I'm a bit puzzled why the generals always attack after midnight when their paymasters in the western hemisphere r awake.
@occupiedcairo: Cowardly #egyarmy waits till 3.30 am to attack peaceful protesters in #tahrir. What is their message?
@curtiskj:   Does #Tahrir tonight remind anyone else of #lulu on Feb 16? Attacking   late at night, no warning… let's hope Egypt gets a happier ending.
@mosaaberizing: I fear for what happens now. Everyone here feels the army has turned  against them and betrayed the revolution. Not good one bit. #Tahrir
@NevineZaki: Asking Egyptians to fault the army is like asking a 10 year old to see  his dad as a criminal. Egyptians are still in democracy grade school
@Raafatology: and as I always say, I never trust anyone in uniform except Cheerleaders
To many, it looked that, marred by violence, Tahrir was losing it's spirit on the cusp of rebooting it:
@BloggerSeif: Tweets from #Tahrir are bringing back memories of the time i spent there in #Jan25. :S
@SSirgany: I guess ppl will deliberately avoid getting facts of last night, so they  could reach an easy conclusion & have peace of mind.
@Ekramibrahim: In spite of the large numbers at #tahrir yesterday, It was losing it's spirit a big time.
@NadiaE:    #jan25 revolutionaries on Twitter i know and trust expressing    discomfort and  uncertainty with how protests seemed to be going    yesterday
@ianniegypt: There is a paranoia in the square. Everyone is suspect. This isn't the Tahrir spirit we've seen in the past. #egypt
@Zeinobia: And here we are split by stupid actions from all parties involved in the tragedy of Tahrir tonight
while others found hope in hardship for the revolution:
@Sandmonkey:  This revolution has specific goals, demands & targets, & it   shouldn't be swayed every day in a different direction. We should focus!   #jan25
@GSquare86: One thing is clear, revolution is just beginning #Jan25 #Egypt
Despite anger at the crackdown, the civic spirit that distinguished  the revolution was still in evidence. This video by Amr Bassiouny  reportedly shows protesters protecting the National Administrative  Government  Complex in Tahrir Square, on the morning after the assault:
Speculation and damage control
Speculation about the possibility of an army provocation used to justify the assault was rife:
@steffibied: Gunshots in #Tahrir. Men making molotov cocktails as I walked by pizza hut on Mohammed Mahmoud St. Now home at 3:30 am, shots ringing out
@ianinegypt: A friend walked through Tahrir a half hour ago and claims to have seen protesters making molotov cocktails. #Egypt
@RuwaydaMustafah: People who reported from #Tahrir did not speak of protesters throwing stones, and molotov cocktails being made. Let's be objective.
@Assemism: @RuwaydaMustafah @acarvin I am sorry, but reports circulating here at my side from eyewitnesses ! no molotovs, stones after the CS attacked
@3arabawy: Eyewitness to Al Jazeera Mubasher: Plainclothes policemen believed to be #AmnDawla r conducting arrests in coordination w the army #Tahrir
@ShereefAbbas: Sumthing's very fishy about all of this. Army officers protesting-detained-not beaten, peaceful civ protesters chased by army, beaten by CSF
@Mus_ing: Key question: how confident are we that those in#Tahrir were actually army officers? Why were they avoiding looking directly at the camera?
@NevineZaki: The thing thats puzzling me, how and why did they allow protesters to burn such a massive truck? #Tahrir
The army held a press conference in closed session on the following day,   producing a raft of allegations to justify their actions that were vehemently denied by protesters:
@petersbeaumont: Ah the new Egypt. Army tells broadcasters anyone who films press conf will be arrested…. these guys seriously blowing it
@heba_afahmy: 8 protesters wearing millitary uniforms were detained from #Tahrir,army official says investigations will determine whether they r military
@mosaaberizing:    Protesters furious that they're been called thugs & NDP remnants   on    state media. Propaganda utilized against them just like the old    times.
@AmrBassiouny: Lies being spread now on Al Hayat TV, saying that protesters in #Tahrir shot at Military, and empty bullet casings were from protesters.
@beleidy: I don't like the #egyarmy scenario at all, would have respected more if they said we went in to get the officers and things went out of hand
Egyptocracy and Amr Beleidy both livetweeted the press conference, and challenged the logic of the army's allegations:
@beleidy: Army Man saying we caught 3 foreigners, they're using being foreign as an accusation while complaining tourism is not getting back on track
@Egyptocracy: #SCAF dilemma no.1: 8 officers were held by protesters to pressure #EgyArmy, but wait, SCAF not sure if those 8 belong to the army.
@Egyptocracy: #SCAF dilemma no.2: They had to clear #Tahrir because of the curfew, no wait, because of the 8 officers. No curfew. No officers… #EgyArmy
@Egyptocracy: #SCAF dilemma no.3: Officers had no ammunition, but some people had 2 machine guns. Can 2 machine guns produce all those casings? #Tahrir
@Egyptocracy: #SCAF dilemma no.6: They cannot find a good script writer.#Tahrir #Egypt #EgyArmy #Jan25
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.


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Ivory Coast:  Ivorians on Twitter React to the Address by Alassane Ouattara · Global Voices
Anna Gueye

After several difficult months and the advance of the Republican Forces of Ivory Coast (FRCI),  the Forces stopped at the doors of the presidential palace still occupied by Laurent Gbagbo, who is taking refuge in a bunker accompanied by family members.
Thursday evening, President Alassane Ouattara addressed his fellow citizens.   @YHMalak provided us with a link to the text of the address [fr].
@celine_lussato is amazed that reactions are almost totally unanimous:
Either #Ouattara has given an extraordinary reconciliatory address, or he has reported all his adversaries as ‘spam'!
Twitter users especially have learned a lot from the address:
@Lord225 SEM Alassane: My fellow countrymen, whether you are Muslim or Christian, whether you voted for me or not…
@kanazan ADO provides a brief history of the situation over the past 4 months #civ2010, ballot block mediation panel etc.
@kanazan ADO congratulates the FRCI for bringing about domestic peace.
@kanazan ADO is announcing measures to compensate people who have been looted.
@SenamBeheton Ouattara stresses the country's continuity.  Banking, cocoa, security, economy etc.
@Lord225 SEM Alassane:  I ask all Ivorians not to indulge in any type of revenge.
@nightsnake1975 is amazed:
Finally, someone who speaks of penalties for every misdemeanour?  When did Gbagbo do that?
@Lord225 continues:
SEM Alassane:  A blockade was set up around the residence of the outgoing president to increase the security of the surrounding population.
@El_Fredo comments:
Well, apparently its game over for Gbagbo, his bunker will end up like Fort Chabrol.
@Gare_au_gorille stresses and recommends:
Forget the RDB (République du Bunker) and build an RCI, united and fraternal.
@Lionelmarc agrees:
I say that's exactly it, Gbagbo can just stay in #gbagboland with his gbagbotians if he wants.  When he's tired he'll come out.
@MaryMary225 concludes:
Well, there you go!  Gbagbo blocked ADO in the hotel, now it's ADO who is blocking Gbagbo in his cellar.
@sixtem63 stresses:
The Gbagbo chapter is closed, we don't need to talk about him any more on this thread!  We can begin by finding him a nickname for the thread!
@ALISOUM goes back over what seems the most important thing, that is:
Ouattara to the FRCI:  “Every act of violence will be punished”.
@nightsnake1975 repeats his comparison of the two men:
OUATTARA > Every act of violence will be punished;  GBAGBO > You don't cry over the one who is helping you.  Actually, it's not the same thing.
Now politics is reclaiming its rights, Christian_peace teases:
Let's wait and see if the supreme LMPists accept the salary that ADO is soon going to transfer into their accounts.
@FreshleySnipez follows with:
If any of them are really angry, they shouldn't go and pick up their salaries tomorrow.  We'll wait and see.  It's neo-colonial money kiakiak.
But comforting messages were quickly back again,  sixtem63 :
Think about getting some news about your neighbours.  There are urgent needs.  The thread #civsocial is there for this purpose.
@sroukoudazoa :
LMP, play fair.  To better prepare for the elections of tomorrow, it's important to accept today's defeat and learn a lesson from it.
And the Twittos list all they can do again, ALISOUM
Now, all Ivorians can go to work and give back to Ivory Coast its place in the world.  #CIV2010
@nnenna
Open the banks.  Pay people's salaries, let us drive, bring back our cars, water, electricity and gas.  LET US LIVE.
@teekenb :
At the end of the month I'm taking my things back to Abidjan.
@Swat_twit :
Monday, I'll be in the office.
@kanazan :
A news bulletin without swearing, without resorting to hatred, without threats, without miracles in the palm nut sauce.
And continues:
Soon, people will be able to put their real name and real photos on this thread.  #civ2010 Enough clandestine behaviour.
@nightsnake1975 wants to pass on an important message:
RT PLEASE ->  Call to soldiers wounded in the scrub or hidden, to let someone know so they can be cared for.  All they did was obey.
@kanazan asks a basic question:
The Golf Hotel received fresh supplies by chopper;  how will the bunker be supplied?
And laughs at the response from @MaryMary225 :
The bunker will get supplies from the gutter, kiakiakia.  That's twice you've killed me.
The Twittos conclude @myGMX about Laurent Gbagbo:
The film has ended.  The bandit has retreated to his cave.
On the address by Alassane Ouattara,  frigolo59 :
Rallying speech, responsible, standing for what the RCI must become again, “Let's go forward” dear brothers and sisters!
Others:
@itsme_leclerc Ivorians, you are living in historic times.
@baoulet PROUD TO BE IVORIAN.
@teekenb stresses the importance of #civ2010
Alassane Dramane Ouattara is the strategist – but I'm sure that his advisers have followed the thread #civ2010 to pinch the IDEAS HERE.
And obviously the Coast wouldn't be Ivory without a bit of humour, @nnenna :
ALERT:  A new word has arrived in the #IvoryCoast saga:  The Republic of  “Bunkerkistan”.
And we'll finish with @SplinterCeII who talks of reconciliation:
…  #civamour has been created!  Let's promote this thread so everyone can be reconciled here!

author: Anna Gueye


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Poland, Russia: Smolensk Plane Crash, One Year On · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On OpenDemocracy.net, Adam Szostkiewicz shares thoughts on the Polish-Russian relations one year after the plane crash near Smolensk that killed Poland’s president and nearly a hundred other dignitaries.