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China: Victims of China’s Cultural Revolution, your stories can always be blogged (3/4) · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Currently unable in today's political climate to have his years of research into the stories of those persecuted as right wing elements during China's ultra-left Cultural Revolution published, blogger-journalist Ran Yunfei (冉云飞) has since found an outlet in his blog. Last month he gave a lecture on his findings in a Chengdu teahouse, the transcript of which he then posted online. In this third installment, Ran answers questions from the audience, which included several well-known victims of the anti-right movement as well as the children of some unknown victims. Ran looks at the other labels with which people were once persecuted, mentions others doing research similar to his, and calls on people to try some research blogging of their own, starting with their own families’ stories.
萧赛老先生：
感谢冉云飞先生把他一生当中最宝贵的时间拿出来研究右派，很难得。据不完全统计，全国五十五万右派，或者说四川有十多万右派。我想这些右派分子都应该感谢冉云飞先生。（鼓掌）
如果加上右派分子的家属，怕不是五十五万，那有一百万以上，都应该感谢冉云飞先生。（鼓掌）我只代表我全家四世同堂的七口人感谢冉云飞先生。我的话完了。（鼓掌）
张新泉：
我们国家关于右派研究我有个感觉现在算是正式开始了。其实这个还研究迟了。如果不是有冉云飞这样的有心人把这个学科（我说它是学科是太轻松了，但它应该是一个学科吧，而这个学科可能只有中国才有）进行了研究，我认为是很有意义的。我觉得如果不把意义搞清楚，作为一个合格的现代人是不会去做的。这是第一个感觉。第二个我说明一下，我被开除出校的年龄是十五岁多不到十六岁，我没有去调查过我是不是全国最小的。我因为当时只是初中生，所以没有享受戴帽的“待遇”，但是被开除以后是享受正宗的右派“待遇”。一共有二十年，我的履历非常简单，被开除以后就到了社会底层流浪了二十年。所在在作协里面至今有人叫我张铁匠。我打过铁，拉过船，当过码头搬运，。。。死过若干次。还有二十年就是在当文学编辑，后来给冉云飞同事，在作家协会拿钱，吃饭。
冉云飞是我的作家朋友里面真正是把作家和学者两样修养集于一身的人，我的作家朋友当中有些人很能够写文章，但他的文字里面没有思考，没有思想。而冉云飞是把写作和思考集于一身的人，我今天听到他说的这些我简直不相信他又在搞这个名堂了。他搞了很多事，每次他送我书我都会感叹一番，因为我也年轻过，尽管现在我比他年长，但他却做了这么多事。这些事表面上看象他说的是为了养家糊口，但我觉得他做这些事是有利于国家有利于民族的，也是有利于我们成为一个真正的人的事情，很重要，是一个善莫大焉，也是功莫大焉的事情。我就说这些了，谢谢大家。（鼓掌）
陈志强：
我来说一点，我们这一代人在反右的时候才几岁，对于反右的这种斗争基本上没有亲身经历过，而只从老一辈的讲话中知道一些。比如我认识流沙河先生的时候就是在七一年。那时我们高中到川化，川化离城乡很近，我们就听到师傅说城乡有个大右派在劳改，叫流沙河。那时七一年还是有军管会，我们偷偷跑到那里去看流沙河，只看到一个黑不溜秋，瘦瘦的一个人在那里搬木头，他们就告诉我们这就是流沙河，是因为写《草木篇》遭了的。那个时候我才对右派有了一个感性的认识。但我们没有去打搅他，因为我们都是学徒工，都在接受工人阶级再教育，我们有什么资格去安慰别人呢？大家也就是看过几眼就走了。这件事后来我给流沙河老师讲过，他也有同感。
我现在只讲一个问题，就是刚才冉云飞老师讲的这个问题，我觉得他有一点还没有说到，这也是我后来想到的。我有一个叔叔，虽然他不是右派，他却在反右斗争中被打成坏分子，我们过去不是听说过地、富、反、坏、右吗？这个坏分子的档案一直跟着我叔叔的儿女们走过来的。致使我叔叔的儿女们都没有入团入党的，就是因为他们父亲头上有这个坏分子的帽子。我就想问一下冉云飞老师，在反右斗争中这个坏分子是属于哪一类的，是不是比右派分子还要坏？我那个叔叔还是一个教书先生，就是因为当时说了一句出格的话，“说双季稻种拐了，弄得农民没有吃的”，就是因为这一句话就被打成了坏分子。而叔叔的儿女们就为了这一句话背了一辈子的黑锅。现在也没有听到说给坏分子摘帽子的话，只是说摘右派分子的帽子，而坏分子的帽子是不摘的。他一辈子都是坏分子。在那个地、富、反、坏、右中的坏还没有听到过平反的，所以我问冉老师这是不是个历史的遗留问题。经历过文革的人都知道，当时有黑五类、麻五类，黑七类，那时我就知道这个坏是一个非常严重的罪名。关于这点我翻了很多书，也翻了文革中的，但关于坏分子都没有一个确切的定论。关于右派们吗还给平反了嘛，坏分子平反没呢，没有平。所以我觉得地、富、反、坏、右中的“坏”值得大家研究，除了研究右派分子，我们还要研究坏分子，这个坏分子也是极左思潮的一个反映。好我讲完了。
冉云飞回答：
现在关于地、富、反、坏、右中的坏分子这些，包括可以教育好的子女啊。我有一个朋友，也可以说是著名作家、学者了，这个人叫林贤治，他是一个广州人，在广州这样的土地上也还是比较稀少的，在我们中国土地上也比较稀少。这个人没读过什么书（我是指学历），走到今天，研究鲁迅，研究知识分子，都有自己的特点 。前两年《南方周末》请我和王怡去，他就说云飞，给我提供点资料，我问他要做什么，他说他要编本书，叫《可以教育好的子女》。但现在还没有出来，我估计资料已经准备好了，但是可能出不来。关于“坏分子”这个说法，现在的所有辞条都是没有的，都没有写出来。因为我收了很多旧的辞典，因为受谢泳先生的影响，我喜欢收集这些东西，收了很多辞书，比如说民国时候各式各样的辞典，四九年以后各式各样的辞典，在1958年出版的新知识辞典当中就有右派分子，但确实没有找到坏分子这个词，我至今为止没有找到关于这个坏分子的解释，也没有一个固定的说法，确实是比较难。关于坏分子的概念非常宽泛，有些甚至是经济问题被弄成坏分子，有些是政治问题弄成坏分子，有些是男女关系问题弄成坏分子。因为我手上收到一个检举资料，里面写的就是坏分子某某乱搞男女关系，我就收到过这种资料。所以我觉得关于坏分子的定义就是比较宽泛，确实是值得研究的。我还可以这样说，四九年以后的很多东西都是值得研究的，光是其中一项就可以做无数个博士论文，出无数部专著。（鼓掌）
XXX女士：
刚才听了冉云飞老师讲的“关于右派研究”，我认为中国大陆的知识分子，特别是作家，他们负有很大的责任，这个责任是不可推卸的。特别是丛维熙的大墙系列，和张贤亮的《牧马人》等，这些东西在当时看到时还觉得没有什么不对，但是它确实有一种混淆视听的作用。特别是丛维熙的“血流黄河静无声”，都是写的被打成右派以后怎么样在那种艰苦的环境中，在那种劳改农场里面很艰苦的故事，但最后他全部把它变成一种对党和政府非常盼望的感觉，好象人性也好，爱情也好，在对党的感觉面前都是不值一提的。当时我看这些书时还很年轻，我看这些书的时候出的书还不是很多，还没有现在这么宽泛的选择。当时我就觉得丛维熙的东西不可能有很长久的生命力。后来他好象有一部小说叫《走向混沌》吧，已经不忍卒读了。我十分反感他在里面的一些提法，好象是在最后摘帽时感觉自己确实是错了的，只是母亲在教育孩子时打错了。这是一个很大的混淆视听的一个说法，我就谈这点粗浅的算法。（鼓掌）
冉云飞：
关于被整的人与执政党之间的关系，你刚才说得很好。中国的知识分子，中国的老百姓都非常善良，我前两天写的《政府越无耻，百姓越感动》其实就是这个意思。他分析不到，他已经被伟大、光荣、正确洗脑洗了五十年，已经僵化了。在我那篇文章后面的跟贴当中，四百多条中也有四五个人说你还是要理解政府嘛。我说老百姓够理解政府的了，但是政府确实不够理解老百姓。我告诉你，这种关系是一种契约关系，契约关系是什么，就是我纳了税，你就必须为我办事。我就说这个政府很多时候的做法就相当于一个土匪，我纳了税他不仅不帮我反而比我凶，你说是不是土匪。比如我交了五十块钱，你不仅不办事还要整我，你说你心头恼火不恼火，你会不会窝火？我告诉你政府是不可以自己直接生产钱币的，他所谓的人民币必须要得到人民的认可，人民不认可它它就是一张废纸。而我告诉你，那怕你今天来喝这杯茶，这杯茶是五元钱，很多人就说这个税是茶楼纳的，我告诉你茶楼不可能为你交税，是我们自己在交，我们每一个人都在纳税，每一天都在纳税，连街上的乞丐都在纳税。所以说我们纳税了，你就应该办事，就这么简单。你必须做，如果你不做，你就不合法，你政府的合法性何在？
同样我说转来，所谓的母亲打我，再打都是我的母亲，我说这些比喻都是不伦的，都是无耻的。执政者就执政者，母亲就是母亲，这完全是两回事，我说句老实话，用党来比喻母亲，用政权来比喻母亲，那是对母亲的最大亵渎。很多知识分子他没有弄清楚，比如《血落黄河静无声》《绿化树》也好，等等一系列的反右小说，这些人都是得其皮毛，就象刚才那位女士说的，这些人不可能是伟大的，这些人怎么能写出象索尔任尼琴那样的作品。因为他不够伟大，他没有思想，他很平面，他只不过是得一时的欢呼和宠爱而已。
事实上我可以这样讲，这个反右实际上是你剥夺我一系列权利，一系列人权的问题，对不对？不要说我们今天还生活得不好，生活得还不体面，这也是人权得不到伸张的问题。从这个意义上讲，你哪怕是迫害我一个小时，我也要反抗，因为那是我的权利，所以我们要记住，不管是被打成右派，还是没打成右派，比如说我，我没被打成右派，我的家人中也没有被打成右派的，我为什么要研究右派？就是因为在这样一块土地上，你要开玩笑也好，你要嬉笑怒骂也可以，但是你身上还是要有点严肃的东西，有点自省的精神，才能做一个有骨气的知识分子。在这一点上要反省我们这个右派的历史，文革的历史，包括一系列苦难的历史。我们不可忘记，象远宏说的我们做这一切的目的，就是要让历史开口。当然这一切批评共产党的目的，批评这个执政党的目的，说句老实话，我不是为了报仇，也不是为了血洗，不是为了重新来个暴力，这个我是不赞同的。我希望这个社会能够渐进改良，我向来都是如此说的。所以我们做的这些研究是为了让共产党将来经过改良，从一党独裁变成多党竞争。让这个社会进入民主社会，当然你也许会说我冉云飞太书生气十足了，但你看胡适先生那么伟大，他也这样讲道，就是知识分子一直要有独立的批判精神，要有独立的精神，要有独立的人格。我们普通老百姓也应该是这样，你是独立的自己，不可以随便地附和谁，就象刚才说的皮毛论，根本就不是他皮上的毛，我就是我。你也不是皮，我也不是毛，所以我觉得刚才那位女士的反省非常好。谢谢（鼓掌）
余先生：
刚才冉云飞说的评反呢，我知道得不确切，但是右派分子的改正通知书我是看到过的，因为我爸就有一个。为什么要这样说，911的时候，他到我这儿来耍，看到飞机撞大楼了，就非常高兴，作欢呼状，我在后面看了非常惊诧。因我父亲不是农民也不是工人，他是川大毕业的，是学法律的，而一个学法律的人有这种表现，我真的感到很奇怪。从此以后我和他的语言就很少了。每一次他到成都来我都很少给他交流。他到我这里来看到我看的书大吃一惊。他被打成右派也是有几个原因，第一是他当过几年兵，当过青年军，他是在高中的时候就参军了。第二家里是地主，就是这两点，当时对右派的界定就有这两条嘛，历史上有问题，家庭出身不好的。当然也给他弄了个现行的理由，就是因为他说了一句话，主观主义的他觉得不好。就被打成了右派。
冉云飞：
刚才这位先生讲的个案很有意思，其实我觉得你不应该疏离自己的父亲。第一首先对父亲要有爱，第二我说的这爱不是一个抽象的，所以你要理解他。他真是被洗脑洗得很凶，但你不能因为他被洗脑洗得很凶你就产生一种智力上的优越感，而是要让他慢慢地意识到他被洗了。比如说象我们现在发表文章，你觉得老百姓被洗脑了，你发表文章要开导他恢复正常的见解和正常的看法，我确实认为共产党洗脑是相当厉害的。比如说他们看到这些文章，看到这些真话，可以说会被吓得屁滚尿流，会说，呵哟，赶快走开，冉云飞讲那种话，把我吓得半死，绝对不会在后面跟帖。有些人一打开我的博客看见就吓倒了，说怎么那么凶啊。有些老百姓，比如说就象你爸，他有文化底子，你如果给他讲这样的情形，我认为他将来就会有所改变。这个社会里很多人想一蹴而就，不要采取这种思维方法，因为什么事都不可能一蹴而就。我们要渐进的，慢慢地做事情。
我觉得你父亲的经历你把它单独写出文章，会是非常漂亮的，因为我觉得这是一个很好的个案，它具有某种意义上的代表性，我希望余先生能将你父亲打成右派的经历做一个口述笔录或什么样的纪实。他作回忆你就记录下来，包括他对九一一的态度，你都如实地记录下来，不做评价，把评价留给别人。这样做出来的史料非常好，因为史料有一种非常大的价值，也有一种伟大的力量，它不亚于你发表观点。刚才说了，让历史开口，他不亚于你赤膊上阵地批评共产党。我向各位推荐我很喜欢很佩服的朋友谢泳先生的书。他的书基本上都能出来，但我的一些朋友余杰也好，王怡也好很多书都不能在大陆出版，因为他是走的史料派的路子。他把史料挖掘出来，他把共产党和国民党进行对比。他并不多说什么，但是你看史料的人只要不是傻子，只要你有一般人的正常的智商，你就可以分辨出来，说原来国民党时期真的是很自由啊。他不用这个结论，只是这样实录出来。我也不是说余杰王怡的方式不好，很好，非常好！我只是说还有另外一种方式，因为这种方式更适合于很多普通人。
这种话怎么讲呢？因为很多普通人要批评这个社会要批评这个政党，第一他有很多顾虑，第二他的道德勇气不够，第三他缺乏各方面相应的支持。所以我说你就作见证历史的工作，你就做中国历史中发生的很多灾难事件的见证者。你不一定要写余杰王怡那样非常精彩的战斗檄文，也许你能力不够，也许你勇气不够，也许你的道德勇气不够，但是你可以提供史料嘛，你用史料来说话，这样的史料越多，越给王怡余杰这样的人提供炮弹，让他们来总结，因为他们可能看得更深，这是很好的一个方式。千万不要小看自己的经历和自己父辈的经历，和自己身边的右派。比如廖亦武就是典型的，从这些最底层的当中抽出的这些东西，比如《冤案访谈录》《底层访谈录》》《冤狱访谈录》，他就是从这些非常基础的东西做起。所以我说凡是对一个社会也好，使这个社会进步也好，你首先从你的父亲的右派经历着手，你把它弄出来，这就是你能做的最好的事情。


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China: What expats read · Global Voices
John Kennedy

What do expats in China most like to read? The ‘hottest blog’ for June at ChinaBlogList.org was Sex and Shanghai, a British man's explicit accounts of all the woman he has sex with.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: John Kennedy


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Costa Rica: Farmers Market Prices and Photos · Global Voices
David Sasaki

After posting a photo album of the farmers market in Desampa, Tejas, Rojos, y un Cinco now posts a list of common prices at a Costa Rican farmer's market.

author: David Sasaki


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DRC: Displacement in Katanga · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Because We are Here reports from the DRC on displaced people in the Katanga region  who have been trying to escape yet another group of militias.

author: Sokari Ekine


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DRC: France-Based UDPS Member Released · Global Voices
Alice Backer

UDPS Liege announces (Fr) that “French authorities have come to their senses and freed (…) Yves Muko who was arrested Saturday 6/17/06 at Roissy Charles de Gaulle [airport] by the French police. Through his freeing, French authorities acknowledge the righteousness and nobility of UDPS’ struggle.” The party “nevertheless condemns the arbitary expulsions of those who are fleeing the Kabila regime” by the French government.

author: Alice Backer


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Ecuador: Weblog of the Week · Global Voices
David Sasaki

This week's Ecuablogs weblog of the week (ES) is Batiduende (ES). Cartas de Palas (ES) was second place with twenty votes.


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Egypt: We are cheap! · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Why we are cheap? Zeinobia feels so and she writes why. She said: “For one man , one kidnapped solider , not even a dead , not even for a group of soldiers Israel is punishing one million person in Gaza Strip . I feel so cheap when three Egypt soldiers died from two weeks and Mubarak didn't do anything except accepting the weak apology of Olmart in Cairo while Israel threats to unleash a great war on Palestine for one nerd like 18 years old boy , I am sorry to describe him like that but you will know why I described him like this if you see his picture. Israel broke international laws for this guy , and a war was going to happen yesterday if the Syrian forces targeted the Israeli air fighters which flied over the Syrian president ‘s chateau in the North of Syria.“

author: Haitham Sabbah


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Eritrea: No to UN troops in Darfur · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Sudan Watch reports that Eritrea is objecting to the deployment of UN troops in Darfur....”The Eritrean President Advisor Abdalla Jabir added that stability in Sudan is part of that of Eritrea, affirming that intervention in Darfur or eastern Sudan destabilizes the whole region.”


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Global Food Blog Report #22 · Global Voices
Melissa De León

#1: Klephblog, no doubt over-caffeinated,  writes "How Coffee changed the Modern World," a great essay about this fruit of the Gods:
This wondrous plant is a native of the new world and was sprung on an unsuspecting European public as these shores became colonized in the 15th century. By the late 1600s coffeehouses had sprung up across the continent with several hundred in London alone. These places stayed open all day and saw people constantly coming through their doors, chatting, drinking and interacting.
The drink had created a meeting place for people that was wildly popular. Recall, these were precursors to the modern eat-out restaurant or even the modern bar. Food and drink was prepared for personal consumption but, since it was difficult and expensive to procure and prepare coffee, the coffee house became a necessity for the popular drink.
It was a good time for business altogether. Back then there was a rapid expansion of overseas trade. British, Spanish, French and the Dutch roamed widely across the oceans brining their wares back and their stories as well. This created a great change in the culture since, suddenly, wealth by trade became a possibility for anyone. All you had to do was hook your fortune to the right ship; the right cargo and when it came in you would be in the money. There was just one problem – how could you know? READ MORE…
#2: From Panama, Chef Elena spreads the love for cooking ethnic cuisines of the world: Cocina Global en la Academia de Artes Culinarias (ES), exploring Japanese, Thai, Morrocan, Italian, Greek and Hindu. Ahhh—Do not miss her no-fail recipe to prepare homemade PANEER. Yum!
#3: From France, La Tartine Gourmande shares a delectable recipe to prepare Tartare de Saumon au Gingembre (Ginger-Salmon Tartare)—a double Yum for this one :-)
Inspired by a love affair I have for lime, fish sauce (nuoc-nam), chives (from my garden) and ginger, I decided to make this simple salmon tartare that can be served as an appetizer or as an en-cas. Remember this word! Un en-cas is a French word which means a snack, in case you once get stuck in a host family in France, and are unable to communicate that you are peckish!
This tartare can be eaten on small slices of German dark rye bread, one of my favorite types of bread…Continue reading this post!
#4: Chiriqui Chatter on Kitchen Alchemy: A delicious "Black Russian Walnut Cake," & "French Vanilla Ice-Cream" from Elise's Simple Recipes.
#5: From Peru with Love:
Since it appeared a few years back, Tony Custer's book has become pretty much the de facto tome to possess if you have been to Peru and dig the splendors of the table here and it looks damn nice on your coffee table. Fact is, this book is probably best known for the 100 full-page, full-color illustrations by Miguel Etchepare.
#6: Kuidaore from Singapore: Delicious things with Leftover Brioche.
Sure, leftover brioche makes the definitive pain perdu or French toast. It also makes for a richly custardy, vanilla seed-flecked, raisin-studded bread-and-butter pudding. But rather than sweet beginnings to the day and endings to a meal – both routes I've had plenty brioche to go previously explore – I had bigger main-event designs on that last generously-proportioned loaf.
In the savory scheme of things, brioche is superb partnered with myriad foie preparations both hot and cold. Spliced into chubby fingers and toasted, you'll be hard put to find a happier trooper for dipping into eggs soft-boiled or en cocotte, accompanied by a fat scrunch of sea salt. Brioche is also most obliging in certain sandwiches (many fantastic ideas for which abound in the aforementioned book). It's this last, the comforting meal-unto-itself that happens to sit on a tranche of brioche, that inspired the final fate of said loaf – no ordinary sandwiches, these two, and by no means sandwiches in the conventional sense…
#7: From Mexico:
#8: From the brand new  IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Blog: A cook's kingdom in Tokyo:
Off the beaten touristic path in Tokyo is Kappabashi, the bowery area where chefs and restaurateurs come to set up shop. Very close to the popular Asakusa temple, it is a must-see for anyone curious about cooking. Carefully peruse the knickknacks and see if you can discover your treasure. Click here to read more about Kappabashi.
#9: From Venezuela, Chef Ines Peña's Apuntes de Cocina has something very special for the pros: "Uvas Espumantes." Following a technique by Juan Mari Arzak she learned at the "Madrid Fusion" event early this year, she injects CO2 to the grapes. The result is amazing, you will get lots of bubbles when you take a bite of the not-any-more-common grapes. If you are ready to give it a try, head over to her blog now (ES)…
#10: From Costa Rica, Mis Dos Colones  on fresh and delicious produce from the tropics: Farmers Market in Desamparados.
Last Saturday we went to the feria (farmers market) in Desamparados at the Villa Olympica. I got my nephew David to take some pictures and he did a great job. He took more than I ever would have and I've posted 42 photos with descriptions included on each one. This could be helpful if you wish to learn the names of the fruits and vegetables and also how they are prepared and eaten.
I'll be back soon with more!

author: Melissa De León


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India: Baby in Bangalore · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Sujatha has some notes on having a baby in Bangalore.
For those of you considering having babies in Bangalore (especially those that have had babies in other countries and are wondering how your experience compares with that here), here are some quick notes

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Israel: Eliyahu was killed · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

The body of the Israeli kidnapped youth Eliyahu Asheri was found overnight near Ramallah. It was devastating news for everybody in the Israeli blogsphere. Sarah never been to a funeral in Israel before, but she decided to attended this funeral. She wrote a post describing it. Aussie Dave has an updated post about the operation Summer Rains, Day Two, including the news of Eliyahu death. Yisrael said that there is something rotten in Israeli political and military establishments.Smooth describes Eliyahu killers as rabid Muslim animals, and finally, Batya is angry about CNN in keeping referring to Eliyahu “settler.”


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Japan: PM goes to Graceland · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Perhaps having realized his trips to the Yasukuni war shrine were losing him votes, as seen on Mutantfrog, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is making a trip to a different, more widely-accepted shrine.


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Kenya: Baobab Family Project · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Kikuyumoja’s realm reports on a project “Baobab Family Project in Mombasa, Kenya”………..He consequently invested all his money and built a children’s home that aims to give the children a perspective, shelter and lots of love. Kudos and respect to him for this great task!


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Lebanon: Medical Tourism · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Raja describes his visit to what seems to be a tourism medical center. The first in Lebanon. The hospital feels like a five-star hotel. Family members take turns visiting their sick sibling, parent or child. While one or two are continuously present in the hospital, the others go shopping, head to the beach, or even go skiing. At the end of the trip, everyone's happy, the khaleejis (Arabian Gulf resident) for getting better and having a blast, the Medical Center for the paying client, the doctors because of increased employment opportunities and the Hotel, as well as other enterprises that benefited from the visiting family.


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Lesotho: Damn Dams · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Sotho publishes a commentary on “Damn Dams”…..”Two of the project’s five proposed dams, the recently completed 182-metre Katse Dam (the tallest in Africa) and the proposed 145-metre Mohale Dam, have already been funded by the World Bank. The latter is expected to “flood some of the most fertile land in Lesotho, where agricultural land is extremely scarce and food security a serious issue [http://lists.isb.sdnpk.org].” What can the government of Lesotho do? More important, though, what can displaced farmers do?”


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Pakistan: Through Thar · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Light Within on the Thar/. “Thar Parkar is politically alive and in the limelight these days. Previously, one only chewed over and thought of such far away places, or read about Thar's unusual life, of people, who sang and danced with exciting rhythm and melody, radiant colours in dress, Manik Chowkri, a beautiful and intricate design on ajraks and chadars and colours of rolling miles of desert sand.”


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Martinique: In the Closet to Officemates · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Le Blog de [Moi] reveals (Fr) that she is not out to her officemates. However she admits that it is getting harder and harder to lead a double life and that she wonders how long she will be able to keep her secret to herself.


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Mexico: More on the electoral use of welfare · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Michelle Dion says that “the use of social welfare for political gain is nothing new” in Mexico, an observation supported by two recent studies that suggest the Oportunidades program has been politically manipulated by local governments.


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Namibia: Transparency in government · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Vilho's World writes on transparency of government in Namibia.……….”Looking in to the Namibian context, we have some leaders who privatise the state properties and take them as if the country belongs to an individual person.”


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North Korea: Test-fire fears · Global Voices
John Kennedy

As fears increase that North Korea will go ahead with plans to test fire a long-range ballistic, North Korea Zone blogger Barry Briggs looks at the situation in ‘Why Haven't They Launched?,’ in which he writes: “if China can prevent the launch, the US will refrain from direct action; which means of course that if North Korea does ultimately conduct its test, all bets are off going forward.“


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Palestine: Invasion Forecast · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Christopher Brown writing from Palestine his “Today's Forecast“, he said: “Heavy rains of missiles and sonic blasts have been happening since Tuesday and are expected to continue throughout the week, and possibly into the foreseeable future… no reports of death due to this current storm, a number of arrests have occurred, in particular in the governmental area…  So, let's look at the rest of the week's forecast; the forecast calls for more of the same; shelling, arrests of government officials, collective punishment of Palestinians as a whole, and the complete silence of the U.S. and the rest of West.“


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Poland: Minorities · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes that Polish “minorities” can't agree on “just how bad” things are getting for them in Poland. An interesting discussion is taking place in the comments section: “Polish racism is just the stupidity of the uneducated and simple xenophobic folk. It has no ideoligical or religious background.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Poland: Poznan Uprising of 1956 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about a little-known 1956 uprising in Poznan, Poland, which preceded the famous Hungarian events.


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Poland: Troops to be Relocated from Iraq to Afghanistan · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes that 500 Polish troops are being transfered from Iraq to Afghanistan: “This will be a much more dangerous mission than the one the Poles got involved in, in the quiet area of central Iraq near Babylon after the invasion to oust Saddam.”


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Reunion: Fruits and Vegetables · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Reunion Passion posts (Fr) pictures of fruits and vegetables of La Reunion as well as shots of underwater Indean Ocean animals.


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Romania: Getting a British Visa · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Andy H of Csikszereda Musings reports on what it takes for a Romanian to get a British visa.


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Romania: Plans To Withdraw From Iraq · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Doug Muir of A Fistful of Euros writes that the Romanian PM plans to withdraw the Romanian battalion – 900 soldiers, the 5th largest coalition member – from Iraq.


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Romania: Recycling · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Andy H of Csikszereda Musings writes about recycling in Romania, something that, at first, doesn't seem to exist.


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Slovakia: Anti-Hungarian Former Prime Minister · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Paul of Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar writes that the new Slovak governing coalition may include the former prime minister known “for his anti-Hungarian (and Roma) rhetoric and actions.”


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South Africa: Israeli Apartheid · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

South African blog, The Front Line publishes a letter to  letter to the “Black Eyed Peas by Maureen Clare Murphy and Nigel Parry, The Electronic Intifada”,…in a post aptly entitled “Black Eyed Peas: Celebrating South African freedom while normalizing Israeli apartheid


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Spain: Music: CC Licensed Compilation · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Eduardo Arcos and Fernando Casale both comment on the release of a Creative Commons-licensed compilation by the Spanish newspaper El País. The album is freely available for download.


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Sudan: No humanitarian access to Darfur · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Sudan Reeves writes a commentary on “The Meaning of Khartoum’s Suspension of Humanitarian Access to Darfur”


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Taiwan: Chen corruption scandal · Global Voices
John Kennedy

“Is President Chen [Shui-bian] implicated in any of the scandals that have surrounded him lately?” asks Politics From Taiwan blogger David. “Who knows. However, it's encouraging to see that there are real investigations going on into these cases…”


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Tajikistan: Very Superstitious · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Elizabeth notes the power of superstitions in Tajikistan to determine reality.

author: Nathan Hamm


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Tanzania: No indigenous mining corporations · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Africa Unchained points to an article on the absence of indigenous companies in the Tanzania mining industry


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The Indian Economy Blog » Blog Archive » Corruption: A License To Kill · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Indian Economy Blog  on corruption, government and the private sector.“In fact, I can’t think of any kind of corruption in India where the benefits outweigh the costs. In most that come to mind, any benefits lie in avoiding costs that shouldn’t exist in the first place. “


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Trinidad & Tobago: Weathering unpreparedness · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Jeremy Taylor writes about the confusion that ensued in Trinidad on Wednesday over reports that a tropical wave was crossing the country. “Hardly anyone is prepared for serious wind or water,” he notes. “The media put out reams of wrong information. The ramshackle infrastructure of poles and wires and rusty galvanised tin roofs c ould be wiped out by a small gale. People still think that Trinidad and Tobago are “outside the hurricane belt” and that “God is a Trinidadian” who deflects storms.”

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Turkmenistan: Shutting off the Gas · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Peter of neweurasia notes that Turkmenistan is threatening to shut off natural gas shipments to Russia in September after failing to reach a price agreement.


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Ukraine: Latest on Ukrainian Parliament · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

LEvko of Foreign Notes posts an update on the really unproductive work of the newly-elected Ukrainian parliamentarians.


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Uzbekistan: Andijon Video Reaction · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Vilhelm Konnander reacts to last week's release of video footage from last year's uprising in Andijon, Uzbekistan.


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Venezuela: “A bad day for Venezuelan democracy” · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Both Miguel Octavio and Daniel Duquenal are disheartened by opposition electoral NGO, Sumate's decision to forego primary elections. Duquenal says that “the electoral trickery of chavismo is so blatant that it seems impossible to have a free and fair election in December,” however, Oil Wars disagrees, describing the opposition as “holdovers of the corrupt and anti-democratic pre-Chavez Fourth Republic and therefore have no use for things like internal party democracy.”


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Vietnam: Street Dessert · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vietnamese God  talks about his favourite street dessert in Saigon.

author: Preetam Rai


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A conversation about US foreign policy  · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Trinidad-based Jeremy Taylor and his American friend “Roger” continue their cordial but rigorous e-mail exchanges about the state of US foreign policy.


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Africa: SSA says goodbye · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Regional Editors are not supposed to post material from their own blogs but today being my last day and needing to say goodbye, I am making an exception to that rule ……………..Black Looks – (Sub Saharan Africa Editor) says her goodbye to Global Voices and thanks her team of volunteers that have worked with her over the past 9 months.


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Africa: World Cup Report Card · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Says Senegalese blogger Seckasysteme (Fr): “African football is not up to par and its presence in the World Cup is mostly symbolic. Too bad that the numerous individual African talents could not orchestrate a comeback. (…) Why couldn't such talented African football players achieve the same performance in their national teams as they did in their respective clubs?”


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Antigua: New literary festival · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Simone Champagnie announces the inaugural Caribbean Literary Festival, set to take place in Antigua in November 2006.


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Arabisc: Arabic Bloggers Ken, War and Women Rights · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Summer holidays, women rights, war in Iraq and war in Palestine. These are some of the permanent scene in the Arabic language blogsphere these days. Here is some of what few bloggers said:
The daily life of a normal Iraqi is not what one can wish to go through. Tara had a horrifying week:
لم اعرف كيف اتصرف.هل ابقى في مكاني انتظر السيارة ام آخذ تكسي ؟ و هل سأجد تكسي اصلا اذا كان الطريق مقطوع ؟ و اذا بقيت انتظر فالى متى سأبقى ؟
بعد نصف ساعة وصل السائق و رجعت للبيت.الحمد لله كان طريق بيتنا قد فتح قبل وقت قصير .
دخلت ساكتة و نظرت الى اخي….احنا الاثنين بقينا ساكتين الى ان قال لي : مو اتعس مني !
و اخذني للكراج لأرى السيارة مع الاطلاقة التي كسرت الزجاج في مكان السائق تماما( اللي هو اخويا طبعا)
Didn’t know what to do. Should I wait the car or call a taxi? That if I find a taxi in the first place, if the roads are blocked? And if I kept waiting, until when?
I called a taxi, and after half an hour, a taxi came and I returned home.
Entered in silence and looked at my brother … we remained silent for a while, then he said: not worse than me!
He toke me to his car park to see a shot that went right through the front windshield on the driver side (the driver is my brother of course).
And the summer holiday has begun. In Bahrain; like in many other countries around, people normally have plans to travel aborad and spend part of the holiday outside the country, otherwise, sit at home, watch TV and browes the net. Tafof is one one them:
ها قد انتهى عام دراسي آخر، و ها قد بدات عطلة صيفية أخرى … لتُفتح امامنا ابواب المتعة و المرح كمايُقال …
كنّا نتوق لليوم اللذي نودع فيه الاصدقاء و المعلمات لنتوجّه لبيوتنا و في أذهاننا ملايين الافكار المتخالجة و آلاف الخطط..(ها قد بدأت العطلة أخيرا… نعم لقد تحررنا من القيود التي كبّلتنا تسعة اشهر … سيتسنّى لنا فعل ما يحلو لنا… لن يكون علينا ان ندرس بعد اليوم لثلاثة اشهر… سنستمتع… سنفعل كذا و كذا.. أخيرا ) ، كل هذه الافكار تتجمع في عقولنا السعيدة بالعطلة التي طال انتظارنا لها … و لكن من أين … ها قد مضى شهر على العطلة … و ها نحن ذا نسهر طوال الليل و ننام طوال النهار … و خططنا المسكينة لامُنفّذ لها … لا منقذ لها يُخرجها من الحفرة التي انحفرت داخل عقولنا … لا مخرج لها يبعدها عن جدران الفراغ و الملل اللتي حاصرتها من كل حدب و صوب … الخطط اللتي استبدلناها بالتلفاز و الانترنت و كل هذه الاشياء اللتي تخلو من الفائدة ، يا ترى متى ندرك الفراغ اللذي نعيش فيه … و نفكّر في خططنا المحبوسة لنحررها و نطلق لها العنان لتبصر النور ، و تملأ لنا العطلة بالفائدة و المتعة.
ًWomen rights is not an easy taken subject in the Middle East. Ahmad from Saudi Arabia don't see that women are denyed their rights:
إلي مو فاهمه في الموضوع هو إيش الحقوق إلي يطالبوا فيها..
فعلاً .. ما سمعنا أحد طلع وقال نطالب بالحقوق التالية.. وعدد واحد اثنين ثلاثه .. اللهم “ حق المرأة بالقيادة”
نفرض افتراضاً بعض الحقوق إلي ممكن يطالبوا فيها:
حق المرأة بالتعلم .. متوفر من الروضة حتى درجة الدكتوراه
حق المرأة في العمل .. أدخل أي مستشفى .. إقرأ أي جريدة .. تفرج تلفزيون
حرية المرأة .. ماني عارف إيش الحرية إلي بيطالبوا فيها..يعني القيود المقيدة فيها المرأة هي قيود دينية فرض على الرجل قيود تماثلها .. إلا البعض فيكون عادات وتقاليد
يعني في أسماء نساء سعوديات لمعت .. وأقرب مثال الشابة رجاء الصانع إلي أثارت ضجة ما أثارها مائة رجل بروايتها بنات الرياض؟؟
متى نبدى نفتح عيوننا.. ونتخلص من السطحيات هذي؟؟
واقعنا الآن كله شعارات .. وللأسف معظمها مصدر لنا من الغرب
Let’s assume hypothetically some possible rights they might demand:
The right of learning for women… Available from the nursery to Ph.D.
Women's right to work… Enter any hospital, read any newspaper, watch the TV, they are there.
Freedom of women. I don’t know what the freedom they are asking for is. The restrictions, which tie women’s are restrictions imposed by religion, similarly men face restrictions, but some are the heritage of customs and traditions.
Some Saudi women names shined. As an example, the young novelist, Raja Alsanie, who attracted so much attention than any men did.
When do we open our eyes and get rid of these superfluous thoughts?
Indeed, these days are full with slogans. Unfortunately, most are coming from the West.
And finally, Kamel Nsirat, in a moment of anger, condemn the ongoing Israeli Invasion of Gaza. Yet, he see that all what is happening is not the fault of Israel or America, but, Arabs:
وحتى لا ننتظر طويلاً ونحن نموت في دين الآكشن ..فهذه دعوة لإسرائيل ..لتعجيل ذلك المشهد ..!! الآن افعليها يا اسرائيل ..توجّهي إلى وطني العربي ولقّطي وزراءه ..الآن خذيهم ..الآن ريحينا منهم ..!! فنحن لسنا بحاجة إليهم ولا لغيرهم ..فالوطن العربي الآن ..يفتح النار على الطير الطاير ولكنه لايرى إللي صاير ..بل لايريد أن يرى ..!!
يا عرب المهانة ..كم تحتاجون من الدقائق أيضاً لانتاج عار جديد ..يسجّل باسمكم وحدكم ؛ وبراءة اختراعه ممهورة بحروف من ( خَرَى ) لكم وحدكم أيضاً ..؟؟؟!!
Israel is not satisfied with the children and women of Gaza, rather its appetite is open for the Ministers of the Palestinian authority and parliament members; instigated by Arab, documented with their naked eye watching, eyes of love, to Israel, which responded with the lust powered by Arab only.
In order not to wait too long, we call for Israel to accelerate this scene!
Do it now, O Israel. Head to my Arabian country and pick more ministers. Takes them now. Relief us from them! We do not need them or others. The Arab World now opens fire on flying birds, but they are blind and can’t see what is going on, they don’t want to see.
Oh Arabs humiliation… How much more time you need to produce new shame… registered in your name only; and the letters of patent stamped with initials of (sh*t) for you only too…!!


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Armenia: Interesting Politics · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Onnik Krikorian reports on interesting political developments in Armenia as the 2007 parliamentary election approaches.


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Aruba: Rumblings about indepdence · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

“Unless there is a drastic, drastic change in Aruba's economy and politics, we are simply not ready to go about it our own,” writes ArubaGirl, in a post prompted by a Bermudian blogger's  musings on the subject of independence.


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Bangladesh: Kawran Bazar · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

>Dhaka Diary on the corners in Dhaka. “Kawran Bazar, plays out to an audience of many, movement is rapid, shift and purposeful. It is a hub of action and activity, offices, banks, TV studios, small shopkeepers, street vendors and consumer waste make it a party worth dropping into.”


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Belarus: Chavez to Visit Minsk in July · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hugo Chavez plans to visit Belarus at the end of July, reports TOL's Belarus Blog: “Finally, the two outspoken haters of U.S. will meet. I am sure they have a lot of things to discuss, and I assume some spicy joint anti-Washington statements will be made during the visit.”


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Botswana: Nata Village Blog · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

The Nata Village Blog writes a response to their readers on what the blog means to the people of Nata, Botswana  They will be publishing personal reports from the Village over the next few weeks


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Brazil: Caetano Veloso’s Biography · Global Voices
Alice Backer

France-based Togolese bloggerKangni Alem writes (Fr): “Even though modesty is not Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso's forte, he has great talent as an agitator.  He also exhibits phenomenal memory in the intellectual autobiography that was prompted by the New York Times to recount the birth of the artistic and musical movement of tropicalismo, the hybrid and revolutionary pop to which his and (…) Gilberto Gil's  names remain attached.”


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China: Senior high reflections · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Recent high school graduate le journal de Ahom blogger Ahom Guo finishes up his four-part look back at his high school years with the discovery that his high school is renowned for its progressive approach to education: “Teachers in Xiao-Shi rarely interfere students’ private affairs, meanwhile in other schools, ‘shit happens’, they'll have a talk with you when you seem to be in love, when your hair seems to be a bit longer than it ‘ought to be’, when you put some holes into your ears, when the color of your hair isn't black etc, there's a department in every school called ‘Political Indoctrination Office'…”


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China: Those left behind · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Seen on Andrés Gentry's eponymous blog is a short but wrenching video looking at those left behind in China's mad rush towards development, including video shot by the villagers themselves of those being forcefully evicted and defending themselves from armed attacks by the police.


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China: Uyghurs extradited · Global Voices
John Kennedy

“The two uighurs (Yusuf Kadir Tohti and Abdukadir Sidik) detained in Kazakhstan and at risk of extradition to China (against international conventions) have, tragically, been extradited to China. They are at risk,” writes Celia at China Activist Weekly, “of torture or even execution.”


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DRC: Life of a child miner · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Congo Voices post photos and writes on “A Day in the life of a child miner” in the DRC.


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Ethiopia: A little football history · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Ethiopian Politics has a break from politics to write about – guess what? Soccer..,”remember Mr.Yidnekachew Tessema (Father of African sports). If it were not for this pioneering individual Africa would still be sending only two teams to the world cup.”


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Georgia: Tbilisi Driving · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Hans reports on the dangers of driving in Tbilisi.


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Ghana: Defeated but will Return · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

The Trials & Tribulations of a Freshly-Arrived Denizen of Ghana… gives a “post mortem” on Ghana's Defeat – they lost!


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Hong Kong: Chinese commander charged · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Following on the heels of a similar case in Beijing recently, as seen in Nathan Madsen's Xanga blog and Confidential Reporter's Confidential China, a high-ranking naval commander in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has been removed from his post after charges of corruption and keeping mistresses were brought against him recently.


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Hong Kong: Shopping technocrats · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Given that many goods can be found at lower prices in Hong Kong than in mainland China, is it a surprise that the Flagrant Harbour blogger would bump into the Communist Party of China fourth in command Jia Qinglin's entourage in a shopping mall during the leader's visit there this week?


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Immigration, Exile and Motherland! · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Since the 1979 revolution millions of Iranian for various reasons have left Iran and started a new life somewhere else on this planet. Several university educated bloggers share their reasons why they left the country.
More helpful in Iran but…
Afkar, a US-based blogger, says when she came to USA, her life experience in Iran was limited to her university and its dormitory. The blogger says she can not pretend to be really in touch with Iranian society (Persian). In one year she is going to get her PhD. She says one of the things which makes her afraid of going back to Iran is this fact that the society is more religious and less prosper than western ones. She says
USA does not need me but I need the USA. Iran and I need each other mutually. I know I can be more helpful in Iran rather than other place such as Africa and so on. Iranian would have more confidence in me than foreigners.
Afkar adds that she  can not be involved with second-generation Iranian-Americans. She says
I think they don’t really have an identity even though they think they have one.
Fighting Poverty
Hamed Ghodsei, a blogger based in Austria, still wants to go back to Iran after finishing  his studies, to make a difference. The blogger says
Poverty is a constant nightmare for millions of people there. The country needs lots of real changes to get rid of such poverty. Some part of the changes has to happen in the minds of the people themselves. Although I am only one average man without any affiliation to the power system I think there is still room for improvement and I can do a little bit even as somebody outside the government.
Different motivations
Khanoumhana, a Japan-based blogger, says each person has their own reason and motivation to leave Iran (Persian). The blogger writes
Our motivation to stay in a foreign land depends on our problems in Iran. If  I belonged to a religious minority group or if I had problem with my family my motivation might be different than now. I just left the country to see a new world and my mother really encouraged me to get new experiences abroad.
MIT Study!
In the ISG blog we learn that a recent qualitative study by the Iranian Studies Group at MIT looks at the motivations, success, and satisfaction of Iranians who have returned to Iran.
According to this blog the results suggest that returning to Iran is a decision often motivated by emotional and patriotic connections to Iran rather than rational calculations. Moreover, levels of satisfaction differed across participants and correlated with their success in achieving their career and social goals in Iran.
This report adds people who tried to build institutions or their own businesses had a higher chance of feeling satisfied with their success. The study also suggests that cultural and structural barriers to working effectively have been the biggest challenges to most while emotional ties and outstanding students have contributed positively to the experience of these individuals.
Free Woman!
Depth talks about freedom that she feels in the west. She says  I left Iran because I wanted a minimum social respect as a woman and I was disgusted by traditional society (Persian). She says either she should adapt herself to the society and environment or become a social activist. She is  disgusted by politics and doesn’t want to become Mother Teresa and cry for the poor! She adds:
I came out Iran to raise the quality of my life and not be hopeless. Here is not paradise, nowhere is paradise… but here I can walk with freedom while my hair moves in the wind.

author: Fred Petrossian


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India: Guru Dutt and 1957 · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

DoZ catches Pyaasa, a movie made in 1957 and wonders, “There is no three-point program to improve the sum total of the hero’s happiness in fifty-five minutes. When you make your life that deterministic, the risk of unhappiness only seems to go up.”


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India: Women and their Period · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nikita has a post on the perceived impurity of women during their menstrual cycle. No access to places of worship, treated as an untouchable and more.


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Indonesia: Jakarta’s Next Governor? · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Martin Manurang is hoping that an exceptional candidate wins the election for  Jakarta's next governor and helps bring in positive change.


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Iran: Pet Shop Boys & Executed Gays · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

KlaghSia writes that British band Pet Shop Boys has dedicated his new album to two executed Iranian homosexual teenagers (Persian). According to the blogger Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Mahroni were executed one year ago in Mashad.


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Iran: Rationing Gasoline · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Yek Livan Chaye Dagh criticised government's decision to  halt gasoline imports from September 23 and start rationing gasoline supplies to motorists because of budget constraints. The blogger says government wants to reduce about 42 percent gasoline offer in Iranian market. According to the blogger this means more people will need use public transport. But do we have such public means available? The blogger adds such an important cut in gasoline offer will make price rise sharply. The blogger believes even taxi men will prefer to sell their gasoline at a very high price in the black market rather to drive whole day (Persian).


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Jamaica: Going home · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Jamaican Francis Wade addresses the “remarkable inner journey” one embarks upon on returning to one's homeland, and discusses some of the tools that have helped him along the way.


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Jamaica: Land of unfettered breasts? · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Francis Wade examines the feelings invoked by the sight of bra-less women in Jamaica and tries to figure out the rationale behind the eschweing of foundation garments.


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Kazakhstan: Tenge Inflation · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Ben Paarmann reports on the inflation of Kazakhstan's tenge against the dollar and the government's efforts to try to keep the inflation in check.


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Kenya: How to save K-soccer · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

MentalAcrobatics writes a detailed piece on “How to Save Kenyan Football” and gives a big up to the Kenyan Soccer blog “Now that is dedication”


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Kenya: Jobs on offer · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Bankekele publishes this weeks jobs in Kenya – mostly finance related but some telecoms, marketing and mining execs -


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Kenya: Traffickers acquitted · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

You Missed This reports on Kenyan drug traffickers who have been acquitted after  one year and half years in prison…….”This week the man with nine lives bounced back and was acquitted by a Nairobi court for lack of evidence. Co-accussed David Mugo wasn't so lucky and was found guilty, jailed for 30 years and fined 20 billion.”


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Kenya: Womyn · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Feminist African Sisters moves to a new site – “Go forth my sisters and be proud to be a woman”


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La Reunion: Subsidies to Local Associations · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Eric Fruteau, a member of the General Council of St-Andre, a town in La Reunion, complains (Fr) about the lack of transparency and accountability in the subsidies budget distributed by the town to local associations: “It is abnormal that 5 (…) associations (…) receive 35% of (…) the budget. (…) Especially when there exist 150 associations in Saint-Andre potentially eligible for the subsidies!”


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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome · Global Voices
Salam Adil

Its been a fascinating week – with so much to read I don't know where to begin. So here is my best effort. Read how the a mainstream media company created a blog that actually matters, how one Iraqi blogger wants to make peace with Israel, how bloggers rate the latest political developments in Iraq, a dicussion on the  state of the Iraqi blogosphere and, if you read to the end, who to blame when you close down your blog comments section.
If you read on other posts this week read these
Miraj is asking:
How come I have problems getting to any country in the world, including Jordan?
Jordan the country which is standing on its feet by the Iraqis living there…
How come I am rejected everywhere in the world with my Iraqi passport?
How come I am being judged for someone else’s mistakes?
How come any American can enter any country in the world, including the countries they destroyed?
Didn't they invade our country?
Didn’t they encourage terrorism with their famous excuse of Destroying Terrorism in the world?
Didn’t they kill our children , our women, our men?
Didn't they humiliate us in Abu Ghraib with their sexual sickness?
Didn't they lie to the world about the war in Iraq? …
All the “How come” ‘s are questions that do not need answers from those who think they are superiors to mankind and any such answers will be deleted immediately
Saddam defense lawyer, Khamies Al-Ubaidi was kidnapped and killed last week and Ishtar could not find someone to interview:
I [was] left with one choice only, I will try Khamis phone number though his telephone now might be in the hand of his killers but I will do it, “No, I won’t do it.” “ I will do it.”
I dialed Khamis number, it is ringing, Oh, No, How is that it is still ringing? They must have thrown it somewhere.
I tried again and again till a woman answered me, Oh , My God, I asked her who is she?
Read on to find out who..
A stripey leopard
Last April I wrote of MSNBC's Blogging Baghdad blog:
Some just dont get it and make their own news reports in the format of a blog. Dear media company, looking like a blog does not make your news any better.
Now I must eat my words. Not only have they morphed into true blog with the compelling immediate stories that grab your attention, but you get the kind of uncorroborated hearsay that really explains what is happening. It is just so unlike the mainstream media. And on top of all that they link back to my Global Voices Iraq section! Here is a taster of their kind of reporting..
SCENE TWO: Street corner Sadr City. Midnight. The two young men are waiting outside for Abu Durra's men. Four cars arrive and pick up my friend and his friend. They drive in a convoy to an open market. It's closed for the night. My friend described to me what happened next.
“We drove into the market. It was empty. There was trash in the streets and the fruit and vegetable stands were all shut. We stopped the cars and Abu Durra's men took a man out of one of the cars. He was blindfolded and his hands were tied behind his back. They sat him down on the curb and shot him three or four times in the head.”
…
“How many people did they execute while you were with them?” I wanted to know.
“Six or seven.”
“And each time, they drove to a new place? Why? Were they worried the police or soldiers would come after hearing the gunshots?”
“No, they are the police and soldiers. They weren't worried about that at all. They were proud of what they were doing. They went from place to place so they would spread out that bodies. They wanted as many people to see what they had done.”
Lets just hope it does not end up getting sanitised by some corporate suits who are worried about sounding too negative.
The Week in Politics
This week the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, announced an amnesty and reconcilliaiton plan and caused a string of comments. Truth About Iraqis is pleased:
“First, the Iraqi government seems to have realized it cannot pave a way forward with violence. This is good because it may… indicate that we Iraqis have learned from the horrors of the past. … But some in the US military are incensed that Iraqis would seek national reconciliation and instead say the resistance engaged in terrorism against the United States.”
And Omar of Iraq the Model is  optimistic: “So far things seem to be progressing smoothly, but nice words and promises mean very little until they translate into real work; which is my hope.” he writes.
But, others are not so encouraged. Ishtar reports that while “Maliki was declaring his reconciliation project, … Mahdi army supported by the commandos of the ministry of Interior was busy launching attacks against Sunni dominated neighborhoods in Baghdad”. She adds:
reconciliation is really what we need in this time, but I was expecting something more powerful, I feel I have heard all the items in this project before, there is nothing new, when I read it I felt as if I am having food without salt.
There was also some disagreement on who should be included in the amnesty. Mohammed believes an amnesty for those who have killed multinational forces would be a serious contradiction while Ladybird comes with the opposite opinion that “Maliki closed all the doors of reconciliation by making a conditional amnesty”.
Meanwhile workers rights are disappearing. Baghdad Connect writes that “The Iraqi government froze all bank accounts belonging to the Federation of Oil Iraqi Workers inside and outside Iraq. This decision is in the wake of a series of actions taken against professional associations to include the Bar Association. And all [union] activities of the workers will be considered illegal.”
Truth Teller has had enough. He declares:
YOU American if you can't control the security situation, leave now and let us solve our problems in our own way.
It will never be worse than the current situation. Three years of occupation and despite the daily statements of the US official about the progress in the security, the condition progress from bad to worse. Every day is worse than the previous.
Can any body imagine how the US super power together with the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police and the allied forces from so many sources are all failed to control the chaos in this country.
This country was controlled in peace and security by the power of single Dictator.
Don't believe that this dictator killed people in his 35 years of control more than what was killed in 3 years of freedom and democracy under the US controls.
And Truth About Iraqis makes his peace with Israel:
The dictatorships, monarchies, and theocracies in the Middle East needed Israel to keep them in power. They could argue that they were at war, that stringent and desperate measures were needed. And that in order to “liberate” Palestine, billions needed to be spent.
Let us also examine the number of people that have been killed. And displaced? And become refugees? And … And … And …
So, my call on Arab governments and peoples – make peace, sue for peace, find some way to make peace, open up dialogue, enough is enough. We in this region have bled and bled and bled and nothing has changed.
But probably not on terms they would agree to:
Israel must withdraw to the 1967 borders and realize that economics, not the military, are the best ways to keep borders secure. … Israel must also release Palestinian prisoners. … Israel must tear down its wall, must end its sieges of Palestinian towns and villages, must stop its repressive policies in the areas it occupies. Of course, this will have to be taken step by step and with confidence-building measures on both sides.
In Other Worlds
Zeyad is in Jordan and after his bad impression of Jordanians when he arrived he had a pleasant meeting with Jordanian bloggers last week. He compares the Iraqi and Jordanian blogospheres:
We briefly discussed the deteriorating situation in Iraq and the state of the Iraqi blogosphere after the initial small talk. They seemed a tad surprised that there were no attempts back in Baghdad to arrange an Iraqi bloggers get-together at any point, a fact that I have lamented in some earlier posts. Salam Pax did once suggest a small meeting back in 2003, which never took place, and I tried the same last year during my blog hiatus when I collaborated with about 30 other Iraqi bloggers to create an Iraqi group blog, a listserv, and a portal (the site is dormant now). We learned at the time that about a dozen of us lived in the very same neigbourhood, but other than small meetings with 2 or 3 bloggers, there was no group meet up.
Jordanian bloggers, on the other hand, regularly meet and collaborate on several projects. They have a successful blog portal at Jordan Planet, which is also a good introduction to the growing Jordanian blogosphere. Bloggers in Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait and Bahrain have also arranged several social gatherings, in addition to maintaining a strong blog conversation and interaction, despite political or ideological differences.
The Iraqi blogosphere, even though it was the first in the region, and probably still the largest, remains fractured and divided, with a few notable exceptions. All out attempts to establish a community or dialogue have miserably failed. Iraqi bloggers very rarely challenge or link to each other (I’m probably even guilty of this myself), and if they do they choose to link to bloggers who share their viewpoint. I don’t really think that is what blogging is about.
…
Iraqi blogs have passed 200 in number today, but less than a dozen are well known. This is largely because most bloggers live in a void. They are like isolated islands.
These comments stirred Emigre from a self imposed Iraqi blogging exile to respond:
Why is the Iraq blogsphere divided and who might be most responsible for the sniping?
Unfortunately, a lot of this, from what I could tell during my time blog counting, was coming from American and perhaps eastern European dissidents. Often from characters who were constantly pretending to be right-wingers in a way that exceeds standard sarcasm. Copy-cat offenders, I would call them. Which pissed me off no-end. These people did not seem to get the message that some other net dwellers find that kind of behaviour tiresome and unproductive.
What might be a solution?
I really am not sure there is one. I would tend to say it might be better not to expect one at all. I never really did. I do deplore disharmony, but loathe it as I may I'm not sure it's something humanity can ever really over come.
And, a sign of hard times ahead: The security situation has forced Iraq's only cat blogger to emigrate to the UAE. She writes, “to keep my self from getting hurt I have to leave my country, my family, my friends, and my cats, all I can do now is hope that I'll be able to return back to Iraq one day and that things will be different from what it is now. But I promise that I'll never stop blogging no matter where I am.”
And finally
There are good ways and bad ways of closing down comments in your blog. The best I have seen so far is to blame the gods.
Dear Readers,
The goddesses of Ishtar have decided to close the comments section until further deliberation with the God Shamash.
And after my deliberations with the God Shamash I will be back with more reviews of the blogodrome next week.

author: Salam Adil


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Latin America: Comparison of Presidential Salaries · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Peruvian blogger Eland Vera has an interesting list of the salaries of various Latin American presidents.


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London: Remember Anthony · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Pilgrimage to Self informs us that “Marie Fatayi – Williams has written a book in memory of her son Anthony who was killed in the July bombings in London last year”


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Myanmar: Google Blocked? · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Search Engine Journal links to a Times of India report that mentions Myanmar's blocking of Google's search engine and email service. Referring to China, where Google started a censored local Google.cn service, the editor of Search Engine Journal says “I highly doubt, in this situation, that the blocking of Google in this country will lead to the launch of a censored Google.mm!”


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Nepal: Politics and Alliances · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nepali Netbook comments on the changing face of alignments and alliances post the upheaval in April. “A passionate realignment of politics seems to be underway. To be sure, the precise motives and possible outcomes remain obscure. Yet this much is clear: In the run-up to the constituent assembly elections, Nepalese politics seems to be crystallizing into republican and ceremonial monarchist camps from their hitherto tri-polar dimensions.”


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Nigeria: Commissions, Commissions Commissions · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Nigerian blog, NSpace comments on Nigeria's obsession with Commissions Commissions Commissions and the “the reaction of the Hon. Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala to allegations made by the Chairman of The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Engr”


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Nigeria: Visit to Cameroon · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Lawal Adekunle of Unlag Students reports on his recent visit to the Cameroons..…”It is situated at the bottom of the Cameroon Mountain, the second largest mountain in Africa. Houses situated in Buea do not use air conditioners; because the clouds which cover the mountain top, sometimes come down and cover the whole town of Beau”


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North Korea: Art and nature · Global Voices
John Kennedy

“Unlike a lot of North Korean ‘Juche Art’ which tends to give kitsch a bad name, writes the Kotaji blogger of the same name in ‘Art and nature in North Korea.’ “I actually think some of the book covers from the 50s and 60s are rather nice and accomplished pieces of work. It also interests me that they often depict nature or reflect nostalgically on the themes of ‘hometown’ and rural life.”


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Philippines: Tourism in Philippines · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The blogger at pinoysphere invites reader to check out a Philippines tourism video. The bloggers wonders why Philippines does not feature in people's travel plans. “Asian tourist destinations usually featured in Swiss travel brochures and catalogues include Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, India, and even Laos and Cambodia. The Philippines, inhabited by people who can speak English in general, is nowhere to be found.”


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Plants & Hippos · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Some hippos are beautiful
And plants are weird! They grow out of hippos bellies!
By kikuyumoja on maisha


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Poland: Communism Vs Capitalism · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

An angry comment forces the beatroot to continue an endless debate on whether life was better during communism.


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Rapping in USA – First impressions · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

K'Naan: Rapping about war
He describes his first impression of America as “strange”, recalling the time his family first landed in New York. “I remember asking my father, ‘so this is America, huh?’ How is it possible that there's this great big building that's vacant and there's homeless people sleeping in front of it?” K'Naan didn't know a scrap of English, but was nevertheless impressed by the prolific hip-hop scene. Long regarded as the true expression of the modern African-American, hip-hop was something the rapper could understand, given his own life experiences.


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Russia: Article on Chechnya · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean Guillory discusses (and recommends) an article by Anne Neistat, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, on her recent trip to Chechnya's capital Grozny.


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Russia: Cheburashka Existed For Real · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Konstantin Dlutskiy of Russian Marketing Blog writes about the cartoon character Cheburashka, its creator Eduard Uspenskiy and a new finding that claims that Cheburashka “actually did exist in reality.”


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Russia: Family Histories · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Brigid of Laughter in the Dark post a moving story about sharing family histories with Katia, an archive employee in Smolensk.


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Somalia: Rap about war · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Harowo.com on Somali rapper: “K'Naan: Rapping about war” ” K'Naan's own story is more remarkable than most, involving a harrowing odyssey that would see him exiled from his war-torn country before living in New York's Harlem district and eventually settling Toronto. Having grown up in an artistic family within the dangerous Somalian capital of Mogadishu, K'Naan Warsame (his first name means “traveller”) could liken his ghetto credentials to those of 50 Cent. He fired his first gun at eight and witnessed his three best friends shot when he was 11. His older brother was incarcerated after blowing up a federal building. He managed to escape a firing squad thanks to his aunt, a famous singer in East Africa.”


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South Africa: Sanitation woes · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

African Houseit on South Africa's sanitaton woes.…”South Africa's underfunded, badly managed sewage works in many towns are “ticking timebombs” that could lead to outbreaks of waterborne diseases, while drinking water in many rural towns fails to meet government health standards”


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Sri Lanka: Public service media · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Voices of Reconciliation on the public appeal for Public Service Media in Sri Lanka. “As Sri Lankan citizens groups have been campaigning for public service media, we now call on politicians, public authorities, civil society and all media groups to unite around a program to enhance public service values in Sri Lanka's media.”


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Sudan: Condoms hit  · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Sudanese Thinker - the condom debate finallys hits Sudan……”I think the UN should air drop hundreds of thousands of condoms on Sudan.”


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Thailand: Persistence Pays · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Boon, a recent graduate in Thailand is happy that he stuck by his decision to study a tougher engineering subject even though initially he wanted to switch over to easier alternatives.


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The Wikipedia and Español · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Puerto Rican blogger Eugenio Martínez Rodríguez contemplates (ES) the potential influence of the Wikipedia on the Spanish language.


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Uganda: Joseph Kony – LRA · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

My Heart's in Accra writes about the strangeness of LRA leader Joseph Kony - Since receiving weaponry and support from Khartoum, Kony’s rhetoric has expanded to include adherance to some aspects of Muslim doctrine, prohibiting his followers from eating pork and demanding they observe Ramadan. Oh, and he’s a spirit medium, channeling the spirit of a former Ugandan minister and a Chinese general.”


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Uganda: Josephy Kony is officially nuts · Global Voices
Sokari Ekine

Jay's Idle Notes comments on Joseph Kony “Its official he's nuts” – nuts as in murderous, raping , psychopath –


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Ukraine: World Cup Wishful Thinking · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“We've got three victories! and there are three more left… Go, Ukraine!” – by LJ user lokizzz
A popular joke about Ukraine's spectacular – and totally unforeseen – World Cup performance and the resulting financial disaster seemed funny just a few hours ago. Then Italy defeated Ukraine in the quarter-finals in Hamburg. The joke is no longer funny, to many.
The joke describes a series of telegram exchanges between Ukrainian team representatives and Ukrainian football and state officials, it's based on the promise made by Grigory Surkis, president of the Ukrainian Football Federation: according to him, the team was to receive $28.5 million – donated by “sponsors” – if it made it into the final and won.
Three days before Ukraine's last game, LJ user katatonia-82 – whose current user picture is that of Oleksandr Shovkovsky, the goalie who saved the team in the game against Switzerland, but missed three goals tonight – posted the joke (RUS) on his blog:
Ten minutes before the end of the game against Tunisia.
Surkis to Demyanenko: “We are getting out of the group [.] Prize money's not a problem [.] Ukraine is what matters most to us [!]”
Demyanenko to Surkis: “Congratulations [!]”
……..
Five minutes before the end of the game against Switzerland.
Surkis to Demyanenko: “We are moving on [.] I'll give Abram's [Chelsea owner Abramovich] money for Sheva [Andriy Shevchenko, no longer with Milan, recently sold to Chelsea] [.] Ukraine is what matters most to us [!]”
Demyanenko to Surkis: “I agree [!]”
……..
Three minutes before the end of the game with Italy.
Surkis to Demyanenko: “Whoa [!] What shall we do [?]”
Demyanenko to Surkis: “I'm selling Shatskikh Rodolfo Gavranchich Paramon right away [.] Ukraine is what matters most to us [!]”
Surkis to Demyanenko: “I agree [!]”
……..
Two minutes before the end of the game with Germany.
Surkis to Blokhin: “What the hell are you doing [?] We've run out of money [!]
Blokhin to Surkis: “Ukraine is what matters most to us [!]”
Akhmetov to Surkis: “Agree with Blokhin [.] Am selling Tymoshchuk and a dozen coal mines right away [.]”
Surkis to Akhmetov: “I owe you six points in the game with Shakhtar [.]”
Akhmetov to Surkis: “Ukraine is what matters most to us [!]”
………
One minute before the end of the game against Brazil.
Surkis, Demyanenko, Akhmetov, Tymoshenko, Yushchenko – to Ukraine's team: “Stop it [!] There's no more money left in the country [!]
Ukraine's team – to all: “Too late [!!!]”
In the comments to this post, here are two more related jokes:
viorela: So, have broken up with Russia and Turkmenistan – no [cheap] gas, defeated Saudi Arabia and Tunisia – no [cheap] oil, either. “Swiss credits! This is our last chance!” mumbled Yushchenko nervously, as he was dialing Oleg Blokhin's number.
[…]
yanaka:
- Won't it be fun if Ukraine gets into 1/4!!! Oh, we'll get our butts kicked by Italy…
– Yeah… And then the Germans will add some more kicks in 1/2!
– And in the final, we'll get some from Brazilians! And then we'll have to drag that cup home…
***
The same LJ user katatonia-82 posted photos that he took on Khreshchatyk, Kyiv's central street, with his cell phone on the night following Ukraine's victory over Switzerland (UKR).
Here's one blogger's comment about the celebration in Ukraine's capital this past Monday/Tuesday (UKR):
metalliova: The city center was totally blocked by people, everyone was walking around, singing different songs and anthems, yelled “Shovkovsky,” “Ukraine.” The only thing this could be compared to were the first days of the [orange] revolution (only they were not drinking [alcohol] then).”


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Uruguay: Comments on Blogs · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Ganimatux, the weblog of a Uruguayan Debian programmer explains why he's been posting less on his own blog recently (ES): “It's true that we don't all have time to read everyone's blog and then also think of a comment, because sometimes there's nothing to say. But, how about a simple greeting from time to time? A while ago I started to read a group of blogs and comment on their posts. I think it's good to encourage people to continue writing since we're always reading them. Someone once commented on this blog that not everyone has the same ability in writing, saying that I wrote very well. That person might not know that even today I remember what he/she said. And so, I thought the following: if we all comment in the blogs of our friends, maybe they would feel more encouraged to recount things and not drop off like some have done. That's why I decided to lay this blog to the side for a while and pay more attention to others.”


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Venezuela: Translations · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Francisco of Caracas Chronicles has translated excerpts of a piece by Juan Carlos Zapata, which argues that a new power dynamic is evolving in Venezuela. Another translation comes from Guillermo Parra, who offers the english version of Antonio López Ortega's reflection on Arturo Uslar Pietri and the concept of “mestizaje” in Latin America.


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Vietnam: Hanoi Food · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Noodlepie asks if there is a single Saigonese who loves Hanoi food and manages to stir up an interesting debate.


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Voices from Central Asia and the Caucasus · Global Voices
Ben Paarmann

Standing at the edge of the abyss close to Kyrgyzstan's Pik Lenin, let's not waste any time to present you the highlights from two weeks of online conversation from Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Armenia:
Onnik Krikorian posts another one of his indispensable roundups from the Armenian blogosphere on his Oneworld Blog. Among this edition's highlights are the continuous land-grab by corrupt state officials and dual citizenship for Armenians. Ani of neweurasia writes about the stigmatisation of veneral diseases. With no sex education, it should come as no surprise that a 11-year-old girl has contracted syphilis.
Georgia:
A nondescript Moroccan restaurant in Tblisi became the scene of the peaceful solution to the US-Iranian nuclear brawl. Susan, writing on her blog SueandnotU took on the challenge to compete against the “burly and great-thumbed Perisan enemy” in a Thumb War. On the same blog, Susan discusses the notion of ‘unavailability’ in the lifes of average Georgians and compares it to the American Way of Life. Does life taste better when you can't eat strawberries all year?
Kazakhstan:
For the first time, Leila rounds up the Russian-speaking Kazakh blogosphere on neweurasia. Highlights include the launch of the first Kazakh satellite, a new round in the Borat conspiracy and a controversial new mass media law. Leila also rounds up activities on the newly-launched Russian-language Kazakhstan blog. The Tour-de-France is nigh – and Kazakhstanis across the globe will anxiously watch how their new team Astana-Würth and its front-runner Alexander Vinokurov will perform. Cycloblog writes about the team's involvement in a doping scandal that might jeopardise the riders’ participation in the world's biggest race.
Kyrgyzstan:
Yulia of neweurasia analyses the findings of a poll recently carried out in the mountainous Central Asian republic. According to its findings, there are still large rifts between north and south. Yulia also quickly rounds up what has been happening on the Russian version of the blog. LJ-user Teleemo posts about his adventurous border crossing from China to Kyrgyzstan via the Torugart Pass, complete with photos.
Uzbekistan:
Nathan of The Registan thinks that a new ‘Hate Crime Law’ is designed to make Uzbekistan's president Islam Karimov look like a ‘defender of the faith’. An anonymous contributor to neweurasia gives some background to the ongoing oppression of civil society in Uzbekistan and explains the mechanics at work. On the same blog, Nick discusses a new and longer video on the Andijon incident that was recently being released by the Uzbek government. On Seidenstrasse, night_eulen posts about the Fete de la Musique à la Uzbekistan: The French embassy organised a concert in Babur Park and three Jazz bands played in front of around 200 people. The post comes along with photos of Uzbek pop singer Sevara Nazrakhan, who resides in London to work together with Peter Gabriel. Rap-off: Uzbek style.  Head on over to Vseusnyi Blog to check out a rap war between Shohruh and Shahrier. There are music files so that you can listen and decide for yourself who is the victor (RUS). Uzbek boxer Timur Ibragimov lost to American boxer Calvin Brock in Las Vegas.  Novoe Uzbekskoe Slovo has the scoop and some pics (RUS). From the 24th of June to the 30th of September is the Youth Internet Marathon for youngsters (?) between the ages of 5 and 35!  There will be speakers from the Agency of Communication and Information of Uzbekistan, the Committee on Women in Uzbekistan, the Tashkent University for Information and Technology, and many more.  Winners will receive gifts and certificates from the participating organizations, reports Alfiya (RUS).
Tajikistan:
After some technical problems, James's online Tajik presidential elections are back online. On neweurasia, Vadim writes about the recent deaths among Tajik migrant workers in Russia. He talks about the misfortunes of many such people who leave their own country to seek out work. Walking along Tursun-Zade street in Dushanbe, Erik Petersson has another unique insight into Tajikistan on his photo blog Dushanbe Picture.
The wider region:
Chirol of ComingAnarchy discusses the implications of Russian president Putin's decision to cut off gas to the Ukraine during the beginning of 2006. It might lead to more oil and gas (both from Central Asia and the Middle East) being transitted through the Caucasus, and thus cost Russia trillions of dollars. Cars as socio-economic indicators in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan? Stavros enlightens the readers and finds some revealing truths behind the roaring Ladas, Volgas, Daewoos and Mercedes. Amira of The Golden Road to Samarqand reports that more archeological excavation sites are being protected now and also names some of the most promising sites in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Nathan of The Registan is currently collecting a great reading list on Central Asia, including both fiction and non-fiction. The blog's readers have already started posting their suggestions.

author: Ben Paarmann


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Fiji: National Flower · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The pacific islander blog has a post on the local legend about the origin of Tagimoucia flower, the national flower of Fiji.


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French Guiana/World Cup: Brazil or France? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

From French Guiana on the South American continent near Brazil, Carnet de Guyane writes (Fr) about allegiances during today's Brazil v. France soccer match: “Those who are French support France, those who are Brazilian support Brazil. So what about when you're Peruvian? or Haitian? or from Suriname? (…) It looks to me that Peruvians tend to root for Brazil and Haitians for France … What a dilemma!” The blogger added that he would not watch the game at a bar because: “there were 2 casualties [at a bar] the other day after Brazil's first match.”


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Reunion: Chikungunya Update · Global Voices
Alice Backer

In a weekly news roundup, Dijoux.re writes (Fr): “Chikungunya is still a worry and the island counted 600 patients last week. Authorities are adopting a new protocol of reinforced vigilance. This despite the fact that the winter is here with temperatures in obvious decline this week.” If that is any consolation, the blog also announces that Yannick Noah will give a free concert on the island this sunday.


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Turkey is Typing…. · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

For those of you who were wondering what I missed on the weekly Turkish blogs round-up last week, American Turk has done a wonderful job of covering my footsteps. Thanks!
Many Turkish bloggers have covered the death of Turkish-American Music Producer Arif Mardin,  a very remarkable man, to say the least, who has worked with some very big name musicians such as Aretha Franklin and David Bowie.  He died on June 25th of Pancreatic Cancer.
Metroblogging: Istanbul writes about new archaeological discoveries in the Yenikapi suburb of Istanbul (the possible find of Istanbul's original walls).  Also a new regulation for Istanbul taxi drivers to have air conditioning in their cabs is discussed (about time!).
Mavi Boncuk writes about the Smyra Fig mystery and gives a book review of a new book called A Brave New Quest about Turkish poetry.
Erkan's Field Diary details a run-in with a Turkish news personality where the question “Don't you know who I am?” almost came into play and there is a cute little blurp about the nationality of Baklava.
But what I really want to talk about is the five-part epic being written by Talk Turkey about the identity of Turkish-Americans.  Part 1: A Non-Stick Melting Pot, gives a brief intro to the themes of first and second generation immigrants to the United States.  Part 2: Turks R US, talks about the difficulty of deciding what level of identity must be sacrified to be included in America, is the American dream overriding Turkish culture, or does Turkish culture add to the American dream?  Part 3: What Kind of Americans Are We, details the difficulties of American-Turks who still try to keep ties with the homeland, especially in the area of opinion on local politics of the home-country, only to be told by the natives that they don't understand because in leaving Turkey they have denied their existance and assimilated.  Many times, that is not the case.  Part 4: Taking the Boo Out of Taboo, deals with the fact that before Turks can assimilate into American society, they must learn to deal with the taboo subjects of Turkey (ei.the Kurdish Question or the Armenian Genocide).  And finally, part 5: Ethical Assimilation, deals with the issue of how can Turks assimilate into American society without stripping their culture away.  If you read anything this week at all…..this series is a must!

author: Deborah Ann Dilley


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Africa: Is Homosexuality a Religion? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

France-based Togolese Blogger Kangni Alem reflected on homosexuality in Africa recently. Namely, he tackled claims by some on the continent that homosexuality is a heretic religion.  In the process, he mentioned recent “outings” of public figures. A debate ensued that involved Martinique's lesbian blogger Le Blog de [Moi] who'd read an excerpt of the post on Global Voices.
Homosexuality and Religion
J’écoutais RFI (…) quand je suis tombé sur un reportage sur l’homophobie à travers le monde. Et là, de la bouche d’un militant des droits de l’homme camerounais, j’appprends que certains auraient peur, au pays de Paul Biya et de William Eteki Mboumoua, des homosexuels, parce qu’ils sont censés propager une nouvelle religion. (…) tout cela relève de suppositions liées à la superstition, à une conception désagrégée de la sexualité en Afrique, suite aux mutations et rencontres civilisationnelles, et d’un tissu d’incompréhensions tenaces.
même la métaphore biblique sur l’homosexualité n’attribue pas aux “sodomites” un quelconque prosélytisme religieux, sinon une tendance à la déparavation dont la conséquence directe a été la punition divine. Mais bon, depuis plusieurs décennies, dans les caves du Vatican, cette histoire de “punition divine” ne fait plus rire les prêtres homosexuels!
Recent Gay Scandals in Cameroon
Il faut dire que le Cameroun tient l’actualité quant au sujet. Il y a 2 ou 3 ans, je crois, deux hommes s’étaient présentés à la mairie de Yaoundé ou Douala pour demander qu’on les unisse par les liens du mariage civil; l’affaire avait fait couler beaucoup d’encre, puisque le maire n’avait jugé bon répondre à la “provocation” qu’en faisant intervenir les policiers. Récemment encore, le directeur de publication du journal La Météo avait été condamné à six mois de prison avec sursis pour avoir publié dans ses colonnes le nom d’un ministre sur une liste d’homosexuels présumés. Dans la foulée, plus d’une dizaine de plaintes en diffamation ont été déposées devant le tribunal de Yaoundé contre des journaux qui ont publié (…) les noms de plusieurs dizaines de personnalités politiques, religieuses, artistiques ou sportives camerounaises accusées de “déviances” homosexuelles. Rappelons qu’au Cameroun, les rapports sexuels entre personnes du même sexe constituent un délit puni de six mois à cinq ans de prison et d’une amende de 20.000 à 200.000 francs CFA (30 à 300 euros). Seulement, diraient les plus homohobes!
Homophobia and Ignorance
Evidence des temps, l’homosexualité ne peut plus être perçue comme un mythe en Afrique. même moi je l’ai cru longtemps, jusqu’au jour où je suis tombé sur l’évidence qui me pendait au nez, lorsque j’ai surpris une de mes meilleures amies, dramaturge africaine célèbre, en train de draguer ma copine de l’époque, dans un festival à Cotonou. On a beaucoup ri de l’histoire, nous sommes restés amis, et moi j’ai beaucoup découvert des stratégies des homos en Afrique pour survivre à un environnement hostile, stratégies dont je parle un peu dans mon roman Cola cola jazz, à travers le personnage de la dame Omoneh.
Et si l’homophobie, au Cameroun comme ailleurs, n’était en définitive que la religion de l’inculture?
Thanks to GV, Martinique's Le Blog de [Moi] Chimes in
Several of Alem's regular readers posted responses to his post.
According to Naomi:
Tu te souviens de Mugabe, Robert Mugabe, Président du Zimbabwe? Lors de son discours d’ouverture de la foire du livre à Harare en août 1995, hors de lui, il définit les homosexuel(le)s comme « (valant) moins que les porc et les chiens ».
(…)il faut y rajouter Sam Nujoma, Président de Namibie, Yahya Jammeh, président de la Gambie, déclarant gaiement ceci sur la très sérieuse chaîne BBC : « Je peux vous déclarer avec certitude qu’il n’y a pas de gays ni de lesbiennes parmi (les) animaux (de mon zoo privé). Ils se conduisent, eux, selon les lois normales de la nature. la nature, ah la nature, elle a bon dos la nature.
Sami adds:
Pas d’homsexualité chez les animaux? Son Excellence Monsieur le Président n’est pas friand des documentaires animaliers comme moi, il aurait vu que tout ce que nous autres humains classons dans la catégorie perversions se vit chez certains animaux selon les décrets de la nature.
The Specialist from Le Blog de [Moi], a lesbian Martiniquan blog that recently waxed nostalgic on the travails of being closeted at work, posted the following, confirming the great connections facilitated by the Global Voices community:
J’ai eu la chance de découvrir ton blog grâce Global voices Online (…). J’ai trouvé tres interressant ton analyse sur l’homosexualité en afrique (j’avous que je ne savais rien sur le sujet).  “Et si l’homophobie, au Cameroun comme ailleurs, n’était en définitive que la religion de l’inculture?” Je pense également comme toi, la relagion également de la peur de l’autre et de la différence.


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Global Food Blog Report #23 · Global Voices
Melissa De León

#1: From Berlin,  Delicious Days cooks up a storm and celebrates for the winning of her team Germany last Friday night: Berlin, Berlin, wir fahren nach Berlin! OR Finger Food for the Big Party…
The many people who believed that the World Cup may have a positive effect on our economy all seem to have been right on. Living in Munich (and probably anywhere in Germany at this point) feels a whole lot different these days, a noticeable change in atmosphere would be the understatement of the year. Locals as well as people from all over the world, soccer fans or not, carry an extra big smile on their faces throughout the day – which may be a totally normal thing in other spots of the world, but not necessarily in Bavaria. The typical experience would definitely include grumpy waitresses or police officers, unfriendly shop assistants and bus drivers. We just live with it, trying not to complain too much about it and keep our own vim and vigor. Having the World Cup in one’s country is always an exciting event, but we are all pretty blown away by its positive impact on our daily life. And I’m not only talking about the countless evenings spent together with friends watching the games (all of them in fact, not only the Germans’) and preparing lots of finger food. Continue reading and get the delicious recipes NOW!
#2: From Venezuela: Chef Sumito Stevez talks about the new project of his friend Morris Harrar from Caracas has now in New York. Literally, Mr. Harrar changed the standards of gourmet baked goods in Caracas when he opened Saint Honoré, a first class bakery located in Los Palos Grandes. Now, with TISSERIE, his new enterprise, he plans on taking over the "Big Apple" with a similar kind of project. Their first day operating: June 29, 2006. Congratulations!
#3: A Chicken in Every Granny Cart will knock your socks off this time with three incredibly easy and delicious looking recipes from her childhood: Bistec de Casa Abuela, Guacamole and Mexican Lettuce Slaw!
So last Saturday when the skies opened and it looked like monsoon season the boy and I decided it was time to take some of this knowledge and create a dinner in support of the Mexican football side (who, unfortunately eventually lost to Argentina). We grabbed some steak and the fixings for guacamole and as a last minute addition the ingredients for my favorite Mexican salad from childhood (and for once we thought ahead and got enough so the boy’s sister could come over and nosh too).
The marinade for the steak was easy and made the steaks taste lovely, but the star was definitely the guac. It’s damn near impossible to make a bad guac! I loved the lettuce slaw too, but I really don’t think that it is authentic in any way (but tasty to be sure). In fact, the only thing missing were fresh, homemade tortillas…GET THE RECIPES NOW!
#4: I was just really very hungry goes to Provence. With her Provence, Part 6: A Fine Restaurant she will take you along exploring France. No passport required :-)
I'm ending my series on food-centric travel in Provence with a visit to L'Oustau de Baumanière, arguably the finest restaurant in the region. For me, this restaurant sums up the best points of Provençal cuisine as interpreted at a high level, and shows how it can achieve its greatest heights.
L'Oustau de Baumanière is located at the foot of Les Baux, a dramatic medieval town that is built on a craggy hilltop. It's a hotel-restaurant with about 20 rooms. The Baumanière restaurant is given 2 stars in the Michelin Red Guide. It's pretty well known, and the chef, Jean-André Charial, has tutored many other chefs and written several books. The same owners also operate the one-star Le Cabro d'Or, which is about a kilometer away from the town. READ MORE…
#5: Too Many Chefs on Chana Dal with Spinach :
Chana dal are a yellow pea that can be purchased dried and split in most good stores selling foods from the Indian subcontinent. You may see it also referred to as Bengal gram dal or chholar dal. They are very similar (the same species, in fact) to ciceros, aka garbanzos aka chickpeas but are a different food, containing more fiber and a lower glycemic index. Think of it as similar to the difference between a chihuahua and a doberman – same species, very different beasts. Still, if you are unable to find chana dal, you may use dried garbanzos for this recipe.
I accompanied the dal and spinach with chapati bread, which you may remember from a post we did in March last year.
#6: Gia-Gina in Italy on Haupia :
If you have someone to mail you some haupia ready-to-make Hawaiian pudding mix, then count your lucky stars. My sister Gia, (yes, she and I have the same first name and it's a long story, recently sent me a care package with cookies from Guam (Deme called them dog biscuits), 2 boxes of haupia mix, and some whole wheat bulghur. The ready-to-make mix is incredibly simple to make, just mix with water, boil and cool. It is a cinch to prepare. If you can't get your hands on the ready-to-make mix, you can always make the pudding from scratch. READ MORE...
#7: SuperChefBlog: Swedish Chef – Swedish Meatballs
In today's Food Flick, the Swedish Chef tackles Sweden's national dish, Swedish Meatballs, courtesy of YouTube.com. Enjoy — Swedish meatballs never bounced so well!
#8: Algerian Cuisine by Farid Zadi on How to Steam CousCous:
Packaged Couscous , Roll Your Own…Couscous and Bulghur Wheat Couscous.
If you like whole wheat couscous try the bulghur wheat, it has a delicious nutty flavor.
How to roll your own couscous with step by step photos!
I'm bumping up this post to highlight the last link. It has step by step photos on how to roll your own couscous. There is nothing else like it on line!
#9: From Chile: Have a Guiness Power Drink! Have a Guiness When you are Tired!
They noticed that I had two cans of Guinness dark ale in my cart and they asked me: "In what manner do you drink your Guinness in Panama?"
They were shocked at my reply: "Well, it's a little strong for me so I dilute it with water." They were not pleased with that sacrilege but
they were pleased to discover that Guinness is produced in Panama with the traditional formula – and costs less than a dollar each.
They explained the best way to serve Guinness: pour the Guinness into the blender, add a shot glass of rum (or your favorite poison), a
teaspoon of sugar, and a raw egg. Mix it with maximum vigor and serve. Continue reading…
#10: From India: Love for Cooking shares beautiful photos of the Farmers Market in Panchgani.
If you go to a market here in the rural parts of India you will see that the seller uses the old iron scale with weights on it. As you go around the market you will
hear happy sounds of people and their weighing machines. You will see energy levels high among the sellers and the buyers.
I reached Panchgani on Wednesday morning and I knew that panchgani holds its weekly bazaar called the ‘BUDH BAZAR.” On Wednesday, so off I went to see the bazaar and came out really thrilled with the experience in Mumbai you don’t get to see such fresh vegetables, which have come right out of the farms and are grown organically…
I'll be back soon with more…


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Hong Kong: July first rally: the Anson Chan effect? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

July first in China is many things. It is the anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party in China, the day in 1997 when Hong Kong was handed over to China and is also the date of one of the largest mobilizations in Hong Kong each year.
This year the number of demonstrators has doubled compared to last year; the mainstream media explained that it was the effect of Anson Chan stepping out to challenge the SAR government, particularly the reigning Chief Executive Officer Donald Tsang. However, bloggers have their own explanation on why they joined the demonstration or not.
Compared with two to three years ago when 500,000 people would come out for the July first protest, lower numbers over the last two years could be explained by shifting attitudes towards the issues and, as Hong Kong blogger Tungpo explains, the protest organizers themselves.
上年冇去，今年更加唔會去。因為，唔知去嚟做乜。我覺得，民陣愈來愈脫離現實，亦唔識把握時機。
Conflicting with the theory that this year's increased turnout over 2005 could be explained by the attendance of certain high-profile politicians, Civic Express member and blogger Charles Mok says otherwise.
但是今年我還是參加了，並不是因為陳太來了，是因為去年第五號報告書過不了立法會，今年經濟好轉了，政府明顯地希望轉移視線，要拖慢民主步伐，所以，是必需上街的時候了，不過，去了之後，是再一次的失望。
Lamfai feels that people should not focus on the number of protestors and the role of organizer too much as the democratic movement in Hong Kong has to transform into a more mature stage.
零三年的七一遊行，『公民』與『社會』邂逅，一時天雷勾動地火，譜出了最轟烈、最激盪人心的驚世戀曲；然而接下來的日子，在熱戀期過去之後，就要實實在在地學習如何相處、如何相愛、如何由激情澎湃的戀變成細水長流的愛。後七一的日子，民間出現了多個新媒體、論政組織和政治團體，它們豐富了公共空間內的討論，也拉闊了本地的政治光譜，但最困難的仍是打破市民對組織的莫名抗拒。七一遊行只是民主運動和走向公民社會的其中一步，而非唯一一步

author: Oiwan Lam


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Mexico’s big day · Global Voices
Leon Felipe Sanchez

Just hours before the presidential elections in Mexico, the run for the presidency seems to be heading to a very tight end. Polls show a very short distance between the two leading candidates. Right now I can’t give you any further details on how the numbers are showing because of a restriction on Mexican electoral legislation that states the prohibition to post by any means any polls seven days before the election takes place but the truth is that both Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Felipe Calderón Hinojosa are just a very short distance from each other.
This election will be very important to Mexico for it will be the proof for it to consolidate its democracy or return to the old practices in which the ruling party used to handle elections watching only under its own interests.  Unfortunately, the fear is that it will come to bring back those old practices since the campaign of Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, militant in the ruling party PAN, has been backed by the government by publicizing a number of public actions to favor their candidate. However, the government has denied that they have in fact favored Felipe Calderón with this ad campaign.
As for Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the former major of Mexico City, he has come to head the polls after an important decrease in his numbers, as he didn’t want to attend the first presidential debate. His participation in the second presidential debate brought him back into the race as this marked his reappearance in media after a long absence which he chose to take in order to avoid confrontations with his competitors. Andrés Manuel López Obrador is the candidate for the left-wing party PRD that is very popular in Mexico City and the south part of Mexico.
The third runner up so far is Roberto Madrazo Pintado who is also behind in the polls by a very slight margin from Felipe Calderón who was in second place in the last polls published. Roberto Madrazo is the candidate for the once hegemonic party PRI that ruled Mexico for over 70 years in a row. His candidacy has been affected by the fact that he practically imposed himself as candidate against the will of the majority of PRI’s militants. He also represents the past to which no Mexican wants to go back. His history is surrounded by alleged acts of corruption and electoral fraud back when he ran for Governor of his State Tabasco.
There are two other candidates from newly formed parties that don’t really have any chance of winning the election. These candidates are Patricia Mercado from the PASC and Roberto Campa from the PANAL.
Right now there are some fears among Mexican society such as:
•	The fear of having a State election clouded by fraud
•	The fear of having confrontations between people that backs different candidates in case that their candidate loses.
•	The fear that the winner will not have enough support on the House of Representatives and the Senate therefore not being able to rule under fair conditions.
•	The fear of voting for the “less-worse” rather than the best candidate.
We’ve had a very long campaign that has been centered on disqualifying the candidates rather than proposing ideas or plans for the Mexican growth. This, as I said before, has led to a divided society polluted, in a not to be underestimated way, by anger caused by this long campaign.
On sunday Mexico will decide its future. There will be a full live coverage of the elections on different blogs but mainly on Mirada Pública and Alt1040. Make sure to visit these websites to stay up to date with what will be happening on this important date for Mexico.
This coverage will be very important for the mexican blogosphere as it will mark the beggining of a coverage of this kind ever. Mirada Pública will be aggregating news and posts from 38 bloggers throughout Mexico. Each of these blogs has allready announced its contribution to this coverage. The blogs included on this coverage are:
* Tres Punto Cero
* Enigmatario
* goleeck.enmonterrey
* Isopixel
* Kuro/Jorge Cocompech
* WOM
* kikEBloGG!!
* Entretres
* MoNo Blog
* Chilanga Banda
* México 2006
* Hernando y la Silla
* El Noveno Colectivo: Nueve 99 / Real
* Discretas Identidades
* León Felipe Sánchez
* Vuelta de Hoja
* Fábrica de Polvo…Para ensuciarse un poco
* Radio Toloache
* Portal Ciudadano
* Los Hijos de Nuestra Mente
* Un mono ocupado
* Tecamachalco El Portal
* Efekto Magazine
* *La mano roja
* |xero||||||
* Mediatizando
* It's been a Jiff's day ESIMIO incomprendido casi EGRESADO
* Juego de Mapaches
* EBRMX
* Vökuró
* [winiberto]
* Visor Electoral
* Benditos
* lindoro.net
* [izucar.com.mx]
* Erat Hora
* idealabs
* Here comes the sun

author: Leon Felipe Sanchez