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Priest wins online anti-prize for Russia’s ‘sexist of the year’ · Global Voices
Maxim Edwards

Russian Orthodox Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov. Screenshot from Na Mayak's 2018 YouTube video  “Как относиться к гомосексуалистам? Прот. Дмитрий Смирнов“
“Women have weaker minds. Of course, some Marie Curies can be found here and there, but they're a rarity,” declared Dmitry Smirnov, an Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, live on Radio Radonezh last July. Those words have come back to haunt the cleric, who has won an online vote organised by Russian feminists to identify 2019's “Sexist of the Year.”
The Sexist of the Year Award is probably the most high profile “anti-prize” on the RuNet. It is the creation of journalist Natalia Bitten and fellow activists from the For Feminism movement, who aim to raise awareness towards the rise of misogynistic hate speech in Russian public life and the “orgy of sexism in the mass media and advertising.” The vote is held every year on the contest's website from February 23 to International Women's Day on March 8; the final list of contestants is compiled by For Feminism and FemUnity, another activist group. Their contest has achieved some publicity in recent years, and has an eager following on Facebook and the popular Russian social network VKontakte.
Bitten and her colleagues are spoilt for choice when it comes for worthy contestants. Several high profile Russians have won the prize: in 2014, columnist Yegor Kholmogorov was crowned sexist of the year for his comments advocating punching women who dared utter the word “sexism.”
This year, 5,995 votes were cast for the “sexist of the year,” of which Smirnov took 48 percent. In second place with 39% came Sergey Vostretsov, a State Duma deputy nominated for his suggestion that housewives be punished for “parasitism.” In third and final place with 12% came Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia's space agency Roskosmos. Rogozin believes that spaceships “should have masculine names, not girls’.”
Sceptics are also catered for; if there is any doubt that the offending statements are profoundly sexist, each entry offers an explanation.
What sets this initiative apart is that it does not simply focus on outrageous statements by the usual suspects. Bitten stressed in comments to GlobalVoices that the prize is about more than outbursts of a few public figures, but concerns sexism in Russian public life as a whole. Admittedly, all three nominees for 2019 are either close to the ruling party or members of the political elite themselves — while Smirnov's words were particularly egregious, it might not be so surprising to hear them from a cleric; the Russian Orthodox Church, after all, is at the vanguard of the state's cultural conservative drive.
Far from all of the nominees in past years have been particularly famous. As the award's website puts it:
Среди тревожных тенденций последнего десятилетия мы констатируем усиление языка вражды в отношении женщин в политике, культуре, СМИ и рекламе. Ситуация усугубляется из-за роста коммерческой составляющей в традиционных медиа и электронных СМИ, куда можно отнести социальные сети и мессенджеры. В общественном дискурсе женщины представлены в качестве предмета потребления при продвижении товаров и услуг. В соответствии с патриархатными нормами, женщины воспринимаются как товар, а товары позиционируются так, как если бы они были женщинами. В российских медиа ширится агрессивная антиженская пропаганда, базирующаяся на фундаменталистских религиозных взглядах и т.н. «традициях». На наш взгляд, цель этой пропаганды — вытеснение женщин из экономической жизни и сегрегация в сфере домашнего неоплачиваемого труда и принудительного деторождения.
Among the worrying tendencies of the last decade, we note an intensification in hateful language in politics, culture, the media, and advertising towards women. The situation is worsening due to a growing commercialisation of traditional and online media, which also concerns social networks and messengers. In public discourse, women are presented as a commodity to sell goods and services. In accordance with patriarchal norms, women are treated as goods to be sold, and goods themselves are sold as if they are women. Aggressive anti-female propaganda is growing in the Russian media, based on fundamentalist religious views and so-called “traditions.” In our view, the goal of this propaganda is to remove women from the economic sphere and segregate them in the sphere of unpaid domestic labour and coerced childbearing.
That, according to Bitten, is why there are now five categories for the anti-prize, compared to just three when it was launched. These include “awards” for the most sexist media outlet, advertisement, and policies (or policy proposals). Interestingly, there is also an award for “women against women,” or female public figures who support or express misogynistic viewpoints. This year, the latter prize went to Nailya Zhiganshina, chair of the Union of Muslim Women of Russia and Tatarstan, who argued that nothing could be done if a girl was married off to a boy against her will, as “parents have full rights over their children.”
A few months into 2020, Smirnov is at the heart of another controversy. On February 15, the priest, who also heads the Patriarchate's Commission on Family Affairs, made the following comments during a meeting with members of OrthodoxBRO, a Christian social group:
У нас женщины сами не понимают, что такое брак. Неохота сказать, что «я бесплатная проститутка», поэтому говорят: у меня гражданский брак. Здрасьте! Да нет, ты просто бесплатно оказываешь услуги — и все, а так тебя никто за жену не считает
Women here themselves don't understand what marriage is. It's not the done thing to say “I am an unpaid prostitute,” so they say “I'm in a civil marriage.” Well, hello! No, you're just providing services for free — and that's all, nobody regards you as a wife.
Smirnov's outburst has angered many prominent women in Russian society. Among them are not just feminist activists, but even pro-government figures who have publicly supported conservative cultural causes, such as editor in chief of the RT news network Margarita Simonyan. In an acerbic Facebook post on February 16, Zakharova called on the church to come up with a name for men living in civil marriages. Ekaterina Lakhova, chair of the Union of Women of Russia, called Smirnov's words “ugly and improper,” though stressed that she supported the traditional family.
Several users drew parallels with the furore over a 2013 law against “insulting the feelings of religious believers,” and asked why clerics were not as considerate to those of women. This Twitter user, whose handle translate as “Woman Who Has Had Enough,” sums up the feelings of many Russian women on Smirnov's words:
Проснулась сегодня и узнала,что я-проститутка!Да,да!Так и завил Протоиерей Смирнов!Значит статья оскорбление чувств верующих есть,а как же оскорбление честных граждан?По идее,все мы-русские женщины должны написать массовое заявление на полит-ую проститутку Смирнова за оскорбление
— ДАМА с ПЕРЕГАРОМ (@DamaSperegarom) February 16, 2020
I woke up this morning and found out that I'm a prostitute. Yes, yes! That's what archpriest Smirnov has declared! So it means that we have an article against offending the feelings of believers, but what about offending honest citizens? Here's an idea: all of us, Russian women, should write a mass declaration against Smirnov for offending [our feelings.]
Smirnov, who says he has received threats online for his words, has nonetheless defended them. In this interview with RadioBaltkom on February 19, Smirnov complained of inaccurate journalistic coverage:
Вот пишут, заголовок – «Смирнов оскорбил половину русских женщин». Женщина, когда читает, уже готова к тому, что ее оскорбили. Я никакую женщину никогда не оскорблял и вообще считаю это ниже своего собственного достоинства. У меня совершенно другие задачи, а здесь вообще слова выдернули из контекста. Вообще, вся беседа была посвящена мужчинам, которые недостойны такого звания
Here they write, in quotation marks: “Smirnov has offended half of Russian women.” When a woman reads that, she's already open to the fact that she's been offended. I have never offended any woman and consider it beneath me to ever do so. My goals are completely different, and here my words have been entirely torn from their context. The entire discussion was about men — men who are unworthy of the name.
Meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox Church has distanced itself from Smirnov's words. On February 17, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Moscow Patriarchate's director of external relations, apologised for Smirnov's “abhorrent statements,” though said that he believed they were made with good intentions. Similarly Vladimir Legoyda, the church's spokesman, remarked on his Telegram channel that it while it is no surprise that a priest would support traditional marriages, Smirnov's words were those of a single priest:
От себя еще могу добавить, что троллинг, в форме которого отец Димитрий периодически пытается донести некоторые свои мысли, приносит обратный результат, к сожалению. Кроме того, это не “в РПЦ считают”, но мнение одно лишь священника. Даже не мнение, а троллинг. Неудачный…
— Vladimir Legoyda, Telegram, 15 February 2020
Personally I can add that the trolling, through which Father Dmitry periodically attempts to express some of his thoughts, unfortunately has the opposite result than intended. Furthermore, this is not a matter of “the Russian Orthodox Church believes,” but the opinion of a single priest. And not even an opinion, but trolling. Unsuccessfully…
It seems that this year, Smirnov is on a roll. On March 4, the priest yet again provoked an uproar after he wondered aloud whether a school education was necessary for girls.
After a decade of its operation, the Sexist of the Year award has a degree of fame or infamy, depending on where you stand. But what do the victors themselves make of the award, and how do they find out about it?
Bitten told GlobalVoices that she personally invited Alexander Ilyashenko, 2018's Sexist of the Year, to an awards ceremony to receive his anti-prize. Ilyashenko, another cleric who was nominated for advocating girls marrying and having children at the age of 17, promised to think about it but did not turn up, she says.
Given that many of our opponents read feminist posts on social networks, our nominees find out about the voting quite quickly. They frequently “advertise” the award on their own accounts. There have been cases when the media wrote about the awards in a negative tone. But usually the media report about the voting and the nominees and distribute information about the award. Initially, we distributed invitations to the winners, inviting them to take part in a ceremony where the results of the voting were to be announced. But not a single one of them turned up to the event.
Nevertheless, it is sadly safe to assume that there may be an ample supply of contestants for Sexist of the Year in years to come.

author: Maxim Edwards


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Churches in Greece and North Macedonia refuse to modify rituals conducive to the spread of COVID-19 · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

“Institution of the Eucharist,” a 1442 painting by Fra Angelico. Public Domain photo via Wikipedia.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
While the number of people with COVID-19 steadily increases in the Balkans, a few Christian churches have refused to change liturgical practices that can contribute to the spread of the coronavirus.
The ritual known as the Holy Communion or Eucharist has Orthodox Christian worshipers drinking consecrated wine by a shared spoon, while Catholics eat thin slices of bread directly from the hand of the priest.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends avoiding large gatherings and increased levels of personal hygiene and sanitation in order to minimize the spread of the virus by touch, exchange of bodily fluids, and through the air.
In an official statement dated March 9, the Greek Orthodox Church said it will not be modifying the ritual to comply with safety measures. It also added that the “coronavirus is not transmitted via Holy Communion, and the faithful should pray against the spread of the deadly virus.”
GOC bishop Klimis, the Metropolitan of Peristeri, a suburban municipality near Athens, said that those who believe the virus could spread via religious rituals are blasphemers:
The Holy Communion is life. It is a miracle. It is a blasphemy to believe that the virus can be transmitted by receiving Holy Communion.
There have been 89 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Greece, with no deaths so far.
Greek authorities, who have recently closed schools and prohibited gatherings in efforts to prevent transmission, urged the Church to reconsider.
But state officials themselves seem to be ignoring those concerns. On a major religious holiday last Sunday, the president and some government ministers attended a public mass.
In neighboring North Macedonia, the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid  Archbishopric seems to be following a similar path. Although the church has not yet issued any official statement about the outbreak, it has continued to conduct the Holy Communion normally.
Alarms were raised when the official website of the Prespa-Pelagonia Diocese published a translated article by Russian website Pravoslavie.ru (meaning “Orthodox Christianity”) claiming it's “impossible for believers to be infected during church rituals.”
The text is signed by Russian priest Sergey Adonin, who claims to have knowledge of microbiology and experience working in hospitals. He stressed in the article that the rule of using the same spoon instituted in the 7th century Bizantium has so far done no harm, because “faith in God protects both the parishioners and the priests.”
Also in North Macedonia, right-wing propagandists expressed support to the church. For instance, one conservative TV host — who in the past promoted anti-vax activists — boasted on Twitter to have participated in risky religious rituals:
Јас се причестив минатат недела во Црквата Св. Благовештение во кругот на Клиничкиот Центар и пак ќе се причестам! Што ви е проблемот? https://t.co/GX5zzwRHfv
— Јанко Илковски (@JankoIlkovski) March 8, 2020
Tweet: I received Holy Communion last Sunday in the Church of Holy Annunciation which is part of the Clinical Center in Skopje and will do it again! What's your problem?
Link title: In spite of the appeal by health authorities: Believers received Holy Communion without fear from the coronavirus.
Sladjana Velkov, an anti-vax celebrity operating in Serbia and North Macedonia, recently declared that the situation is “not serious” and that the new virus is “just a common cold which, like the other common colds, affects only older people or people with compromised immunity.”
Meanwhile from Italy, where over 631 people have died from the infection and more than 10,000 are affected, this user tweeted:
Please, please guys. Here in northern #Italy we made one big mistake. Everybody kept saying “It's just flu” and now our intensive care units are collapsing. Everybody kept going outside like nothing happened and now our grandparents and parents are dying.#coronavirus is not #flu
— Bianca??? (@labisbeticah) March 9, 2020
So far there have been seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Macedonia; 25 in Slovenia; 13 in Croatia; six in Albania; five in Serbia; five in Bosnia; and zero in Montenegro.
There have been 28 cases in Romania and six in Bulgaria.
The world has already witnessed how the novel coronavirus can spread through religious congregations.
Last month, a majority of 7,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Korea — a country that until then seemed to have the outbreak under control — were traced to the group Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
Criminal charges were filed against the sect — often called a cult — and its 88-year-old leader publicly apologized.
Meanwhile, the Orthodox Diocese of Korea announced changes in its liturgical practices in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health:
1. During the Divine Liturgy all believers will wear masks.
2. Before entering the Church, they will disinfect their hands with a disinfectant present at the entrance of the Church.
3. They will not shake hands with anyone.
4. They will not kiss the hand of the Clergy.
5. They will not kiss the Icons, but they will bow before them.
6. They will not use the liturgical books at the time of prayer.
7. They will not receive the Antidoron from the Clergy, but on their own as they leave the church.
8. The Agape Meal will not be served following the Sunday Liturgy.
9. The various group meetings of the Faithful as well as the Catechumens will not take place.
Some churches in Europe have adopted similar measures, such as the Catholic church in Italy.
The diocese in Croatia have also enacted restrictive rules and, in France, a pilgrimage site in the city of Lourdes has been shut down.
The Orthodox Church of Romania issued a decree announcing “exceptional measures taken only because of the threat of an epidemic:”
Believers who are afraid of virus transmission may temporarily refrain from kissing the holy icons in the churches. They can exceptionally ask the priest to use their own spoon for the Holy Communion.
After Italy enacted a complete lockdown on national territory, other European states, like the Czech Republic also took more drastic measures on March 10, such as the closure of schools.
The Government of North Macedonia declared a state of emergency and also shut down kindergardens, schools, and universities for two weeks.
the global impact of COVID-19

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Filip Stojanovski


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In Argentina, women resumed the fight for #LegalAbortion2020 · Global Voices
Romina Navarro

Aerial view of # 19F crowds in front of the Argentine Congress. Public photo from Dronera.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of how women fight gender violence in Latin America.
Thousands protested in front of the Argentine National Congress in the capital Buenos Aires on February 19, 2020, in support of the legalization of abortion.
Abortion is illegal in Argentina, and punishable with a prison sentence, except when the pregnancy is the result of rape or when it poses a risk to the woman's life.
The march was organized by the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe, and Free Abortion and focused on the approval of a bill, proposed in parliament for the ninth time, that would allow the voluntary interruption of pregnancy and put an end to obstruction of access to abortions that are already legal.
The bill nearly passed in 2018 — it was approved by the Chamber of Deputies but rejected in the Senate by 7 votes from conservative senators spanning different political parties. The topic of abortion in Argentina transcends the lines of traditional party politics.
The bill was proposed again in 2019, but politicians refused to consider it at that time because it was an election year and many candidates preferred to avoid controversial issues.
In 2020, women’s rights advocates took to the streets and parliament once more with fresh hopes and the slogan “the bill is on the streets”:
¡Buen díaaaaaaaaa! ?
¿Cómo estamos de manija? ?
? #19F: https://t.co/BM7UmReEjx
? EN EL PAÍS Y EL MUNDO
Por nuestro derecho hoy salimos a las calles, donde está nuestro Proyecto ??? #AbortoLegal2020 ??? pic.twitter.com/ipw6nhvuYS
— #AbortoLegal2020 ? (@CampAbortoLegal) February 19, 2020
Good morningggggggg!
How are we handling it?
 # 19F: http://bit.ly/36TqEAW
IN THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD
By our right today we go out to the streets, where our #LegalAbortion2020 Bill is. #LegalAbortion2020
At the act, which was referred to online as “#19F”, there were additional demands for legal action to also address gender inequality and violence, femicides, homophobia, transphobia, and the Comprehensive Sex Education (ESI) program, which is compulsory in every school in Argentina but has encountered several obstacles to its practical application due to opposition from conservative and religious fundamentalist movements.
On a stage set in front of the Plaza del Congreso in Buenos Aires, speakers commented on the campaign. Also present were three members of the Chilean collective Las Tesis, who performed an adaptation of the well-known anthem “A Rapist in Your Path,” alluding to clandestine abortion and young girls who are forced to become mothers:
Throughout the week, the #19F, #Pañuelazo, and #AbortoLegal2020 (in English, #LegalAbortion2020) tags took social media by storm:
Porque son nuestros cuerpos.
Porque es nuestro derecho.
Porque es legal o clandestino.
Porque más pronto que tarde: será ley ?#AbortoLegal2020 #19F pic.twitter.com/a5ZjOf4Aao
— Luli Trujillo ? (@lulitru) February 19, 2020
Because they are our bodies.
Because it is our right.
Because it is legal or clandestine.
Because sooner rather than later: it will be law ? #LegalAbortion2020 #19F
Apoyando a las compañeras argentinas  #panuelazo por el Aborto Libre! ??? pic.twitter.com/yU01v2WZvn
— Red Actrices Chilenas (@actriceschile) February 19, 2020
Supporting our Argentine compatriots #panuelazo for Legal Abortion! ???
HOY HOY HOY HOY HOY HOY HOY #panuelazo Educación sexual para decidir – Anticonceptivos para no abortar y #AbortoLegalSeguroYGratuito para no morir. #AbortoLegal2020 ? pic.twitter.com/1q7MOkpsNu
— ? Raquel Vivanco ? (@raquelvivanco) February 19, 2020
TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY TODAY #panuelazo Sex education to decide – anticontraceptives to avoid abortion, and #LegalSafeandFreeAbortion to avoid death. #LegalAbortion2020 ?
No queremos leer más estas noticias. No queremos que ninguna mujer tenga que morir en el terror de la clandestinidad.
No sigamos siendo indiferentes. El derecho al #AbortoLegalSeguroYGratuito es una cuestión de salud pública.
Más temprano que tarde, #SeráLey ? #AbortoLegal2020 pic.twitter.com/NTJ0SBz1Sb
— Camila Miele (@CamuMiele) February 19, 2020
We do not want to read news like this anymore. We do not want any woman to have to die in the terror of secrecy. Let's not remain indifferent. The right to #LegalSafeAndFreeAbortion is a matter of public health.
Sooner than later, #ItWillBeLaw ? LegalAbortion2020
The symbolic green #19F handkerchief (pañuelazo, in Spanish) was used in demonstrations of support in Argentina and beyond in several cities around the world:
Toda mi fuerza para las hermanas argentinas. Siempre lo digo: cuánto aprendo, aprendemos, de vosotras.
Lo vais a conseguir.
?? ? #AbortoLegal2020
— elvira sastre sanz (@elvirasastre) February 19, 2020
All my strength for the Argentine sisters. I always say it: how much it is that I learn, we learn, from you. You will achieve it.
?? ? # LegalAbortion2020
Las mujeres en Colombia abortan, es una realidad, sin importar que sea o no legal.
Buscamos que lo hagan de manera segura, sin que pongan en riesgo su vida.
Educación sexual para decidir, anticonceptivos para no abortar y aborto legal para no morir! #AbortoLegal2020
— Katherine Miranda (@MirandaBogota) February 19, 2020
Women in Colombia abort, it is a reality, regardless of whether or not it is legal.
We want them to do it safely, without putting their lives at risk.
Sex education to decide, contraceptives to avoid abortion, and legal abortion not to die! #LegalAbortion2020
Hace dos años surgió el #pañuelazo que dio inicio al debate legislativo en 2018 del aborto legal en Argentina.#19F por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito en toda América Latina.
"Aborto sí, aborto no, eso lo decido yo". ? pic.twitter.com/sFqulb8gZE
— Luchadoras (@LuchadorasMX) February 19, 2020
Two years ago, the #pañuelazo emerged that initiated the 2018 legislative debate on legal abortion in Argentina. #19F for the Right to Legal, Safe, and Free Abortion throughout Latin America.
“Abortion yes, abortion no, I decide that.” ?
Nuestras hermanas argentimas necesitan hoy sentir nuestro apoyo en el hastag #AbortoLegal2020 Sabemos que será ley, sigan luchando que no están solas https://t.co/NMGHBwHrGM
— Daria ? (@Daria_Mo) February 19, 2020
Our Argentine sisters need today to feel our support in the hashtag #LegalAbortion2020 We know it will be law, keep fighting and know that you are not alone
In December 2019, when the new government of President Alberto Fernández and Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of the Frente de Todos coalition took office, the presidency confirmed the bill will be addressed in 2020.
President Fernández has openly stated himself to be in favor of legalizing abortion. This month, he announced that the executive branch will present a bill for its decriminalization. This marks a difference from the previous government of Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), who was the first to address the abortion debate in 2018, but from a politically conservative perspective.
The composition of Argentina’s parliament is the same as two years ago, but many share the hope for changes of opinion in 2020’s new political context. According to polls, the majority of Argentines support the legalization of abortion.
To date, the formal details of each bill and the next steps for their development have not been made public. Whatever happens, Argentine feminists will continue the fight until the right to abortion is enshrined in law.

author: Romina Navarro


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Nepal postpones international events as fear of COVID-19 intensifies · Global Voices
Mahesh Shrestha

8th Human Rights International Film Festival poster. Courtesy: Human Rights Film Center. Used with permission.
As fears about COVID-19 continue to grip the world, many countries have taken preventative measures by cancelling events and gatherings. Nepal is the latest country to issue an appeal not to organize any large meetings, conferences, festivals, and any other events in view of the possible risk of a COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
In response, organizers from three major events, from the film industry to sports, have agreed to postpone or cancel their long-awaited programmes.
The first case of COVID-19 was detected in a Nepali student returning from China on 23 January but he was discharged after his condition improved. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, as of 6 March, 437 samples from patients were tested and 436 came out negative with the one positive case having already recovered from the virus. But as per 8 March, 441 samples were tested but all tested negative.
While Nepal's infection numbers are still relatively low, the impact of the global COVID-19 outbreak is projected to have very serious effects on the economy. According to an ADB analysis, the outbreak will hit almost every sector of the Nepali economy, with many fearing that the country's GDP might shrink by 0.04-0.13 per cent.
The 8th Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival (NHRIFF), which was scheduled to kick off on 4 March 2020, is one of the international events that has decided to honour the Nepali government's appeal.
Every year, Human Rights Film Center (HRFC), brings together human rights filmmakers and human rights activists from around the world to screen their films and debate human rights issues. This year, 84 films from 32 countries were selected to be screened at the festival. Likewise, 22 filmmakers from 17 countries were travelling to Nepal to participate in the festival. While the preparations and publicity of the festival were ongoing, the Center announced its postponement on 2 March until further notice.
In a press statement, Executive Director of Human Rights Film Center and Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival Director Pandav Khatri said:
HRFC will declare next date of the Festival once the situation is under control. The same films already selected for the festival will be screened on the next date too. HRFC apologizes for the inconvenience caused on the national and international filmmakers, the participants and audiences, supporters, sponsors and others due to this cancellation of the festival.
Pokhara International Film Festival communication material. Courtesy: Pokhara Film Society. Used with permission.
The Pokhara International Film Festival 2020, scheduled to begin on 14 March, has also been postponed until further notice. Organized every year in the touristic town of Pokhara, the fourth edition of the two-day festival was to be held from 14-15 March. Thirty-five films from Twenty-two countries were scheduled to be screened at the festival, and five international filmmakers and eight Nepali filmmakers were coming to attend. In a press statement, Jitesh Pradhan, Chairperson of Pokhara Film Society said the new date would be declared as the situation comes under control.
In addition, the much-awaited Everest Premier League, the T20 cricket bonanza where famous international players were to participate, was also postponed.
The 2020 TVS Everest Premier League has been postponed until further notice following detailed discussions with the Government of Nepal & other stakeholders to avoid possible transmission of COVID–19
It will be back bigger & better than ever before #JaiNepal#EPLT20 pic.twitter.com/j1XmUfOqh0
— EPL – Everest Premier League (@eplt20official) March 5, 2020
In addition, the Government of Nepal's event, Sagarmatha Sambaad, scheduled for 2-4 April 2020 has also been postponed due to the possible risk of COVID-19. The government had planned the multistakeholder global dialogue on the topic of “Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity” focusing mainly on the impacts of climate change that Nepal and a number of other countries around the world are facing. After the World Health Organization (WHO) listed Nepal as one of the countries at high risk for a novel coronavirus outbreak, the Government of Nepal decided to postpone this international event where many politicians, university representatives, and international organizations were scheduled to participate.
The Government of Nepal has also decided to stop issuing on-arrival visas to foreign nationals arriving from five countries badly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, namely China, South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy. They went on to expand the list on March 9, 2020, to include France, Germany and Spain.
The Nepali government has suspended the visa-on-arrival regime for nationals of five countries – China, South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran which were badly affected by the #coronavirus epidemic. #COVIDー19 #Nepalhttps://t.co/VMVFe0aS6b
— South Asia Center (@ACSouthAsia) March 5, 2020
The government has also decided to perform scanning for COVID-19 at 37 border entry points along the Nepal-India border.
the global impact of COVID-19

author: Mahesh Shrestha


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Sexism and misogyny in Pakistan TV talk shows · Global Voices
R Umaima Ahmed

Screenshot from YouTube via Yamaan TV. Playwright Khalil ur Rehman Qamar (2nd from left) and Human Rights Acrtivist Marvi Sirmed (4th from left) on a NEO TV Channel talk show on Aurat Azadi March 2020.
Sexism, misogyny, and the use of abusive language against female guests on talk shows became an issue again in Pakistan after an ugly spat on a NEO TV Channel program between author/director Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and rights activist Marvi Sirmed on 4 March 2020. The heated argument between the two was about the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’ (My Body, My Choice), which was used in the 2019 Aurat March. The slogan captured the demand for women empowerment but it also sparked an intense backlash from certain hardline groups.
Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, a renowned drama director was recently invited to various news channels due to his hit TV drama serial Meray Paas Tum Ho. During the programs, he claimed to be the biggest feminist around. Although in one program, he was tutored by activist Tahira Abdullah on women's rights and feminism.
His statements regarding the Aurat March triggered the controversial debate with Marvi Sirmed which featured the use of abusive and foul language. The video of the debate went viral on social media and it was highly condemned in many platforms. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) was asked to ban Qamar from appearing on TV. Even the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan demanded an apology. PEMRA issued a show-cause notice to the channel and an apology note was also tweeted by the head of the channel.
The program anchor Ayesha Ehtisham tweeted an apology:
pic.twitter.com/wlSEaNURb9
— ayesha ehtesham (@ayeshasohaileh4) March 3, 2020
The head of NEO TV Nasrullah Malik also apologized to Marvi Sirmed:
@marvisirmed Please accept my sincere apology on the incident which happened today on our screen. Being Head of NEO NEWS I am extremely sorry for that and strict action will be taken. We condemn the behaviour of Khalil Qamar.
Nasrullah Malik
Executive Director
NEO NEWS
— Nasrullah Malik (@NasrullahMalik1) March 3, 2020
Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party condemned the incident in the senate and refused to attend any program on NEO TV until an apology was given by the director.
I will not accept any show on @NeoTv_Network until this anchor apologises and this abusive man boycotted. If others ( men and women ) do the same when asked for shows this kind of disrespect to women may not get impunity. Women’s rights are human rights. Enough of this nonsense https://t.co/YAJlmawCXF
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) March 4, 2020
On 5 March, Geo TV also terminated its contract with Qamar which was widely appreciated by social media users:
Announcement ? pic.twitter.com/B5xbIX99uT
— HarPal Geo (@HarPalGeoTv) March 5, 2020
The interesting part in all this is that this is not the first time that such spats have taken place on TV programs between men and women, and some even consider it the norm. Any woman who works on women's rights, minority rights or social issues and gets invited by TV channels has to be prepared to deal with derogatory remarks and bad behaviour, and most of the time the anchors are not able to handle the situation.
Despite the long history of women's participation in the political sphere, some conservative sectors in Pakistan continue to promote patriarchial values and this often gets reflected in TV programs.
Even the late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was a target of hate speech and foul language while contesting elections during the 1990s when an organized campaign to malign her credentials was presented against her by her rival, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif:
Farzana Bari, a human rights activist was also bullied through questions raised on her faith by other panelists when she was talking on the importance of Women Protection Bill.
In another TV program in 2016, Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah Saboor of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) walked off the show in anger as he tried to bully the anchor Fareeha Idrees which did not go down well with her and she succeeded in countering the attack.
Fauzia Viqar, another women's rights activist and Farzana Bari were part of a discussion on early child marriages in 2016 when the male guest speakers accused them of going against the teachings of Islam.
Even though various episodes of men attacking fellow men are common too, but women have been an easy target for men in Pakistan. The minute a woman speaks up she has to face resistance in online and offline spaces. However, despite similar incidents on TV programs, the recent infamous debate involving Qamar has left a bad taste in the mouth and has been seen as a justification for solidarity actions like the Aurat March.

author: R Umaima Ahmed


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The anti-feminism of Mexican President López Obrador · Global Voices
Anette Eklund

AMLO as President of the Mexican Republic on December 1, 2018. Photo credit: Presidency of Mexico via Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of how women fight gender violence in Latin America.
During the month of January 2020, ten women were killed every day in Mexico, according to government data. These numbers, however, seem to be insufficiently convincing for Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and his government, who have not only minimized the violence women face but have repeatedly communicated messages that do not seem supportive of women.
On February 10, 2020, during AMLO's daily press conference, journalists questioned Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero about his proposal to classify femicide as aggravated homicide. Such a move, according to activists, would minimize the problem of femicide. President López Obrador then said:
I don't want the topic to only be about femicide. Yes it's important, but I can already see how this will be the highlight of the news.
The topic of femicide would overshadow the raffling off of the presidential plane, he continued, which he had promised to do during his campaign to demonstrate his commitment to fighting against corruption. The now-infamous plane raffle has taken center stage at several press conferences.
Despite the pertinent questions journalists pose about the way the government is dealing with femicides—as well as with security in general, the economy and sustainability—the president keeps on talking about the raffle, which has led some analysts to label the raffle a piece of political theater.
Yet, women continue to be killed in Mexico. Since López Obrador took power in December 2018, more than 1,000 women have been officially recognized as victims of femicide. The toll of murdered women whose deaths have not been categorized as femicide is likely to be much higher.
In 2020, some of Mexico's femicides have become emblematic around the globe. On February 9, Ingrid Escamilla, a 25-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her partner, who attempted to flush her organs down the toilet. The leaked images of her mutilated body were displayed on the front page of a prominent national newspaper, La Prensa. A few days later, the body of Fátima Cecilia, a 7-year-old girl, was found dead in a trash can. She had been sexually abused before being killed.
On February 17, President Obrador blamed neoliberalism's effects on society for Fatima's fate, and on February 20 he reinforced that what Mexico needs is a “moral constitution“. In this latter press conference, he said:
Feminists oppose the moralization that we propose, I respect your point of view but I do not share it, I believe that we must moralize the country, that we must purify public life, we must strengthen moral, cultural, and spiritual values. (…) It's not because you came to protest that I will renounce my beliefs.
After the cases of Ingrid, Fátima, and others were made public, hundreds of women took to the streets to protest against the prevalence of femicide. Some of the demonstrators tagged walls with messages of support for the victims and demands from the government. They also splashed red paint on the doors of the National Palace, the seat of the executive power in Mexico, to symbolize the blood of the victims.
In a press conference on February 17, the president responded, saying:
I ask feminists, with all due respect, please don't paint doors and walls, because we are working so there aren't femicides.
This response generated even more anger not only from feminists, but the population in general. Since the government has not yet officially communicated what actions it will take to guarantee security for women, several feminist groups called for a strike of women's labor on March 9, 2020.
¡MEXICANAS AL GRITO DE GUERRA! Ya no van a tener el privilegio de nuestro silencio. ¡AQUÍ ESTAMOS! #25n
A post shared by  Esmeralda Soto (@laesmeraldasoto) on
Several companies and organizations expressed solidarity with the women who were planning to strike and with women employees who could therefore take time off from work without facing consequences.
The president's response, however, was characteristically tone-deaf: it was reported that the raffling off of the presidential plane would take place on March 9, the same day as the women's labor strike.
On March 4, during another press conference, López Obrador said that “he did not realize” and that it was “not on his mind” that the day he chose coincided with the strike, and proceeded to changed the date of the raffle. But in the same conference, he made another declaration that raised the feminists’ ire: that men could also join the strike.
Yet it's not only him. Other political figures, including some women, have made statements that not only highlight their lack of support for women, but also exemplify the disregard with which these issues are treated in Mexico.
For example, Eréndira Sandoval, the secretary of Public Services, tweeted that “fakeminists” were furious about the government's “concrete anti-corruption results.” She also tweeted that men should strike on March 9 instead of women, because women “would be tempted to wash dishes” if left at home.
Yeidckol Polevnsky, the secretary general of Morena, the president's political party, declared that “feminists should be more creative in their way of protesting” and “use art” instead of showing anger.
These sarcastic statements — especially coming from women — show how unprepared AMLO's team is in terms of gender perspective. Although both the Morena party and the president have declared themselves feminists and have constantly asserted that they support women, the unfeminist messages of López Obredor and his team are not only alarming but deeply worrying, considering that the party claims to represent the “hope of Mexico”.
When is the president going to finally answer women's demands on behalf of the victims of femicide and other minorities?
To get answers, we'll probably have to wait until the presidential plane is finally raffled off.

author: Anette Eklund


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This chief hopes Yorùbá speakers adopt his newly invented ‘talking alphabet’ · Global Voices
Adéṣínà Ọmọ Yoòbá

Chief Tolúlàṣẹ Ògúntósìn stands next to the paramount king of Yorùbáland, the Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀, seated. Photo courtesy of Chief  Ògúntósìn.
In the wake of the International Year of Indigenous Languages in 2019 and the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032, many Africans have started to take a wide range of actions to advance African languages.
Writing the Yorùbá language in the borrowed Latin script may soon become a thing of the past as one Yorùbá man, Chief Tolúlàṣẹ Ògúntósìn, based in Benin, West Africa, has invented a writing system to encode the Yorùbá language.
The newly invented Yorùbá alphabet is making waves in the hopes that it could replace Latin script used for over 100 years.
The distinct alphabet came to him through divine inspiration in his dreams, according to Chief Ògúntósìn in a Whatsapp interview with Global Voices. He now travels across Yorùbáland — spanning Benin to Nigeria — to promote his “talking alphabet” as sent to him by his ancestors.
Chief Ògúntósìn believes that this alphabet was used by Odùduwà, the father of the Yorùbá people, in ancient times — but was lost. There are 25 symbols in all.
African linguists assert that if Africa is to grow, it must have its own orthographies or writing systems. A civilized and ancient Niger-Congo language like Yorùbá should not rely on a borrowed orthography to encode its thoughts and philosophy.
In 1843, Reverend Samuel Àjàyí Crowther of the Christian Missionary Society developed the Yorùbá orthography by adopting Latin script with diacritics — or accent marks. Ever since, thousands of books have been published in Yorùbá using Latin script instead of Ajami, an Arabic script used before 1843 to write in West African Indigenous languages such as Yorùbá and Hausa.
Some language advocates contend that using Latin, a foreign script, to encode African languages, keeps the continent in an enslaved mindset.
Instilling this new writing system follows a history of ancient writing systems in Africa, like Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Adrinka collection of the Akan tribe of Ghana, Ethiopian Ge'ez, the Nsibidi ideographic script of West Central Africa which date back to 5000 BC, as well as Vai alphabet scripts are of African origin.
Global Voices Yorùbá Lingua Manager Ọmọ Yoòbá interviewed Chief Ògúntósìn, via WhatsApp voice note messaging, to learn more about how he discovered this new alphabet.
Chief Ògúntósìn, now 43, explained that after the demise of his father in 1997, he had to care for his siblings as the oldest son and could not further his education after completing secondary school.
However, as a Yorùbá chief, he focused his cultural work on uniting the seven grandchildren of Odùduwa, serving as a mediator. As his cultural integration work progressed, however, he wanted to achieve more.
In 2011, he approached a babaláwo or “diviner” of Ifá, the Yorùbá divinity of wisdom. The diviner, Olókun Awópẹ̀tu, told him to visit his ancestral shrine within the Farasinmi community in Badagry, Lagos State, Nigeria, and to take whatever he came into contact with at the shrine.
There, he found a “strange object” that he took with him back to Porto-Novo, Benin. When he arrived, the house was completely dark. With no light bulbs in the living room, he usually relied on light emitted from the rays of the TV screen. He placed the object on the table and switched on the TV, only to discover, surprisingly, that the object he placed on the table had disappeared. He turned the entire room upside down and finally found it in a corner of the house.
That night, he slept with the object under his pillow. He told Global Voices:
… I had a dream that I visited the sun. When I got to the sun, it was dark and I was shown the alphabet in the form of lightning. Every time I slept, I had similar dreams, going from planet to planet, teaching people how to use the script…
For three years, he kept dreaming about the alphabet, seeing visions consecutively, yet he did nothing about it.
This time around, in 2016, I went to the sun again, I met a man, Lámúrúdu, who taught me the sound of the alphabet, he afterward sanctioned me to go all over the globe teaching people the mastery of the symbols. I usually look old in my dreams — and tired — when I wake up from sleep.
Things started to become scary for Chief Ògúntósìn — he began to feel weak, he told Global Voices. He decided to narrate his dreams to a close spiritual adviser, Oníkòyí, king of Àjàṣẹ́ in Port-Novo, who counseled him to do what he was instructed in his dreams.
For this reason, he now travels from place to place in Yorùbáland to pass on his knowledge of the Odùduwà alphabet.
The following is a short video of teachers instructing students how to write the Odùduwà alphabet in a Benin classroom:
In 2017, Chief Ògúntósìn, in the company of prominent traditional rulers in Yorùbáland and the diaspora, paid a visit to Rauf Arẹ́gbẹ́ṣọlá, the one-time governor of Nigeria’s Ọ̀ṣun State, in Òṣogbo, the state capital, to solicit support for his newly found Odùduwà alphabet. Arẹ́gbẹ́ṣọlá now serves as the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Interior of Nigeria.
A reminder letter was sent to the governor of Osun state after promises made to teach the new alphabet have gone unfulfilled.
Three years later, regrettably, verbal promises made by former governor Arẹ́gbẹ́ṣọlá to teach the discovered alphabet in elementary schools across southwest Nigeria have gone unfulfilled.
In a bid to make the Odùduwà alphabet popular, Chief Ògúntósìn has written a book and produced a documentary on the orthography — with snippets uploaded on the internet for public viewing — as well as an abandoned cartoon project which did not see the light of day due to lack of funds.
Chief Ògúntósìn also uses YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook Groups: “Ẹ̀kọ́ Aèébàèjìogbè Odùduwà” and “Odùduwà Alphabets” to promote and teach interested language learners.
He calls on all stakeholders to support the promotion of his linguistic discovery that will checkmate Western writing culture and give the Yorùbá people their deserved identity in terms of language development.
A kind-hearted Yorùbá man, Sunday Adéníyì, supported the cause by printing 1,000 copies of the “Aèébàèjìogbè Odùduwà Alphabets” exercise book for primary school pupils.
Copies of the educational pamphlets were printed in Igbo, Hausa, English, and French languages respectively. However, more support is crucial to disseminate the alphabet to a wider audience.
The Odùduwà alphabet is a welcome development. Nevertheless, the shift from writing in Latin to the new system will be a major challenge.
That said, the Odùduwà alphabet is a great step in the right direction toward the development and growth of the Yorùbá language — in what Yorùbá people will call their own.

author: Adéṣínà Ọmọ Yoòbá


text:
Czech Republic introduces drastic measures to deter spread of COVID-19 · Global Voices
Filip Noubel

This week's most influential Czech magazines, Respekt and Reflex, dedicate their covers to the COVID-19 pandemic. Respekt's cover (left): “Coronavirus changes the world.” Reflex (right): “Panic: the best friend of politicians. People, don't go nuts!” with photo of Czech President Miloš Zeman. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.
The Czech government announced drastic measures on March 10 to curb the spread of COVID-19, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11. The Central European country prepares for the return of over 10,000 of its citizens from locked-down Italy, a popular skiing destination for Czechs at this time of the year.
The official Twitter account of the Czech government announced the closing of schools and public gatherings:
Stát kvůli šíření koronaviru zakázal kulturní, sportovní a společenské akce s účastí nad 100 osob, zavírají se školy → https://t.co/i2lAzMSTOl
— Úřad vlády ČR (@strakovka) March 10, 2020
The state has banned cultural, sports and social events to be attended by more than 100 people, schools are shutting down.
The news came as a surprise for many Czechs, as up until then the government had not announced any measures against the coronavirus.
According to leading Czech daily iDnes, the measures will directly affect over 1.8 million people in a country of 10 million:
Podle statistik ministerstva školství je v ČR kolem 4 200 základních, 1 300 středních škol. Do základních škol chodilo loni zhruba 941 000 dětí, do středních 420 800. Učilo je celkem kolem 127 000 pedagogů. Vysoké školy studovalo loni přibližně 289 000 lidí.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic, there are about 4,200 primary schools and 1,300 middle schools. About 941,000 children attended primary schools in 2019, and 420,800 secondary ones. About 127,000 teachers were educating them. Last year, about 289,000 people studied in universities.
The closing of schools is expected to last from two weeks to one month, according to state officials. While the plan makes sense from a public health perspective, it could also add a burden on working families who now will have to manage childcare during the daytime.
The government said to be considering calling in medical students in their final years to replace medical staff who need to take care of their children at home.
A possible reason for the sudden change in government policy is the expected return of over 10,000 Czechs who are vacationing in Italy. According to Czech Radio:
Lidi vracející se z Itálie mají povinnost ohlásit se po návratu lékaři a zůstat ve dvoutýdenní karanténě. V celé Itálii je podle Asociace cestovních kanceláří zhruba 12 tisíc českých občanů.
People returning from Italy have the obligation to declare themselves to a doctor and stay in quarantine for two weeks. According to the Czech Association of travel agencies, there are about 12,000 Czech citizens across Italy.
The latest figure for the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Czech Republic is 64 and there have been no reported deaths so far. Updates are provided several times a day with the Ministry of Health on their Twitter account:
Aktuálně ke #COVID19 v ČR: V tuto chvíli je pozitivní výsledek testu potvrzený u 64 pacientů z celkově 1358 testovaných. Další informace přineseme během dne a budeme průběžně zveřejňovat zde na Twitteru a také na https://t.co/U1I6vqi9Cy.
— Ministerstvo zdravotnictví (@ZdravkoOnline) March 11, 2020
Update about COVID-19 in the Czech Republic: at this moment 64 patients have been confirmed as testing positively out of 1,358 persons tested. We will update our information during the day and will publish it here on Twitter and also on http://mzcr.cz. – The ministry of health. March 11, 2020
According to medical experts, the number of cases could be higher as tests aren't widely available.
One of the most at-risk segments of the population is people over 65, who represent close to 20 percent of the Czech Republic's population. As epidemiologist Rastislav Maďar points out, the closure of schools, while necessary, puts them at a higher risk:
Virus tak trochu směřujeme tam, kam jsme nechtěli. Spousta rodičů nemůže zůstat doma a malé děti skončí u babičky s dědečkem. Seniorům celou dobu říkáme, že je pro ně klíčová vlastní prevence a bezpečná zóna téměř dva metry ze všech stran. Ale s malým vnoučetem se to dodržuje velmi těžko.
We end up pushing the virus into an unwanted direction. A lot of parents cannot stay home thus small kids end up staying with their grandparents. We keep telling the elderly they have to maintain a 2-meter safety distance from all sides a a form of key prevention. But with a small grandchild, one can hardly apply this kind of measure.
Sign in an elderly center in Prague 8th district: “Due to exceptional government measures, this social club for the elderly is closed. All cultural activities for elderly people are canceled until further notice”. Photo by Filip Noubel, used with permission.
The Czech Republic is a major tourist destination: It received over 10 million foreign visitors in 2019, thus one foreign visitor per every Czech citizen. Many of those tourists are from countries currently heavily affected by COVID-19, such as Italy, China, and South Korea.
On March 9, the Czech government approved measures that will allow small and medium businesses that have been severely affected by the consequences of COVID-19 to apply for loans at a zero-interest rate.
Yet a sense of gloom has already dawned on the tourist industry. Silvia Suto, a blogger, who is also the co-owner of a Persian restaurant in Prague wrote this on March 9:
780. Seven hundred eighty Czech crowns [34 US dollars]. That was our entire income for today. On a Saturday! Only one week before you couldn't find an empty chair in our restaurant and our staff couldn't handle the work. People, tell us, will you come if we all wear masks? Will that help? Will you come back? Should we stay open for you, or should we just close down and go home? I feel as I were standing at the entrance of a tunnel. Dark stairs, with no light in sight. The scariest part of tunnels is not the darkness. It is the fact you never know how long they are.
Meanwhile, large cultural events have been canceled, including film festivals. State museums, such as the National Museum in Prague, have also been closed down indefinitely:
V souvislosti s mimořádnou situací týkající se koronaviru, jsou všechny objekty Národního muzea až do odvolání pro veřejnost uzavřeny.
Omlouváme se za případné nepříjemnosti.
— Národní muzeum (@narodnimuzeum) March 10, 2020
Due to the exceptional situation caused by the coronavirus, all buildings of the National Museum are closed to the public until further notice. We apologize for any inconveniences.
The March 10 announcement is a real shock for Czech society. The policy of the Czech government indicates it downplayed the risks of COVID-19 until the last minute. On March 1, the government announced that five tons of humanitarian aid would be sent to China, including masks and gloves. On March 10, it said that part of that help would remain in the country as not all of it had been shipped.
A major source of concern, as in other countries, is the ongoing spreading of fake news regarding the origin of the virus, as well as the measures people should take to protect themselves.
One video posted on January 26 and viewed by over 370,000 people claims that U.S. companies and organizations will make millions of dollars with a future vaccine, and suggests that the virus was created in the U.S.
The author of the 15-minute conspiracy video, all in Czech, is Antonín Baudyš, a self-proclaimed astrologist who also heads a Eurosceptic political party.
Cybercrimes linked to the pandemic have also been reported, such as phishing scams. This article at iDnes says:
Jedním z mnoha příkladů je třeba webová stránka vaccinecovid-19\.com. Maily z ní odesílané vyzývají adresáty, aby se nechali otestovat na koronavirus. Stránka byla vytvořena 11. února v Rusku. Web nabízí prodej „nejlepšího a nejrychlejšího testu na detekci koronaviru za fantastickou cenu 19 tisíc ruských rublů (asi 7 tisíc Kč)“.
One of the main examples is the website vaccinecovid-19.com. Emails sent from that address invite the targets to take a test for COVID-19. That page was created on January 11 in Russia. The page offers “the best and fastest test to detect the coronavirus for the incredible price of 19,000 Russian rubles (30 US dollars).

author: Filip Noubel


text:
Media coverage of Delhi riots muzzled in India · Global Voices
Rezwan

Burnt shops at Shiv Vihar, Delhi. Image by Banswalhemant via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0
During recent riots in Delhi, the India government resorted to imposing restrictions on the media. It imposed a 48 hour-ban on two TV channels it imposed for ‘siding towards one community’ during their coverage of the riots, before reversing its ban within 24 hours. There were also reports that India's largest streaming service, Hotstar, censored an episode of ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’, which was critical or Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies.
Also, there have been cases of self-censoring contents in the context of the government's warning not to air contents that are anti-national and can incite communal violence.
Fifty-three people, mostly Muslims were killed and hundreds injured, while mosques, houses, shops were destroyed in riots in North East Delhi between 23 and 26 February 2020. The mainstream narrative is that both the Hindu and Muslim communities participated in the violence against each other over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). However, the journalists who covered the incidents from the field and eyewitnesses blame the violence on ‘outsider’ mobs.
The police failed to prevent the riots, while there were reports that some encouraged pro-CAA activists to attack opposing demonstrators. Some journalists were forced to delete pictures and videos they took of the riots.
The Delhi police registered 683 First Information Reports and arrested more than 1,983 people. Reports of fresh violence spread on Sunday, March 1, 2020, which the police dismissed as rumors. Police subsequently arrested 40 people for spreading fake news.
Protests spread across India after the Indian government enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act (Bill) on December 12, 2019, which provides a path to Indian citizenship for illegal migrants of a number of religious minorities except for the Muslims. In association, many top ruling party leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, proposed to enact a National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Muslims fear that they will end up in detention centres being built in Assam and other states. Since December 4, 2019, 65 people have been killed in the anti-CAA/NRC protests across India, with over 175 people injured and over 3000 arrested.
On February 25, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting asked all private satellite TV channels not to air any content that promotes ‘anti-national attitude’ and which is “likely to encourage or incite violence’’.
On Friday, March 6, 2020, the Indian government banned Asianet News and Media One, two Malayalam news channels for 48 hours for their coverage of the violence in North East Delhi. The Ministry's order alleged that the two channels appeared to have covered the violence in a manner that “highlighted the attack on places of worship and siding towards a particular community”.
The order claimed that “such reporting could enhance communal disharmony across the country when the situation is highly volatile”.
In the order for Media One, the ministry said the “channel’s reporting seemed to be biased as it is deliberately focusing on the vandalism of the CAA supporters”. And also, the “Channel seems to be critical towards Delhi Police and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)”.
Critics Delhi police and RSS…..???? pic.twitter.com/xM2xJe3M6P
— Shabi (@shaabi4u) March 6, 2020
MediaOne TV responded in a statement saying that “this is a blatant attack against free and fair reporting’’ and vowed to fight legally against such order.
Statement issued by MediaOne TV reacting to 48 hour ban imposed on the channel over its reporting of the Delhi violence. #India #PressFreedom pic.twitter.com/qzWGPLqa1P
— Yogita Limaye (@yogital) March 6, 2020
CL Thomas, the Editor-in-Chief of Media One mentioned that such ban is unprecedented in the history of India and “the decision to bar TV channels is a warning to all media houses in the country that they should not criticise the government.”
Shailendra Singh from Bangalore asked:
Thank god. Kerala is not India. That's why Kerala is better than rest of the country. U say they erred…… Tell us how much @asianetnewstv can influence Delhi or rest of the country other than Kerala? Any riots in Kerala due to this news? Why no ban on Republic TV,etc?
— Shailendra Singh (@shailendrasv76) March 7, 2020
Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher commented while asking to withdraw the ban on the two channels:
The Indian government and Delhi police should focus on actual measures to stem the violence taking place in the city, instead of censoring news outlets and journalists for reporting on the riots.
The Wire reported on February 26, 2020, that Hotstar, India's largest premium streaming platform may have censored an episode of comedic talk show ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’, which criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the CAA. The show is aired in the United States on the HBO network, and many Indian viewers watch the series on the Hotstar streaming platform, which is owned by Disney. The report quoted Bloomberg in confirming that the episode was blocked in India. The episode, which aired on February 23, is available on YouTube.
A good example of how illiberal regimes can generate pressure for private-sector self-censorship. “An episode of John Oliver’s show that criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been blocked in India by Hotstar, the local platform run by Walt Disney Co” https://t.co/VwMT4nmNzH
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) February 25, 2020
Kuwar Singh at Quartz India mentioned that social media censorship in India. As per a brief by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to the parliament of India, the Indian government asked social media platforms to take down 3,433 URLs between January and October 2019, a fivefold increase since 2016.
Social media censorship has become a normal thing in India. There is no judicial or citizens’ oversight. We need a critical review of internet censorship in India to set the ground rules to balance the objectives of security and free speech. https://t.co/VzIOYXFSId
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) January 21, 2020
The Wikipedia article on the riots has been criticized by the right-wingers who termed it ‘biased’ and a senior wikipedia editor got personally attacked.
Right-winger netizens also criticized the coverage of the international mainstream media on the violence.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: Ban BBC, Al Jazeera, and WSJ from Cable TV Network and Internet – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/BTSe4MoZ3f via @ChangeOrg_India
— Sahil Raj Kharwar ?? (@sahilrs19) March 5, 2020
In the aftermath of the recent violence the Indian government is keeping a close watch on social media platforms to “check rumours and unfounded propaganda”. According to Live Mint, the Indian government is contemplating issuing fresh guidelines to social media platforms on stopping online hate content.
Read our special coverage: Who is paying the cost of India’s declining democracy? for more details on the protests against the citizenship law in India.

author: Rezwan


text:
‘For this new generation of women, the public body is political,’ says founder of Chilean feminist political party · Global Voices
Gabriela Mesones Rojo

Feminists protesting in December 2019. Photo credit: PatricioHurtado under Pixabay license.
Check out Global Voices’ special coverage of how women fight gender violence in Latin America.
With the creation of the Feminist Alternative Party on February 14, 2020, Chile has a new avenue for influencing public policies. One of the founders of the party is Pía Barros, a writer, workshop facilitator, editor, and feminist since the beginning of the Pinochet dictatorship 40 years ago.
Today, through literary initiatives and political activism, Barros calls for the establishment of a fair and egalitarian society that would eradicate a patriarchal system that generates gender and domestic violence.
Her voice has become a reference point of view to understanding the state of women's rights in Latin America and the diversity of feminist movements.
I have talked with Barros in Chile, and the interview has been edited for brevity.
Gabriela Mesones (GM): Since the 1970s, feminist movements have been fundamental in the political sphere of Chile. How have these movements been organized?
Pía Barros (PB): Fuimos nosotras las primeras que nos organizamos a través de marchas multitudinarias durante los 17 años de dictadura de Pinochet. También hubo mucho colectivo, acciones y mucho trabajo en los sectores populares hecho por mujeres. También fue el voto femenino el que derrocó a Pinochet y fueron ellas quienes rompieron con la campaña del terror durante el plebiscito de 1988.
Pía Barros (PB): We were the first to organize through mass marches during the 17 years of Pinochet dictatorship. There were also many collective actions and a lot of work in the civic sectors done by women. It was also the female vote that overthrew Pinochet and it was the women's movements that broke with the terror campaign during the 1988 referendum.
GM: Currently, how do the different feminist movements coexist in Chile?
PB: Durante los últimos años ha habido distintas formas de feminismo. La cuarta ola feminista plantea al cuerpo en la calle, y por ende el cuerpo como ente político. Es un cuerpo que incide, no como una pancarta en la calle, sino en sus múltiples formas y múltiples ángulos. Cada tendencia es una dimensión de las múltiples formas del feminismo. El año pasado, hubo un efecto político importante con Un violador en tu camino de Lastesis. Esta performance ha tenido un impacto global y ha logrado que se imponga como primera demanda la desinstalación de un estado patriarcal.
PB: During the last years there have been different forms of feminism. The fourth feminist wave places the body on the street, and therefore the body becomes a political entity. It is a body that has an impact, not as a banner in the street, but in its multiple forms and perspectives. Each trend is a dimension of the multiple forms of feminism. Last year, the feminist flashmob “A rapist in your path” (“Un violador en tu camino”) by the feminist collective Las Tesis had a significant political effect. This performance has had a global impact and has managed to demand first of all the dismantling of the patriarchal state.
Pía Barros in 2015. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, under CC license.
GM: How can all the current voices of feminism be united? Is there even an interest in unifying them?
PB: Podemos aspirar a la premisa inicial del feminismo: un universo no sexista donde todas las personas somos imprescindibles. No aspirar a una sola forma de gobierno u organización, sino más bien algo que nos convoca a todas y que no nos pide que seamos de otra manera. Las sexualidades son múltiples y cambiantes, y devienen en demandas que son legítimas desde donde vengan. ¿Es necesario pensar en homogeneizar algo? ¿O es más necesario cambiar el paradigma para entender que la diversidad tiene múltiples focos y formas en que manifestarse? Hemos trabajado el eje político como un gran frente para obtener una victoria, pero este es un pensamiento en términos de guerra.
PB: We can aspire to the initial premise of feminism: a non-sexist universe where all people are indispensable. We should not aspire to a single form of government or organization, but rather to something that brings us all together and does not ask us to be otherwise. Sexualities are multiple and changing, and they represent legitimate demands no matter where they come from. Is it necessary to think about homogenization? Or is it more necessary to change the paradigm in order to understand that diversity has multiple focuses and ways to manifest? We worked the political angle so it becomes a great front to win a victory, but this line of thought is more war-like.
GM: What are the difficulties in the current society when it comes to understanding the gender issue?
PB: Lo patriarcal que somos. El patriarcado no está fuera de nosotros: lo parimos, lo educamos, le permitimos que crezca. Esa deconstrucción tiene que empezar desde cero: en la casa, en el barrio, en nuestra forma de conectar. Por eso es importante celebrar la diversidad.
La construcción de las mujeres siempre ha sido en torno a la comunidad, y el efecto comunitario significa que hay veces que no nos gustan personas de nuestra comunidad. Al loco del pueblo se le protege igual, porque pertenece. Por mucho tiempo se nos ha dicho que las mujeres no pertenecemos, y la búsqueda empieza allí.
PB: How patriarchal we are. Patriarchy is not outside of us: we create it, we nurture it, we allow it to grow. Its deconstruction has to start from the ground up: in our homes, in our neighborhood, in the way we connect. That is why it is important to celebrate diversity.
Women's identity has always been built within a community, and this means that there are times when we don't like people from our community. The “fool” of the neighborhood is protected because they belong. But for a long time, we have been told that women do not belong, and the search begins there.
GM: What is the role of women and the different feminist movements in the framework of the Chilean “social outbreak” of October 18?
PB: No creo que el estallido hubiera sido posible sin los dos 8M anteriores. Pero también creo que por algo se llama estallido, algo que dejó de estar contenido y se rompió. El estallido tiene que ver con los quiebres. En este caso, no sé cuál ha sido el rol de la mujer que no haya sido su rol de siempre: estar vigilantes, exigir y plantear otros modos de intentar las cosas. Como dice Rosario Castellanos: “Debe haber otro modo de ser humano y libre, otro modo de ser”. Ese otro modo de ser es que el estamos intentando en este momento.
PB: I don't think the outbreak would have been possible without the previous two 8M (International Women's Days). But I also think that we call it an “outbreak” for a reason: it is something that stopped being contained and broke out. An outbreak has to do with breakdowns. In this case, I don't know what the role of women has been except its usual role: to be vigilant, demand and propose other ways of trying things. As Rosario Castellanos says: “There must be another way of being human and free, another way of being.” That other way of being is what we are trying right now.
GM: You mentioned the global impact of Las Tesis. With campaigns such as #MeToo, social media has helped make visible the precarious situation of the women's rights and the daily abuse they are subjected to. Could you elaborate on this?
PB: Las redes sociales han cumplido una función informativa que la prensa ha dejado de lado. En dictadura, por ejemplo, había unas cuantas revistas vigiladas, pero la información realmente fluía a través de papelitos compartidos de mano a mano. Creo que lo mismo ocurre ahora, con nuevas tecnologías. Una de las propuestas de mi generación era que lo privado es público, bajo el slogan de “Democracia en la calle y en la casa” y para esta nueva generación el cuerpo público es político. Al denunciar somos más poderosos que el denunciado y por lo tanto terminamos teniendo un punto a favor. Al denunciar creamos comunidad de apoyo, algo que no solamente tiene valor emocional: cuando hay dos o más personas, la acción pasa a ser política, por lo que se piensa en conjunto para incidir y presionar al estado para generar leyes, construir y reparar un tejido social que está enfermo.
PB: Social networks have fulfilled an informative function that the press had ignored. During the dictatorship, for example, there were a few publications that were monitored, but the information was actually distributed through little papers that passed from hand to hand. I think the same is happening now, with new technologies. One of the proposals of my generation was that the private is public, under the slogan “democracy in the street and in the house,” and for this new generation, the public body is political. When we denounce, we are more powerful than the accused, and therefore, we end up having an advantage. When we denounce, we create a supportive community, something that not only has an emotional value: when there are two or more people, the action becomes political, so we think together to influence and pressure the state to make laws and build and repair a damaged social fabric.
GM: As a writer, editor and workshop facilitator, you have combined the political struggle with cultural movements. This became ¡Basta! (“Enough!”), a series of books against gender violence that has been published in 10 countries. Could you talk about them?
PB: Hemos generado proyectos editorial de ¡Basta! En Chile, Perú, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Panamá, Estados Unidos, México, Bolivia. Nace como un proyecto del equipo Asterión, y su objetivo es denunciar la violencia de género para que podamos entender que la base del dolor y el daño en término de relaciones parten de la violencia de género. Cuando un niño se expone a la violencia psicológica, este niño va a entender que el modo de relación y de construcción de familia — y por lo tanto de sociedad — es a través de la agresión y de descalificación.
PB: We created editorial projects of ¡Basta! (“Enough!’) in Chile, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, United States, Mexico, Bolivia. It started as a project of the Asterión team, and its objective is to denounce gender violence so that we can understand that the cause of pain and damage in relationships is gender violence. When a child is exposed to psychological violence, this child will understand that relationship and family building — and therefore society building — is through aggression and smears.
GM: What are the political goals of the Feminist Alternative Party?
PB: Las Tesis hicieron una performance frente al Estadio Nacional y partir de ese encuentro varias mujeres decidimos registrar un partido que sea instrumental para incidir en una nueva constitución nacida en democracia. Consideramos necesario poder participar y proponer desde el mundo feminista cuales son las demandas específicas con los intereses del colectivo.
PB: Las Tesis performed in front of the National Stadium and it was there where several women decided to register a party that could be instrumental in influencing a new constitution based on democracy. We think it's necessary to be able to participate and propose specific demands from the feminist perspective while taking into account collective interests.

author: Gabriela Mesones Rojo


text:
In shooting for the stars, this Trinidad & Tobago linguist highlights how language connects us · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The official graphic used to announce the selection of linguist Jo-Anne Ferreira's winning names for Trinidad and Tobago's entry in the International Astronomical Union's NameExoWorlds competition. Image courtesy Dr. Ferreira, used with permission.
It would be a pretty cool thing to name a celestial body. Linguist Jo-Anne Ferreira can now add that distinction to her list of qualifications, ever since she won the Trinidad and Tobago segment of a global competition hosted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the authority charged with assigning designations to astronomical elements like stars and planets.
To mark the IAU's 100-year anniversary, the worldwide campaign was aimed at finding a pair of names — connected by a common theme — for an exoworld (the combination of a star and an exoplanet), which will become its official name (apart from its scientific designation) and would allow other planets, should more be discovered in the future, to be named after the same theme.
Ferreira's winning names for the new star and its co-relating exoplanet are Dingolay and Ramajay. Dingolay means “to twist and turn”, and Ramajay means “to sing”. Together, they represent Trinbagonians’ love of their culture and a respect for the languages of their ancestors.
After a nationwide call for name suggestions, ten finalists were chosen for the NameExoWorlds competition. The general public was encouraged to vote on their pick for the names of Trinidad and Tobago’s official exoplanet and its host star.
Shirin Haque, senior lecturer in astronomy at The University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine Campus and National Outreach Coordinator for the IAU, called the contest “a first in the history of astronomy for Trinidad and Tobago to have an opportunity to be immortalised among the stars.”
Ferreira's win was announced by the IAU in December 2019, and she's been rather busy ever since, not just with her new exoworld, but with her usual workload as senior lecturer in linguistics at the University of the West Indies.
When we finally got a chance to chat — quite fittingly after Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, since the monikers she proposed have cultural significance — it became apparent that her extensive knowledge of language played a key part in her name selections.
In this first installment of a two-part interview, Ferreira shares how language connects us all.
Dr. Jo-Anne Ferreira, senior lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics at The University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine campus. Image courtesy Dr. Ferreira, used with permission.
Janine Mendes-Franco (JMF:) Congrats again on this amazing accomplishment! Does it feel any different now that the fanfare has died down a bit? Has the magnitude of having been responsible for naming something in the universe properly sunk in?
Jo-Anne Ferreira (JAF:) Thank you, and mèsi [Creole for “thanks”] to Dr. Shirin Haque and her team, and to all those who shared my taste [in names] and voted for me. Congrats to my fellow finalists as well. It’s still amazing to me that we were even given a chance to be part of this historical naming campaign in the first place.
We [Trinidad and Tobago] were the only ones in the English-official Caribbean to participate. The only other Caribbean territories were Aruba, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. As far as I know, our names are also the only Patois or French Creole names [not to be confused with Jamaican Creole, also called Patois], and the only Caribbean Creole names at all. And if more celestial objects are found, we can continue to add more Trinbagonian names to the heavenlies.
The best part for me is this scripture verse: “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name” — so I’m still star struck.
JMF: What inspired you to enter the contest in the first place? Are you an astronomy buff?
JAF: I’m interested in our languages, words, naming/names, etymology, and language history. I am not an astronomy buff, though, of course,  I stand in awe of the universe.
JMF: Explain the rationale behind your name choices, the connectivity between the two words, and their meaning/resonance for Trinbagonians — linguistic, cultural and otherwise.
JAF: We are a linguistically and culturally creative and complex people. The names I chose speak to our passion, our joie de vivre and our creativity. They roughly mean “to dance” — dingolay — which we do very well, with so many genres and of so many origins, with dancers having gone to China, to the United States and Canada, and “to sing” — ramajay — which we also do very well, with prize-winning singers from here to Germany to the United States and around the world.
Dingolay is a fascinating word and may have two origins, a possible convergence of Koongo and French, and has found its way into tassa drumming. It’s the name of a tassa hand drawn directly from dholak rhythms. I would call that a true Trinbagonian word.
Ramajay is a particularly beautiful, poetic verb describing the chirping or warbling of a bird. It’s a French word, ramager (same pronunciation except for the ‘r’, as in “ramaˌʒe”, now rare and archaic. We’ve preserved it and catapulted it to the stars.
A Martiniquan colleague wrote about the words, which was very gratifying to me.
JMF: Not everyone was pleased with the winning names though. You received some online criticism about your name submissions, including comments suggesting that they were pandering to “Carnival culture,” were ethnically exclusionary or were “sexually explicit.” How do you respond to the naysayers?
JAF: If we knew our history, then we would know where we came from and would have fewer identity issues. Our 10 Amerindian nations were not ignored, as some naysayers felt. Our First Peoples are known to speak Patois, our first island-wide lingua franca. We can learn from the lessons of losing our Amerindian languages, and try to save just one more national heritage language.
A bird’s warbling does not originate in Carnival, and Carnival has all types of dance movements, including dingolaying.
Because Carnival is a festival, dancing and singing must be involved. Any word can undergo semantic change, such as generalisation or specialisation –including amelioration and pejoration — metaphor, and much more. Words can have seasons in their life span, and if users find that a particular word can adapt well to another context, then so be it.
So, chacun à son goût [“to each his own”], basically. I myself am not a lover of Carnival per se, but in any case, no one can deny the beauty and the creative and mesmerising genius of our people, which are second to none.
Look out for Part 2 of this post, in which Ferreira takes a deep dive into the roots and ever-evolving fluidity of language, shares a few exciting projects and explores how linguistics and astronomy are tied together.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Life in the time of COVID-19: Jamaicans adjust their lifestyles as country records second case · Global Voices
Emma Lewis

The COVID-19 virus, image by Prachatai on flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
When British Airways flight number 2263 touched down in Jamaica on March 4, 2020, it brought with it Jamaica’s first case of COVID-19, via a woman arriving from the United Kingdom to attend a family funeral in Jamaica. She had already unknowingly been infected with the virus when she travelled. Feeling unwell, she eventually saw a doctor on March 9. On the morning of March 10, the Ministry of Health and Wellness confirmed that the woman has been in isolation since the diagnosis.
On March 11, a second case was confirmed and involves an employee at the United States Embassy in Kingston, who had recently returned from the United Kingdom.
The embassy closed for business on March 11 and in a press release, declined to release further patient details for privacy reasons. The statement noted that the embassy was “in the process of sanitizing the premises to prevent a further outbreak,” and that it would not provide routine services until further notice:
BREAKING: Some US Embassy Staffers in the Consular Section have been advised to self quarantine for the next 14 days.
Move comes following 2nd imported case of the Coronavirus in JA.
The 2nd case is a Jamaican female who's an employee at the Consular Section of the Embassy.
— Abka Fitz-Henley (@AbkaFitzHenley) March 11, 2020
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which is seeking to trace all contacts of the first case, appealed:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you traveled to Jamaica to the Norman Manley International Airport on Flight BA 2263, please make contact with us urgently.
As of March 12, according to health officials, 39 people are in quarantine at a government facility and eight people are quarantined at home. Additionally, twelve are in isolation at government facilities (including those two who are confirmed as positive) because they have been displaying symptoms that could indicate the presence of the virus. The test results for these isolated patients are expected to be released shortly. To date, 296 travellers have been declared “persons of interest,” with 65 being denied entry to the island by officials.
The virus has seriously affected global travel and by extension the Caribbean region’s fragile tourism product — in particular, the cruise ship industry. The first case was reported in the Dominican Republic on March 1.
News has quickly followed that the territories of Guyana (where a traveller from New York has reportedly died); St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago have recorded their first cases, all carried through travellers — putting some Jamaicans distinctly on edge.
Now that the virus has arrived in Jamaica, its impact on citizens is tangible. Kingston’s vibrant cultural scene, for instance, is grinding to a halt. “We’re a very sociable people,” observed one health official during a live social media chat on the evening of March 11.
This is, perhaps, an understatement. With numerous entertainment events and parties planned for the busy pre-Carnival season in Jamaica, scheduled for April 16 to 22, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced at an emergency press briefing on March 11 that large gatherings usually requiring a permit will be banned for the next two weeks.
Jamaica Carnival, which is growing in popularity and attracts large numbers of overseas visitors, might be the next to fall victim to the virus.
A string of events has already been postponed, including the country's annual Champs athletics championships, which are hugely popular. The country has also banned school athletics teams from attending this year's Penn Relays, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the US.
As of March 13, schools across Jamaica will be closed for 14 days, although the government reserves the right to review its decision in 10 days. The University of the West Indies’ Mona campus will also be closed until after Easter.
Social interactions in the region are therefore being forced to change as per World Health Organization recommendations such as “social distancing”. Jamaicans — usually a demonstrative people — are now backing away from hugs and kisses when greeting each other, prompting humourous social media posts:
pic.twitter.com/2w3baMiK8Q
— Doug.Halsall O.D. aiswebnet.com (@HalsallDoug) March 11, 2020
Prime Minister Holness also made a show of sanitising his hands before a press briefing:
#NOW Tune in to @Nationwideradio as we stream the emergency media briefing from #JamaicaHouse. pic.twitter.com/cERNAZbywY
— Nationwide90FM (@Nationwideradio) March 11, 2020
Despite the anxiety, there has been praise for the Jamaican government’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic so far. The country's health ministry has, in recent weeks, made extensive use of both traditional and social media platforms, including Facebook live streams and almost daily in-person media briefings.
One Twitter user couldn't resist comparing the Jamaican government’s approach to that of the US:
My little sh*thole country is handling this crisis management so much better than the USA and I'm just so proud ?
— ?? Actinomagnificent (@JamaicanLabrat) March 11, 2020
Another was commendatory, even coining a new hashtag:
The government of Jamaica is governing. Very good. #onelove ??#lifeinthetimeofcovid
— Kelly McIntosh (@KellyKatharin) March 11, 2020
With a general election date likely to be called in 2020, the Holness administration's handling of the COVID-19 crisis may bode well politically if done well. For now, though, politics is on the back burner as Jamaica and its neighbours primarily focus on staying healthy.
the global impact of COVID-19

author: Emma Lewis