text:
Allegations Tie Pope Francis to Argentina’s ‘Dirty War’ Past · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

The election of Argentinian Jesuit Jorge Bergoglio as the new Catholic Pope has raised questions about the former cardinal's alleged involvement with Argentina's 1976-1983 military dictatorship, including accusations that he had a hand in the kidnapping of two liberal priests.
The allegations dogging Bergoglio, the first Argentinian and first Latin American to be chosen as pope, are not new, but come at a critical time for the Catholic Church as it struggles to improve its image worldwide.
Back in January 2011, Hugh O'Shaughnessy wrote a column for The Guardian in which he refers to the “sins of the Argentinian church” during the country's ‘Dirty War‘:
[…] It has been clear for years that the upper reaches of the Argentinian church contained many “lost sheep in the wilderness”, men who had communed and supported the unspeakably brutal western-supported military dictatorship that seized power in that country in 1976 and battened on it for years. Not only did the generals slaughter thousands unjustly, often dropping them out of aeroplanes over the River Plate and selling off their orphan children to the highest bidder, they also murdered at least two bishops and many priests. Yet even the execution of other men of the cloth did nothing to shake the support of senior clerics, including representatives of the Holy See, for the criminality of their leader General Jorge Rafael Videla and his minions.
Hayes Brown in Think Progress elaborated on the church's alleged involvement with the regime:
Years later, one priest told a panel of judges that the church at the time was “scandalously close to the dictatorship” in turning a blind eye, “to such an extent that I would say it was of a sinful degree.” Former Argentine dictator Jorge Videla claimed in an interview years removed from power that the Church was definitely “consulted” throughout the crackdown. That included offering their good offices and discouraging families from searching for relatives who had “disappeared.”
In an article for Global Post, published on March 13, 2013, John Otis explained one of the accusations directed at Bergoglio:
Image from Wikimedia Commons, by presidencia.gov.ar, under Creative Commons license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
In fact, an Argentine lawyer in 2005 filed a complaint charging Bergoglio with involvement in the 1976 kidnapping of two liberal Jesuit priests, an episode recounted in the book El Silencio, or The Silence, by Argentine investigative journalist Horacio Verbitsky.
Bergoglio has long denied any involvement. And after he was appointed archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, he tried to make amends. He insisted that Catholic officials in Argentina wear garments symbolizing penance for sins committed by clergy during the dictatorship.
The Los Angeles Times covered the complaint against Bergoglio back in 2005.
Elizabeth Kate Switaj put together a Storify post entitled “Pope Francis and Argentina's Military Dictatorship”. She quotes blogger Flavia Dzodan (@redlightvoices), who tweeted extensively about the issue on March 13, 2013. In one tweet, Dzodan asked:
@redlightvoices: I speak of the Pope with “hate”? how about the lost lives of 30,000 disappeared, tortured, killed? Those did not deserve better?
Elizabeth also highlighted a tweet by Argentinian journalist and writer Ariel Silvera (@ariel_silvera):
@ariel_silvera: Seriously guys, ‘if he did in fact do it’, he was part of the hierarchy during the dictatorship. They are *ALL* guilty and I am not about…
@ariel_silvera: …to teach a goddamn class of Basic Argentinian History 101. I'm sorry the links aren't in your preferred language. #sorrynotsorry
Canadian writer I. Giraud (@BlueShoes55), who Elizabeth quoted in her post, pointed out on Twitter that not everyone has been celebrating:
@BlueShoes55: Several Latin American friends not rejoicing: Pope Francis apparently conservative Jesuit; did not speak out against Argentina dictatorship.
Asteris Masouras also put together a Storify post with similar reactions.
Argentinian investigative journalist Horacio Verbitsky has covered the Catholic Church's involvement in Argentina's dictatorship for years. The Twitter account under his name (@VerbitskyH) [es] has shared numerous articles published in newspaper Página12 on Bergoglio's involvement with the dictatorship, including an article [es] with five testimonies “confirming the role” played by now Pope Francis during those years.
As pointed out earlier, Bergoglio has denied [es] these accusations. Journalist Sandra Crucianelli (@spcrucianelli) [es] tweeted:
@spcrucianelli: En el libro “El jesuita”, #Bergoglio negó haber sido cómplice del secuestro de dos curas de su entorno. http://www.perfil.com/sociedad/Bergoglio-y-los-70-las-explicaciones-sobre-su-rol-en-la-dictadura-20130313-0038.html …
@spcrucianelli: In the book “The Jesuit”, #Bergoglio denied being complicit in the kidnapping of two priests close to him. http://www.perfil.com/sociedad/Bergoglio-y-los-70-las-explicaciones-sobre-su-rol-en-la-dictadura-20130313-0038.html …
To which Twitter user Grachy (@Grachy24) [es] responded:
@Grachy24: @spcrucianelli y que esperabas que diga SI YO TUVE QUE VER!!! mmmmmmmm
@Grachy24: @spcrucianelli and what were you expecting, that he say YES I WAS INVOLVED!!! hmmmmm
Nevertheless, many Argentinians have come to his defense.
Mario Pergolini (@PergoliniOK) [es] refers to the current government’s relationship with Bergoglio and writes:
@PergoliniOK: Es impresionante como están tratando de difamar a Bergoglio en las redes sociales. Evidentemente, para los k ha sido un golpe durísimo!
@PergoliniOK: It's amazing how they are trying to defame Bergoglio in social networks. Evidently, for the Kirchner [supporters] this [Bergoglio's election as Pope] has been a hard blow!
And Carlos Burgueño (@cburgueno) [es] warns:
@cburgueno: Ojo con bucear mucho sobre lo que hizo Bergoglio en la dictadura, no vaya a ser que haya salvado a muchos más que todos ustedes juntos.
@cburgueno: Be careful digging up too much about what Bergoglio did during the dictatorship, he might have saved more people than all of you combined.
Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel told BBC Mundo [es] that Bergoglio had no ties to the dictatorship: “Bergoglio is questioned because they say he did not do enough to get two priests out of jail, while he was the superior of the Congregation of the Jesuits, but I know personally that many bishops called on the military junta to release prisoners and priests, and their wishes were not granted. They were told they would be released, and then it didn't happen.”

author: Silvia Viñas


text:
Argentinians, the Government and Pope Francis  · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

While the world was waiting for the result of the election of the new pope, Argentinians were hopeful a fellow countryman would become the pope. The white smoke at the Vatican announced the decision was made: the first jesuit and the first Argentinian pope, Jorge Bergoglio -now Francis- would become the maximum authority of the Catholic Church after Benedict XVI.
On Twitter, Argentinians spoke about it using different hashtags, like #Bergoglio, #HabemusPapam, #PrimerasPalabrasDelPapa [es] (Pope's first words), #LaBarraDelPapa [es] (Pope's fans), #FranciscoI [es], among others. The reactions have been diverse.
For many it was a surprise, like for @JessyDelPino [es] who said:
@JessyDelPino Q?? Me despierto y tenemos PAPA argentino! Pensaba q mi viejo me estaba cargando!!! #HabemusPapam #Bergoglio #Francisco1
@JessyDelPino: What?? I wake up and we have an Argentinian POPE! I thought my old-man was kidding me!!! #HabemusPapam #Bergoglio #Francisco1
Even non-believers like Lucero Aguirre (@LuuceroAguire) [es] shared their views:
Argentinos celebrate the election of Pope Francis I at Saint Peter's Square in Roma. Picture shared on Twitter for @aciprensa
@LuuceroAguirre La verdad no lo puedo creer, no soy creyente, ni nada, pero es realmente un ORGULLO tener POR FIN a un Papa como tiene que ser! #Bergoglio
@LuuceroAguirre: The truth is I cannot believe it, I'm not a believer or anything, but it is really a PRIDE to FINALLY have a pope the way it has to be! #Bergoglio
In the blog Politics and Politicians [es] Rosa Alcántara re-published an article that talked about the tumultuous relationship between Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's government and the new pope. The former bishop and the head of state have had their differences on many issues, for example gay marriage [es]:
Una de las cuestiones en las que el cardenal Bergoglio se enfrentó al gobierno fue el proyecto de Ley de Matrimonio entre Personas del Mismo Sexo. El 9 de julio de 2010, días antes de su aprobación, se hizo pública una nota de Bergoglio calificando como una «guerra de Dios» dicho proyecto de matrimonio gay, que contemplaba que las personas homosexuales pudieran contraer matrimonio y adoptar niños.:
One of the issues that had Cardinal Bergoglio against the government was the Gay Marriage Law project. On July 9th, 2010, days before its approval, an open letter by Bergoglio said that gay marriage was a war against God which also contemplated the possibility of child adoption by gay couples.
Another clash happened during the May Revolution celebration, a national holiday that takes place every year and includes the traditional Tedeum at Buenos Aires’ Cathedral. In 2008, nonetheless, the Argentinian president decided to change the location. The blog Radio Cristiandad commented [es] (Radio Christianity) on this event:
Pese a que el gobierno cumplió con gestiones protocolares para el cambio, la decisión de llevarlo a Salta, donde se hará una oración interreligiosa, generó inquietud en sectores eclesiásticos. Gobierno dice que es para “federalizar” fiesta patria.
La presidenta Cristina Fernández de Kirchner también esquivará, como lo hizo su marido durante la presidencia, una homilía interpeladora del primado argentino, cardenal Jorge Bergoglio, durante el Tedeum por el 25 de Mayo.
Even though the government fulfilled the paperwork needed to change it, the decision to do it in Salta, where a multi-religion prayer will be held, generated anxiety among church groups. The government said it was to “federalize” the national holiday.
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner will also ditch, as her late husband did during his presidency, a contesting homily from the Argentinian church leader, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, during the May 25th Tedeum.
Argentinians also remember that during the operation that former president Néstor Kirchner had in 2010, Kirchner's family prevented [es] Bergoglio's representative to administer the sacrament.
Others, like Gladys Lopreto in the blog Igualdad Dignidad [es] (Dignity Equality), criticized the reactions of the Argentinian Episcopate on issues like abortion.
Meanwhile, far from politics, many Argentinians celebrated the good news. Aracelli Crescimbeni (@aracellicres) [es] wrote:
@AracelliCres: Hasta en el #Vaticano se dieron cuenta que somos los mejores del mundo #OrgulloArgentino #Bergoglio
@AracelliCres:: Event the #Vaticano (Vatican) realized that we are the best of the world #OrgulloArgentino (Argentinian Pride) #Bergoglio
Chants have also emerged, like Miko's (@Emi_Eguiazu) [es] who celebrated that the new pope is Argentinian and not Brazilian, clearly referring to the football rivalry between the two countries:
@Emi_eguiazu: #LaBarraDelPapa che brasuca che brasuca qe amargado se te ve, nosotros tenemos al papa, vos qedate con pelé
@Emi_eguiazu: #LaBarraDelPapa (Pope's fans) yo’ Brazilian, yo’ Brazilian, you seem so bitter, we have the pope, you can keep Pelé
As for the government's relationship with Bergoglio, Gabi (@GabiManducaa) [es] “chanted”:
@GabiManducaa: Che Cristina, che Cristina, que amargada se te ve, el papa no es kirchnerista, que carajo vas a hacer? #LaBarraDelPapa
@GabiManducaa:: Yo’ Cristina, yo’ Cristina, you seem so bitter, the pope is not kirchnerist, what the hell will you do? #LaBarraDelPapa
And others considered that Francis I could free them from their sins, like Julian (@MatilaFonte) [es] who tweeted:
@MatilaFonte: Che Bergolio, Che Bergolio, no te lo decimos maaas, este año pecamos todos, total vos nos perdonas ♫ #LaBarraDelPapa
@MatilaFonte: Yo’ Bergolio, yo’ Bergolio, we won't tell you more, this year everybody sins, anyway you'll forgive us #LaBarraDelPapa
On the other hand, president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner shared on her Twitter account (@CFKArgentina) [es] a note congratulating [es] his Sanctity Francis I.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Laura Schneider


text:
Assault Against Immigrant Causes Outrage in Spanish Town  · Global Voices
Papa Balla

Moulaye Ndiaye, a street vendor and native from Senegal, was thrown from a bridge on the eve of the 2012 Tomatina [es] Festival in Buñol, Valencia, Spain. Moulaye was selling his products at the festival when a young man stole his sunglasses. After asking, without success, for the man to return them, Moulaye decided to leave, and then he was shoved and pushed over a bridge more than six metres from the ground. The backpack which he was carrying and the reeds growing in the area where he fell saved his life. He spent a month in intensive care at the Manises Hospital with traumas, several broken ribs and a spinal injury. The assault has caused him to lose sight in his right eye and a very serious neck and back injury has prevented him from working since.
Moulaye Ndiaye. Photo by Jesus Cisnes from lasprovincias.es. Published with permission.
In its blog [es], and on its Facebook [es] wall, the Movement Against Intolerance seeks the help of those who witnessed the assault, asking them to make contact with the organisation so that the case can remain open, as the police have been unable to find the aggressor who escaped into the night. There has also been a large civilian mobilisation [es] which still continues, and the residents of the town of Buñol say they are horrified at this tragic event.
Ángel Galán, coordinator of the Movement Against Intolerance [es], and Salva La Cruz, spokesperson for cear.es [es],
At the scene of the attack in Buñol. Photo by Sara Serano, used with permission.
have tried to help Moulaye. In the following entries they analyse the dilemma faced by immigrants in the light of the recent healthcare reform that doe snot cover costs for undocumented immigrants:
Moulaye tiene 39 años y vive desde hace 6 años en España en situación irregular; lo que hace que con el nuevo decreto Ley 16/2012(BOE 24 de abril de 2012) se le haya intentado cobrar la asistencia sanitaria recibida. Los redactores de este decreto piensen que los inmigrantes irregulares que no pagan impuestos se aprovechan del sistema sanitario.
Moulaye is 39 years old and has been living in Spain for 6 years without papers; this means that with the new decree Law 16/2012 (BOE 24th April 2012) there has been an attempt to charge him for the healthcare which he has received. Those responsible for this decree think that irregular immigrants who do not pay taxes are taking avantage of the healthcare system.
Según Medicos del Mundo la reforma es contraria al derecho internacional público y a los tratados suscritos por España.
Para Mónica Garcia de Red acoge “las personas en situación irregular contribuyen, a través de sus impuestos indirectos al sostenimiento de la sanidad pública.”
According to Doctors of the World [es] the reform contravenes both public international law and the treaties to which Spain is party.
Mónica Garcia of the Acoge Network [es] considers that “people in an irregular legal situation contribute through their indirect taxes to the maintenance of the public health system.”
El pasado 23 de febrero de 2013 se anunció la muerte de una mujer boliviana tras ser rechazada dos veces en centros de salud por no tener papeles. Se ha abierto una petición en change.org para pedir explicaciones.
On February 23rd 2013 the death of a Bolivian woman after being turned away from health centres on two occasions because she lacked papers [es] came into public knowledge. A petition has been launched on change.org to demand explanations.
According to Caritas [es], “once again we confirm that it is not only the circumstances brought about by the economic crisis, but the structures by which the system of social protection is being reconfigured and fortified, which leaves out those groups who are most impoverished and excluded from society”:
Moulaye dice que ahora no piensa más que salir adelante. No le guarda rencor a la persona que le agredió. Solo quiere agradecer a los que lo han ayudado: los ciudadanos, las ONGS, el Alcalde de Buñol que le ha pagado el collarín y la faja ortopédica. Dice que quiere que lo ayudan a tener papeles. Según Ángel Galán, coordinador de Movimiento contra la Intolerencia de Valencia, le han dado una residencia provisional por medidas excepcionales, pero sin sentencia firme se le complicará su situación.
Moulaye says that for now he is thinking only about getting on with his life. He bears no grudge towards the person who attacked him. He only wants to thank those who have helped him: the town's residents, the NGOs, the Mayor of Buñol who paid for his neck and back brace. He says that he wants them to help him get his papers. According to Ángel Galán, coordinator of the Movement Against Intolerance in Valencia, he has been given provisional residence for exceptional reasons, but without a firm judgement his situation will become more difficult.
Lo que es cierto es que la Ley de Extranjeria deja claro que para renovar los permisos de trabajo, como minimo se tiene que cotizar seis meses a la seguridad social o en otros casos excepcionales. Lo que hace que los inmigrantes que se encuentran en paro no van a poder renovar su tarjeta de residencia y volverán a ser ilegales.
Moulaye Ndiaye se desespera sabiendo que puede volver a ser “ilegal” con su discapacidad.
What is certain is that the Immigration Law makes it very clear that in order to renew a work permit, a minimum of six months’ social security payments must have been made or in other exceptional circumstances. This means that immigrants who find themselves unemployed will be unable to renew their residence permits and will become undocumented once more.
Moulaye Ndiaye is filled with despair at the knowledge that he could become ‘illegal’ once again with his disability.

author: Papa Balla


text:
Banned Music and Missing Voices in Angola · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

[All links in this article lead to pages in Portuguese unless otherwise stated.]
The Angolan National Police have confiscated a series of audiovisual works by Angolan activists in an act of censorship against voices that are unsettling those in power in Angola. These works include rapper Brigadeiro 10 Pacotes‘s new DVD, a DVD about “the life and work of historical revolutionary leader Jonas Savimbi” [en] and some of musician Chingui Chinhama's CDs.
Brigadeiro's producer Independente Universal Produções together with the Movimento Revolucionário [Revolutionary Movement] called for a demonstration in front of the customs of Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda on March 7, 2013, in response to this, demanding the return of works seized. Reports have emerged, mainly through Facebook, and the protest was eventually dissipated by violent police intervention.
Cover of the DVD “O Líder Revolucionário”. Angola 24 Horas says, “Brigadeiro 10 Pacotes focuses his lyrics on problems within society, social inequality, political violence in Angola and the progress of the children of Angolan leaders”.
A fatality was reported, although these statements have since been contradicted. However, whilst seeking “solid evidence” column space was given to what Central Angola dubbed “speculative rumours” regarding the whereabouts of “Mano Negro”, or Negrão, Brigadeiro's producer. A day after the protest, Pedrowski Teca sought answers on Brigadeiro 10 Pacote's Facebook page:
Ontem houve relatos de que o produtor do Brigadeiro Pacotes O Revolucionario, conhecido por Negrão, foi morto pela Polícia Nacional de Angola numa manifestação que visava exigir a devolução dos discos do Brigadeiro 10 Pacotes [outrora] apreendidos pelo regime. Em notícias no Club-K, Hugo Kalumbo afirmou ter visto o mano a ser alvejado e as autoridades afirmaram que o Negrão foi simplesmente detido e entregue às Forças Armadas Angolanas (FAA) visto que supostamente por lei um militar não deve participar em manifestações.
Questões:
1 – O Negrão foi morto ou simplesmente detido?
2 – Será que as FAAs podem apresentá-lo à público e explicarem, com base a lei, os crimes de que o Negrão é acusado?
Yesterday there were reports that the producer of Brigadeiro Pacotes's The Revolutionary, known as Negrão, was killed by the Angolan National Police in a demonstration demanding the return of Brigadeiro 10 Pacotes's discs, [previously] seized by the regime. In news on Club-K, Hugo Kalumbo confirmed that he saw my friend being shot, but authorities said that Negrão was simply arrested and handed over to the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), since allegedly, by law, a militant cannot participate in demonstrations.
Questions:
1- Was Negrão killed or simply detained?
2- Can the FAA present to the public and explain, from the point of view of the law, the crimes of which Negrão is accused?
Some will remember Alves Kamulingue and Isaías Kassule, other activists also reported missing after a demonstration that took place in Luanda on May 27, 2012. Afonso Casimiro said in a comment:
se o “Caso” Kamulingue v Isaías Kassule, que já vai e dura e predura [sic] “já” quase ou aproximadamente “1 Ano”, desde que os mesmos (ambos) desapareceram nos Arredores ou algures e, nas Ruas desta Cidade Capital “Luanda”. Ainda e, até agora “Hoje”, não nos exclareceram-nos [sic] sobre o desaparecimento ou à suposta morte, do Kamulingue e Isaías Kassule; e, quanto mais Este recém-desaparecimento “ou acontecimento” do Produtor Musical Negrão??!!
[…] the Kamulingue vs. Isaías Kassule “case”, which has already been going on for almost or approximately a year, since they (both) disappeared in the vicinity or somewhere in the streets of our capital city, Luanda. And yet up to now we have not been enlightened on their disappearance or alleged deaths; and now the disappearance or “event” regarding the music producer Negrão?!
“I am Kamulingue Kassule! My children and brothers want to know where I am”, Central Angola's Facebook cover image
Two years of fighting
On March 7, 2011, exactly two years before the demonstration for the confiscated DVDs, the protest movement against the government was launched with the slogan “32 [years] is too long” [en], demanding José Eduardo dos Santos's exit from power. In August 2012, José Eduardo dos Santos was reelected for another five-year term.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Jang Nomada speaks about his two years of activism and says he knows that “the mission is hard and forces exist to disconnect the people who are creating this kind of mentality”, pointing to hip-hop as one of the activities that have been persecuted by the system.
This has not been the first time that Brigadeiro 10 Pacotes's musical works have been censored; in late 2011, the Ministry of Culture banned the sale of his album “Ditadura da Pedra”.
Brigadeiro 10 Pacotes- Estado da Nação

author: Sara Moreira


text:
Barcelona’s Best Writers, Translators Celebrate Literary Journal Asymptote’s Anniversary · Global Voices
Sanela Bilal

English translator Peter Bush. Photo by Alba Calle.
Asymptote, an international digital literature and translation magazine, celebrated its second anniversary with a series of events held around the globe with participation from some of the world's best contemporary writers and translators. Among the cities chosen was Barcelona [es], where a recital [es] from some translators and authors from the city took place in Spanish, Catalan, and English on 25 January to present the first edition of the magazine in 2013.
Audience at the Inusual Project room. Photo by Alba Calle.
The project came about thanks to a group of entrepreneurs from different parts of the world who shared a love for literature and the art of translation. With this in mind, Asymptote provides readers with excerpts from works in their original language and the corresponding translation. Some even include audio recordings of the translator so that readers can have access to the phonetics of the language.
And that's not all. Apart from literary works, the magazine also has a section dedicated to visual art.
Asymptote was named 2012 Magazine of The Year by 3:am magazine alongside publications including The Times Literary Supplement and London Review of Books. The project's success is owed largely to a long list of volunteer collaborators including authors, translators, photographers, and illustrators.
Yew Leong Lee, the magazine's editor-in-chief, spoke with Global Voices about the project and the event in Barcelona.
After two years, how does it feel to be part of such a successful project?
Celebrating our second anniversary in cities like New York, Berlin, Taipei, and Barcelona has been extremely satisfying, particularly because we met up with readers from all over the place for the first time and we saw the difference between their cultural environments, even though we are a completely digital magazine. This proves that there is a huge demand for literature to be treated as a global phenomenon and not within the individual framework of a single language. Asymptote aims to be the focal point for literary communities, which are always minorities. I'd like to thank my team and also the readers, especially those who helped us to broadcast our initiative and have collected for us in our current Indiegogo fundraising campaign.
Writer Adrià Targa with Rafael Mammos and Najat El Hachmi. Photo by Joaquim Moreno Càceres.
Since we've collaborated with so many great Spanish writers (not only from Spain, but also from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, etc.) over these two years, we wanted to hold an event to reinforce our link with Spain. Barcelona seemed like an obvious choice because many translations are done there, not only for tourists but also between Catalan and Spanish. We'd like to introduce even more Catalan and Spanish writers to our English readers in 2013.
How was the event in Barcelona received?
It was a great success. There were definitely more than 100 people attending. The programme included both established translators and writers and young promising faces in the world of translation and literature. Some of the writers even tried their hand at one or two translations and shared them with the audience. There was also live music from a swing band who added a relaxed vibe to the event. Many of the guests stayed behind to talk to the authors and thank us for the initiative, as they'd never been to an event like it.
Following the huge success of all the events, do you have plans to do it again in the near future?
It's a possibility, because the public not only gave us a warm welcome in Barcelona but in all the cities where we organised events. It all depends if we have enough support, because we'd also like to go to other areas and bring world literature to local communities and vice versa. The next places on our list are London, Paris, and Tokyo. However, if we get another chance to organise a similar event in Barcelona, we'd be delighted!
Photos of the worldwide event are available on the magazine's Facebook page. You can also keep up to date with the latest Asymptote news on Twitter and Tumblr.

author: Sanela Bilal


text:
Cambodian Blogs to Read · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Santel Phin creates a list of must-read blogs in Cambodia. Among the bloggers he mentioned who are writing in English, French, and Khmer are Global Voices authors Kounila, Sopheap, and Tharum.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Rapists Get Off Light in Cayman Islands · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Code Red blogs about “two recent cases reported in regional media [which] demonstrate the extent of the injustice which girls who survive sexual assault face.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


text:
Guyana, Cuba: Habemus Papam, But “Who Is He”?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

It's been a full day since the white smoke billowing above the Sistine Chapel signalled the news that Catholics the world over were waiting for: Habemus Papam.  As it turned out, the Conclave of Cardinals elected the first Latin American and the first ever Jesuit pope, perhaps one who will be able to better understand the circumstances of the faithful who hail from developing nations, which is where more than 40% of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics reside.  In the Caribbean, Facebook was filled with status updates about the papal choice and links to articles about the new pope's record – but only a handful of bloggers were moved enough to actually write posts about Bergoglio, who has chosen the papal name of Francis.
Guyana's Demerara Waves republished the message of the country's Roman Catholic Bishop, who thought that Bergoglio's election “would help narrow the distance between the Caribbean and the Vatican”:
‘When his name was announced and he came on the balcony, just for him to very simply ask the people to pray for him before he would give them the blessing; it left a stamp there right away. It set a tone that this is a man very much aware of people, his own limitations. A message there that whatever he does and what he has to do, it is about the people, coming from them and for them. We just want to invest in that Pope.’
Other than that, Cuban bloggers seemed to be the only ones paying attention.  El Cafe Cubano uploaded a video of the new pontiff's first speech, while Havana Times reported that “Cuban President Raul Castro…congratulated Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, elected the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church and head of state of the Vatican City”.  The post also noted that:
This is the first non-European Pope and Jesuit in history, though he has been criticized for his passivity during the crimes committed by the dictatorship in Argentina, as well as for his opposition to the Law of Marriage between people of the same sex, adopted in that country in 2010.
Dariela Aquique, guest blogging at Havana Times, shared an interesting perspective and questioned the rationale behind the celebration of so many Latin Americans:
By virtue of having gone so many centuries exploited and discriminated by the great powers, any achievement for the Latin American population is magnified from its perspective.
It’s as if that we are crying out to the world: “Look at us, we exist!” This is why today almost all Latin Americans — parishioners and even those who aren’t believers — are elated and proud of the election of a pope born from this side of the world.
For the first time in history there’s an Argentinean Pope, and this has caused people to take to the streets in celebration. Many leaders in the region have even posted their pleasure with this fact on social networks.
Still, I wonder… what does it matter where the Pope was born? If he’s European, Latino, African or Asian, that doesn’t change anything if he’s not an integral human being.
She continued:
This gentleman…has a personal history that’s somewhat regrettable: He collaborated with the dictatorship in Argentina. What’s more, there are charges that he turned people over to the authorities that are on the list of the disappeared.
In addition, he has opposed Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez on the issue of same-sex marriage, a stance that she has called medieval.
Therefore I don’t understand all the excitement by Argentineans and other Latin Americans. The past has weight and nobody changes from yesterday to today. The new Pope will be, in my opinion, another backward church figure.
He is like his predecessor, who once belonged to the Hitler Youth, encouraged the taking of oaths of silence in the face of charges of sexual corruption, and whose pontificate was marked by several scandals.
So, while Latinos are enthusiastically shouting: Habemus Papam, I ask have to ask: But who is he?


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Hero Reports: Positive Information Driving Social Change in Mexico · Global Voices
Periodismo Ciudadano

Hero Reports asks citizens of Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey, and Tijuana/ San Diego to report positive acts that take place in their cities.  As Ernesto Priego previously explained to Global Voices [es], the project started in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico [es], as an initiative from the MIT Center for Civic Media under the name ‘Crónicas de Héroes‘. The project is led by Yesica Guerra, an urban design researcher with a master’s in Architecture and Urbanism from MIT.
Below, you will find the interview [es] with Yesica Guerra, Director of Hero Reports, carried out by Periodismo Ciudadano (Citizen Journalism) journalist Paula Gonzalo. The interview is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (CC BY 3.0).
Hero Reports or ‘Crónicas de Héroes’ is a project that geo-tags information relating to postive acts that take place in Mexico. This information is gathered via crowdsourcing or citizen participation. We at Periodismo Ciudadano have already talked to you about this initiative [es] which aims to recognise all kinds of acts “which represent hope rather than fear”.
In her interview with Periodismo Ciudadano (PC) Yesica Guerra (YG), Director of Hero Reports (HR) tells us more about this project.
PC- How and why did HR emerge?
YG- It came about because of the need to provide citizens with a platform that will guide and focus their participation towards positive activities and attitudes which, in turn, will encourage significant social changes.
PC- How do you think the information about positive social behaviour is going to contribute to improving life in Ciudad Juárez?
YG- With this tool we aim to restore the balance in corrupt areas, offering concrete examples of citizen cooperation and social values, encouraging this idea that the long-awaited change should arise from within the society itself.
PC- Do you have any figures regarding the number of users, reported behaviour, etc.?
YG- The webpages for Ciudad Juárez [es], Monterrey [es] and Tijuana/San Diego vary so much with regards to the number of users and reports. Users around the world have visited the site, from the following countries: Japan, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Argentina, France, Guatemala, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Thailand, etc. This makes us check whether we are achieving some of our objectives like changing the very negative image of the cities in which we are implementing this initiative.
PC- What stands out to you from the work carried out so far?
YG- After the implementation of a strategic assessment that measures the impact of programs like HR we confirmed that:
a. People want to have more information regarding the ‘good things’ that happen in their cities.
b. Access to this type of information stimulates community spirit among the citizens.
c. The awareness of these reports and activities strengthen shared identity and community pride.
PC- What do people have to do to participate?
YG- The initiative has various channels to reach the people, one of them is their web page, where citizens can tell us their story directly and geo-tag it. For those who do not have access to a computer or to the Internet, we gather their stories in a different way, either through informative talks, workshops or workgroups, etc. Similarly our initiative aims to be a tool to establish public activities which are aimed at regaining a civic presence in the city. We have carried out different public interventions like painting in the park and other areas in the city, public art exhibitions, etc. All this is in cooperation with various private and public organisations, such as; educational institutions, associations, independent organisations, the media, etc.
PC- Do you use any type of filter to check the incoming information?
YG- All of the stories go through a filter for security reasons, and to filter out political or commercial content. I myself and other members on the local boards are committed to revising the stories before we publish them.
PC- What do you think about the work that HR has done so far?
YG- It has been particularly interesting for the HR team to see how a project that was initially web-based in New York in 2001 has become a combination of mechanisms, where social contacts and active methods have reflected greatly online and in daily involvement. The response from the participating citizens has helped us to determine the level of interest towards this initiative and has allowed us to see how a society affected daily by negative events, can contribute to constructing a more civilised society, if it is offered the adequate tools.
PC- I think the experience should be exported to other countries….
YG- We have been in contact with various communities around the world, like: Paris, France; Vancouver, Canada; Havana, Cuba; Wellington, New Zealand; Belarus, etc. They contacted us with an interest in implementing this initiative in their communities. This comes as a result of HR’s progress which can be seen on our website and in the positive reports that have come in via different means of communication which illustrate the development of the initiative as an example of working together. However, there haven’t been any globally-implemented webpages as of yet.

author: Periodismo Ciudadano


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In Spain, Money for Bulls But Cuts for Citizens · Global Voices
Diana Moreno

In February, the government of the People's Party (PP) agreed to debate a citizen initiative presented before Congress to deem bullfighting a “Cultural Interest Good” in all of Spain, with the PP's vote being the deciding factor considering its absolute legislative majority. It is calculated that in Spain, more than 500 million euros are invested in bullfighting each year in the midst of severe welfare cuts.
In Spain, a Popular Legislative Initiative is one of the mechanisms that allows for citizen participation in formal politics. According to Organic Law 3/1984, the entire initiative should proceed if it comes backed by a minimum of 500,000 signatures. The reality is that in Spain, only eight popular initiatives have reached the House of Congress and only one has been approved [es] in 30 years, which, according to the opinion of many, gives a hint to the true role that citizens play in the political system.
Graphic representation of the ILP (Popular Legislative Initiative)
The hand of the PP at the time of validating these petitions (or not) was clear on February 12 when they were met with two initiatives: the ILP (Popular Legislative Initiative) favoring bullfighting and another that, despite having more citizen support, was not received equally. It was an ILP against evictions, presented by the Platform of People Affected by Mortgages (PAH) [es], whose goal is to avoid situations like a family continuing to pay for an apartment from which they have already been evicted. Despite having nearly a million and a half signatures, this ILP was approved only because of great public pressure. On the other hand, the initiative to name bullfighting a “Cultural Interest Good” brought together 590,000 signatures and, despite having only been counted in Congress with the support of the PP, UPyD [Union of Progress and Democracy] and the UPN (Union of the Town of Navarro), it was passed with 180 votes in favor, 40 against, and 107 abstentions.
An anti-bullfighting concentration in Las Ventas, 2012. Image from Diana Moreno for Demotix.
The People's Party has always been known, among other things, for its support of bullfighting. Not only with the immediate passing of the ILP, which will bring about the return of bulls to Catalonia (where they were prohibited in the end of July 2010), and, according to the Community of Madrid, will impede that there be “places with prohibited cultural demonstrations.” The record is long.
Since their election campaign, the PP has promised to defend the practice of bullfighting, probably the only promise they has been kept. Its members generally do not hide a passion that frequently translates into the very legislation that they pass. As such, Esperanza Aguirre, former president of the Community of Madrid (one that has invested 2,197,407 euros for Bullfighting Issues in the General Budget for 2012, according to PACMA [es]), has been accused of having spent 350,000 euros [es] in 2012 on promoting bulls instead of applying that money towards active employment policies. Ignacio González, her successor, has considered bullfighting as “Spain's most important national holiday.”
In order to make the bulls an “intangible piece of heritage,” Minister of Culture José Ignacio Wert has created a commission to protect [es] the holiday. Furthermore, since the government took over public television, the running of the bulls, whose broadcast was banned in 2006 to protect children, is now back on schedule. According to a study attributed to the Altarribia foundation [es], 564 million euros of public money is invested per year to finance the running of the bulls… all that despite citizen criticism with respect to generous spending on bullfighting in times of health and education cuts: in Madrid, for example, 67% of people reject these grants [es].
Cartoon by Ferrán Martín. Used with permission. (From top to bottom: “EXPEL THEM! EXPEL THEM! / Who? Those who say that neither the bulls nor any other animals have the right to liberty and life or those that are shouting demands for a change to the mortgage law? / What do you think, sir? / Ah, no…! I asked you first…”
Although the ILP against evictions created a social mobilization that overshadowed the bullfighting issue, the rejection of deeming bulls a “National Interest Good” equally sparked many protests. This initiative, which if enacted will further allow for even more subsidies for the holiday, has already generated movements against it, like the petition on Change.org [es] (which has almost 17,000 signatures already), a demonstration on February 28 [es] or the many opinions on Twitter:
@_issacrosa: Más cornás da el banco: PP se da prisa para que haya toros en Cataluña este verano. Los desahuciados pueden esperar.
@_issacrosa: More goring from the bank: The PP is rushing to have bulls in Catalonia this summer. The evicted can wait.
@bassileo:  Receta PP para salir de la crisis: Más Toros, más Vaticano, menos Educación y Investigación Científica… Resultado: Un país en decadencia.
@bassileo: The PP's recipe to pull out of the crisis: More Bulls, more Vatican, less Education and Scientific Research… The Result: A country in decline.
@jordi_fdez00: La gente del PP se pone como una moto por la subvención al cine español pero ven perfecta la enorme subvención a los toros…
@jordi_fdez00: The people of the PP go crazy over subsidies for the Spanish film industry but they see the enormous subsidy for bulls perfectly…
Of course, there are opinions on Twitter users in favor of bullfighting:
@JóvenesTaurinos: Hoy es un día Histórico. Puerta Grande para la Tauromaquia. La unión hace la fuerza. Enhorabuena a todos!!
@JóvenesTaurinos: Today is a historical day. A Triumph for Bullfighting. Unity is strength. Congratulations to everyone!!
@6TOROS6: Cientos de aficionados y profesionales en el Congreso #ILPTAURINASÍ toreros, novilleros, banderilleros, ganaderos, apoderados, prensa
@6TOROS6: Hundreds of amateurs and professionals in the Congress #ILPTAURINASÍ matadors, bullfighters, banderilleros, ranchers, attorneys, the press
@pabmontes: Prohibir es de leninistas como los son muchos en la izquierda radical “antitaurina”. Viva la libertad y vivan los toros #ILPesDemocracia
@pabmontes: To prohibit is Leninist as are many in the radical “anti bullfighting” left.” Long live freed and the bulls #ILPesDemocracia (#ILPisDemocracy)

author: Diana Moreno


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Peru: Four Years of Uncertainty for Defendants in ‘Baguazo’ Clashes · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

With only a few months to go before the four year anniversary of the events in Bagua, the legal status of the 53 indigenous men indicted in the death of 12 police officers remains unresolved.
On Friday, March 8, the judges of the Bagua Temporary Criminal Court continued hearing the case against these 53 defendants. After statements by the 16 defense lawyers and representatives from the offices of both the public prosecutor and the attorney general, which began [es] the previous day, the court decided to postpone the trial [es].
Since it was alleged that the prosecution has not provided evidence of the defendants’ guilt, nor has it identified the crime committed by each one, it was expected [es] that the presiding judge would either close the case or return it to the prosecution to redraft the indictment. This, however, did not happen.
Front of the march in support of the defendants. Photo by Denis Pashanase, used with permission
Servindi reported [es] some of the details of the hearing:
Para Juan José Quispe, abogado del Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL), que patrocina la defensa de tres de los 53 indígenas procesados, la Fiscalía Superior de Bagua demostró una vez más que no existen pruebas para el inicio de un proceso oral. La Sala Penal Liquidadora Transitoria de Bagua […] escuchó hoy los argumentos de titular de la Fiscalía Superior de Bagua, Edwin Humberto Vargas Daza. […]
Para sorpresa de muchos y ante la evidente ausencia de argumentos, explica Quispe, el fiscal superior acusó a la Sala de ser ésta la que lo obligó a acusar a los nativos. […] El abogado de IDL sostuvo finalmente que la Sala Penal Liquidadora Transitoria de Bagua decidiría en 15 o 30 días el archivo o el inicio de un juicio oral contra los dirigentes procesados por el denominado “Baguazo”.
For Juan José Quispe, a lawyer from the Legal Defense Institute (LDI), which is sponsoring the defense of three of the indigenous defendants, the senior prosecutor of Bagua proved once again that there is no basis for the start of oral proceedings. Today the Bagua Temporary Criminal Court… heard arguments by Bagua's chief prosecutor, Edwin Humberto Vargas Daza […]
To everyone's surprise and without a clear case, says Quispe, the prosecution blamed the court for forcing him to bring charges against the native defendants…. The LDI lawyer ultimately held that the Bagua Temporary Criminal Court would decide in 15 or 30 days to shelve the case or begin oral arguments against the leaders accused of the “Baguazo.”
Meanwhile, Bagua Grande's “La Voz” radio station's blog chimed in [es]:
El abogado de IDL manifestó […] que de las 197 paginas de la acusación fiscal contra varios procesados que incluso se les ha solicitado cadena perpetua, no veía motivaciones, no le encontraba nada para acusar a los indígenas de haber matado a los policías, cuando ni siquiera las balas en los fallecidos no han sido ubicadas, más bien las desaparecieron, incluso los exámenes de absorción atómica no han encontrado hasta hoy rastros de polvora en las manos de los indígenas. Calculó por último, que un promedio de 150 personas serán citadas en este proceso que según su parecer demorará dos años.
The LDI lawyer said… that in the 197 pages of the indictment against various defendants, including those who may be facing life imprisonment, you don't see motives, you don't find anything to suggest that the indigenous leaders killed the police officers, when even the bullets that killed them have not been found, rather they have disappeared, even atomic absorption tests haven't found a trace of gunpowder on their hands. He calculated that ultimately an average of 150 people will be called in this trial that in his view will take two years.
Vigil in support of the defendants. Photo by Denis Pashanase, used with permission
The situation in Bagua was a little shaky. On March 5, members of the Awajún Wampis, from the Amazon region, arrived in order to be present at the trial and hold vigils in front of the headquarters of the Criminal Court.
Although Aidesep, the association of various indigenous communities that has voiced its disapproval [es] of the request for life imprisonment for several of the defendants, asked its members to remain calm [es]. Along with the people of Bagua, they were outraged [es] by the possible sentence. They argue that the ones who should be sentenced are those that murdered the police officers, not the indigenous people who have focused on protecting the environment.
Sign made for the march in support of the defendants in Bagua. Photo by Denis Pashanase, used with permission
There is also concern abroad regarding the outcome of these charges. Various organizations sent [es] a letter [es] to the head of the Bagua Temporary Criminal Court, in which they called on the judges to maintain the integrity, independence and impartiality of the judiciary without starting criminal proceedings based on factually and legally unsubstantiated accusations.
It should be noted that legislators Verónika Mendoza and Eduardo Nayap also sent [es] a letter [es] asking the District Attorney to oversee the legal standards that are being applied in the monitoring of this case, adding that “This case is very sensitive for the country and it must be settled swiftly between the parties involved.”

author: Juan Arellano


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Aung San Suu Kyi Endorses China-backed Mine in Myanmar  · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

An investigation commission led by Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi recommends that the controversial China-backed copper mine in Monywa should continue its operations, but must improve its environmental safeguards and compensate local residents. This has led activists who have been opposing the mine to protest against Suu Kyi.
The official report [my] released on March 12, 2013 admits that the project does not provide locals with jobs and violates environmental standards and has tried to come up with concrete solutions to solve these issues.
The commission was formed by the government last year to probe the violent dispersal of a protest camp near the mine site. The 10-page report confirmed that riot police used smoke bombs to disperse protesters which included local villagers, activists, and monks who are opposed to the mining operation. The report also advised authorities to be transparent about the contract involving the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL) and Wan Bao Company.
Report and Aung San Suu Kyi praised
Many netizens seem to be pleased to read the first report of its kind in Myanmar. Nathan Maung wrote [my] a short note about the report:
I've just read the report by the investigation commission on Latpadaung Copper Mine. I can see the effort and quality of the commission led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This report is not a report that everyone can accept but it reflects all the initial promises of revealing all things as the truth. (Those who are too emotional and making effort only for blaming do not need to read this.) What the commission reported is that UMEHL and Wan Bao should amend the contract with transparency then the project may be continued.
Zay Htet added[my]:
It's really a detailed report. To make it happen, it's not too difficult if it is done with good will. There are many example (projects) in other countries that are systematically carried out.. I totally accept this (report). That's invaluable experience and the beginning of cooperation, an important effort. I'm pleased.
Htet Linn also asserted[my] that the report is fair enough:
Daw Suu (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) is unbelievable. It's remarkable that she made it as fair as possible for win-win situation as much as she can even though many criticized this whole thing as a political trap for her.
Protests against Aung San Suu Kyi
But some locals in the project area protested against the report and Wan Bao company by demanding a complete stop in the copper mine project. Meanwhile, Suu Kyi went to Monywa to hold a press conference on March 13, 2013. Some activists protested against the report in Yangon as well. They claimed[my] that “whoever supported the project will be known as criminals in history”.
Monywa locals protesting against the copper mining investigation report. Screentshot from Eleven's Media youtube video
Suu Kyi welcomed the protests and even reminded her detractors that everybody can protest against her under the law and even in front of her house in Yangon. Suu Kyi was defended by many netizens especially on Facebook. Here are some of the comments:
Myo Kyaw Htun[my] : Lack of knowledge, short term mindset – it's difficult (to deal) with such politics. Please sympathize with someone who is running here and there and solving every issue and problem regardless of her age. Whenever something happens, if all would be just protesting without doing any work, there will be no productivity but just going back.
Andy AP: I'm just wondering, did they really read the report from beginning to end???
Kyaw Thu Tun[my] : If they can't accept it, protest against government bravely. Why they yell “We don't want Daw Aung San Suu Kyi” while she just did her duties courageously as a member of parliament when government appointed her without any bias to government or Wan Bao, she is neither supporting their job nor being responsible for what they did.
Lin Thurein[my] : Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is solving all the mess done by military junta including current president. […] As nobody was daring enough to be involved in such sensitive situation, they transferred that mess to her. And she bravely accepted her duty as a public leader. How can they claim the results (of the report) are not fair just because they don't want it?
May Thingyan Hein[my]: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should not be the target of protests. They should read the investigation report carefully. She suggested specific reforms that the Ministry of Mining, UMEHL and Wan Bao Company have to follow. […] The public should demand them (UMEHL, Ministry and Wan Bao) to follow all those suggestions clearly.
Mommy Htar[my] : It's very clear. The commission cleverly pointed out the downside of the project and asked the proponents to amend the contract including compensation (to locals) with transparency and to redo the processing of assessment on how the farmers and ecosystem are affected by the mining. For example, they reported the low compensation received by farmers under the current contract. The opinion of the commission cannot be “do or don't”. They can only “report” the situation.
Both Wan Bao company and UMEHL announced their intention of complying with the recommendations given by the commission. Meanwhile, the government formed a committee to ensure that reforms are first implemented before the mine project is allowed to proceed.

author: Chan Myae Khine


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Stones & Glasshouses? A Writer Challenges the Kremlin · Global Voices
Andrey Tselikov

Kittens aside, there is nothing your average Russian blogger loves better than a juicy spat about politics or literature, except for a combination of the two. This is precisely what happened last week, when Mikhail Shishkin (no relation to the painter [en]), award-winning Russian writer living in Switzerland, brought back the honored Russian literary tradition of scathing criticism of the government from abroad. Shishkin publicly refused [ru] to participate in the government funded Russian delegation to the New York Book Expo, motivating his refusal by the fact that he does not want to represent a “corrupt and criminal” regime. While many applauded the move, some Russian bloggers and writers were keen to find ulterior motives.
Mikhail Shishkin. © EFrolkina. Wikimedia Commons. CC 3.0
From Tolstoy to Solzhenitsin, Russian writers have always played a role in the public sphere, and by extension, politics. Usually such involvement has been philosophical, ideological, along the lines of commentary and critique. More recently, writers like Dmitry Bykov, Boris Akunin, and Lyudmila Ulitskaya have taken on a more direct role by actively participating [GV] in the opposition movement and running for the Coordinating Council of the Opposition. (Not to speak of someone like Eduard Limonov, whose literary career has taken a back seat in his pursuit of radical politics, or his former nazbol protege Zakhar Prilepin, who was first an activist, and only then a writer.)
Shishkin, on the other hand, moved to Switzerland more than a decade ago, and has not criticized Russia or Putin until last week. In fact, in addition to collecting numerous literary awards (some also funded by the government), he appears to have attended [ru] last year's Book Expo with no particular qualms. Some [ru] say that Shishkin's country of residence and the fact that he has no “skin in the game” make his criticism of Russia hypocritical [ru]:
Я не вижу особой разницы между депутатом Желязняком, проповедующим лапотный патриотизм сразу после отправки детей в Швейцарию, и Шишкиным, пишущим обличительные письма из той же Швейцарии, где он живет уже больше 15-ти лет.
I don't see any particular difference between the parliamentarian Zhelezniak, who professes theatrical patriotism right after sending his kids to Switzerland, and Shishkin, who writes denunciatory letters from the self-same Switzerland, where he's been living for more than 15 years.
Where some bloggers see hypocrisy, others suspect a shrewd public relations move (a reading supported by the fact that Shishkin will apparently attend a conference in Edinburgh this March [ru] funded by the Ministry of the Press, which Shishkin called the “ministry of propaganda” in his statement). In a Facebook post the poet Igor Karaulov imagined [ru] Shishkin's conversation with his publisher:
Я представляю себе, как Михаил Павлович входит в кабинет […]: «Вот, Реджинальд, хотел с вами посоветоваться: как, с точки зрения динамики продаж, было бы лучше назвать режим: воровским, преступным или кровавым?» А издатель пробегает глазами строчки, пыхтит губами, поправляет очки на своей оксфордской переносице и изрекает: «Для начала мы обойдемся «воровским».»
I imagine how Mikhail Pavlovich enters the office […]: “Here, Reginald, I wanted your advice: what's better in terms of sales, to call the regime larcenous, criminal, or bloody?” The publisher looks through the document, puckers his lips, shifts his glasses on his Oxford nose and says: “For the time being we'll stick with “larcenous”.”
Another writer, Evgeny Popov, went further, directly attributing [ru] Shishkin's statements to the fact that he has recently managed to find British and US publishers.
Boris Akunin, the prolific writer of detective novels and an outspoken government critic, defended [ru] Shishkin from such accusations:
Зная Мишу Шишкина и его нелюбовь ко всякой публичности, очень хорошо понимаю, как тяжело ему было совершить этот поступок.
Knowing Misha Shishkin and his dislike of any kind of publicity, I understand very well how difficult it was for him to take this action.
Regardless of Shishkin's perceived motivations, his writing style has left him open to yet another attack. While critically acclaimed, Shishkin is no stranger to controversy: he has been previously accused of plagiarism, a history that was quick to surface. The first accusation came in 2006, when a fellow writer noticed similarities [ru] between portions of Shishkin's award-winning Maidenhair and the memoirs of writer Vera Panova. After some literary sleuthing it became clear that Shishkin rewrote parts of Panova's book to stand in for the journal of one of his characters.
Although Shishkin does not cite other writers in his books, he does admit [ru] to the wide use of so-called “unquoted quotes” in Maidenhair and his other texts — a post-modern technique that he claims allows him to build something new out of previous works. In an explanatory letter he wrote [ru]:
Shishkin in a Pine Forest: A Postmodern Interpretation. Fragment. Based on Morning in a Pine Forest, by painter Ivan Shishkin (no relation to Mikhail), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain, and Mikhail Shishkin, © EFrolkina, Wikimedia Commons, CC 3.0. Remix by author. [Note: although most know Morning as a classic Shishkin painting, ironically he did not actually paint the bears himself.]
из старых слов получится принципиально новая книга, совсем о другом, потому что это мой выбор, моя картина моего мира
from old words you will get a completely new book, talking about something else, because it's my choice, my view of my world
Shishkin later continued:
Я делаю литературу следующего измерения.
I create literature from the next dimension.
Whether one agrees with Shishkin's artistic choices or thinks that he takes post-modernism too far (it occurs that a less than perfectly erudite reader might miss Shishkin's “quotes” and assume that he himself wrote the books in their entirety), his technique exposes him to criticisms like this one [ru], from radical nationalist blogger Yury Belyaev:
литературный ВОР отказывается представлять Россию, называя ее “воровским государством”.
a literary THIEF is refusing to represent Russia, calling it a “larcenous state”.
A similar point [ru] was made by journalist Oleg Lurie. While a bit specious, there is a certain logic to the argument. After all, surely Putin & Co. can explain away at least some of their own controversial decisions, although they are less likely to cite James Joyce while doing it.
Was Shishkin's statement heartfelt or a successful publicity stunt? Is he a plagiarist, or just a very sophisticated writer? There is no definitive answer, but it seems as if these contradictions reflect modern Russian discourse in general, and its political component in particular. Perhaps we can only muse about the what-ifs, like the literary critic Lev Pirogov [ru]:
А меня звали. Я, дурак, отказался и никому не сказал. […] И даже, блин, не выступил с заявлением.
I was also invited [to BookExpo]. And, ever the fool, I refused and didn't tell anyone. […] And I didn't even freaking come out with a public statement.

author: Andrey Tselikov


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Trinidad & Tobago: Soldiers as Police?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The soldier will have all of the powers of a police officer…but he doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Police.
The Eternal Pantomime thinks that “this precepting of soldiers…is about something deeper and far sinister. It is about controlling the State.”


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Venezuela: Twitter user detained for spreading “destabilizing” information · Global Voices
Sonia Doglio

In the wake of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's death last week, government authorities in Venezuela seem to have resumed taking action against freedom of expression online. On March 14, 2013, Lourdes Alicia Ortega Pérez was detained by the Scientific Penal and Criminal Investigation Corps (CICPC, by its Spanish acronym), for allegedly having “usurped the identity of an official of the Autonomous Service of Registries and Notaries” and having sent Tweets that authorities deemed “destabilizing [to] the country.”
Photo by mkhmarketing. (CC BY-2.0)
According to El Nacional [es], Ortega's Twitter username is @Ulilou and she has been registered since June 9th 2009. The newspaper stated that the offending Tweet was sent on March 8, at 8:20 pm, in response to a comment made by user @douglirodil, who asked what had killed President Hugo Chavez. Ortega replied: “I do not know but he has become a wax doll.”
The Interior and Justice Ministry posted a press release [es] on its website indicating that police seized Ortega's personal computer, “in which, through an account on the social network Twitter, [Ortega] sent rumors to influence the [public].”
Various incidents of online censorship have been reported from Venezuela in recent years. In a 2010 case similar to Ortega's, two Twitter users were detained by police for allegedly “spreading false rumors” about the banking system.
In the Venezuelan twittersphere, netizens have started using the hashtag #tuitdesestabilizador (#subversivetweet) for protesting Ortega's detention and, also, to make jokes and comments about the current political situation.
Piensen #tuitdesestabilizador
— Jacqueline Goldberg (@JacGoldberg) 14 de marzo de 2013
Think. #subversivetweet
En mi casa no hay agua #TuitDesestabilizador
— Ana (@anabelland) 14 de marzo de 2013
There's no water in my house. #subversivetweet
Capriles está bueno #TuitDesestabilizador
— Naky Soto (@Naky) 14 de marzo de 2013
Capriles is hot. #subversivetweet
Un ‘tweet’ te puede privar de la libertad en este país democrático…
— Simón Gómez-Guaimara (@simongomezg) 14 de marzo de 2013
A tweet can take away your freedom in this democratic country.
Gente, paren con ese TT de #tuitdesestabilizador porque el #CICPC nos pone presos, donde iran a meter a tanta gente? @prensacicpc
— Nana Suar'z(@NanasuarezD) 14 de marzo de 2013
People, stop it with the hashtag #subversivetweet because [if] the #CICPC puts us in jail, where are they gonna put so many people?
The Minister of Interior and Justice, Néstor Reverol, declared that they will “preserve peace and tranquility for the stability of the country” and said: “We will be vigilant, we will not allow an inch of destabilization.” According to the state news channel, VTV [es], Reverol also declared that authorities will continue “to monitor the messages of social networks that seek to destabilize the country.”
The Minister also stated that Ortega will be processed under Venezuela's Computer Crimes Act [es]. Ortega may also be vulnerable to 2010 law forbidding all Internet content that “fosters unrest among the citizenship or disturbs public order.”

author: Sonia Doglio


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Vive Latino 2013: Sustainability, Chilean Bands and Female Voices  · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Once again Mexico City will be the site of the Ibero-american Festival of Musical Culture “Vive Latino”. Like every year, musical artists from diverse genres but of international renown will participate in this international festival.
In the last edition, the event included performances from Javiera Mena (Chile), Los Caligaris (Argentina), El Columpio Asesino (Spain), Molotov (Mexico) and Fatboy Slim (United Kingdom), along with many other groups.
In its 14th edition, “Vive Latino” will reunite the co-creators of Britpop, Blur (United Kingdom), as the main act in English, as well as internationally famous Latin groups among which stand out Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (Argentina), Panteón Rococó (Mexico) and Los Amigos Invisibles (Venezuela). Violadores del Verso (Spain), Yeah yeah yeahs (United States) and the veteran urban rock band El Tri (Mexico) will also appear among the more than 100 groups that make up the event's official lineup which can be found here [es].
The festival organizers say this [es] about the beginning and the evolution of “Vive Latino”:
Antes del festival iberoamericano de cultura musical vive latino la historia del rock en México registraba la realización de festivales diversos, pero ninguno de ellos logró continuidad. La necesidad de contar con un evento consolidado en la ciudad más grande del mundo era una demanda a voces, pero había que darle credibilidad, convencer a los escépticos de que lo más importante no es la taquilla, sino el cartel. Había que sostener calidad, producción, logística, atención a medios y aguantar un par de años para consolidarlo.
Before the Ibero-american Festival of Musical Culture, Vive Latino, the story of rock in Mexico included several different festivals, but none of them was able to continue year after year. The need for a consolidated event in the biggest city in the world was a public demand, but it needed credibility, to convince the skeptics that the ticket office is not the most important thing, but rather the lineup. To consolidate it quality, production, logistics, and media attention would have to be maintained and it would have to last a couple of years.
The post continues:
Camila Moreno, a Chilean singer. Photo from Pablo Quiroz under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Hoy, que vamos por la decimo cuarta edición del VL, el festival es conocido no sólo en México, sino en toda Iberoamérica por la convocatoria que tiene y por las propuestas internacionales en su cartel. Se ha convertido, por derecho propio, en el punto de referencia para quienes quieren escuchar en vivo a los exponentes más importantes de las escenas musicales que emergen, y de las que dejaron huella. Bienvenidos a los nuevos sonidos y a un 2013 en que muchas sorpresas aleatorias a la música se expondrán para gozo del público que asista al Foro Sol.
Today, on the fourteenth edition of VL, the festival is known not only in Mexico, but in all of Ibero-america because of its huge turnout and because of the international performers in its lineup. It has become, on its own, the point of reference for those who want to hear live the most important artists from the emerging music scenes and from those that made a lasting mark. Welcome to new sounds and to a 2013 in which many musical surprises will be performed for the enjoyment of those who come to the Foro Sol.
Raúl Bustamante [es] from LifeBoxset.com did not forget the emphasis on feminism and pointed out:
Dentro de los 127 artistas y bandas que se presentarán los cuatro días del festival Vive Latino 2013, más de 15 son representadas por una o más chicas que detrás del micrófono y sin importar el género musical, nos deleitarán con su voz. Durante esta edición, los diferentes escenarios tendrán mujeres mexicanas y extranjeras que sin duda vale la pena ver en vivo.
Among the 127 artists and bands that will play over the four days of the Vive Latino 2013 festival, more than 15 are led by one or more girls who, from behind the microphone and no matter the musical genre, will delight us with their voices. During this edition, the different stages will have Mexican women and women from other countries, which is surely worth seeing live.
Diego Sepúlveda [es] from Panamérika specified the number of Chilean performers that are on the festival's lineup:
Seis músicos y agrupaciones chilenas son las que se presentarán en la próxima edición de Vive Latino entre el próximo 14 y 17 de marzo. La selección de este año es diversa tanto en géneros como en atractivo. Desde figuras que han visitado anteriormente las tierras aztecas, a otros que aprovecharán la oportunidad para cimentar una relación con uno de los países que mayor interés ha tenido en las producciones chilenas de los últimos años.
Six Chilean musicians and groups will perform in the next edition of Vive Latino this March 14-17. This year's selection is diverse as much by genre as by appeal. They range from figures that have already visited the Aztec lands to others that will take advantage of the opportunity to cement a relationship with one of the countries that has had the greatest interest in the Chilean productions of the last years.
The bands that Sepúlveda is referring to are: Aiken, Alex Anwandter, Camila Moreno, Chico Trujillo, Gepe y Mostro.
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, photo from Fernando Messino under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
The focus on the environment is certainly shared by Filter México [es], with a series of recommendations so that the attendees can have an experience that is more environment-friendly:
Si bien desde hace un par de años, los organizadores del Vive Latino han trabajado por cuidar que algunos detalles del festival se orienten a la sustentabilidad, nosotros como público podemos aportar a la causa con acciones sencillas que están en nuestras manos. Te proponemos 3 acciones clave:
1. En medida de lo posible, procura llegar alimentado; esto porque seguro te has dado cuenta la gran cantidad de basura que se genera en eventos tan grandes. Si de plano vas a llegar temprano, mueres de hambre o se te antoja muchísimo algo de lo que se vende en el festival, exhorta a los vendedores a que reutilicen. Si te formas varias veces, procura que te sirvan en el mismo plato y bien, aprovecha al máximo las servilletas para utilizar las menos posibles y evitar desperdicios. No está de más recordar la importancia de tirar toda tu basura en los contenedores.
2. Los vasos de chela [cerveza] también son todo un tema, sigue las recomendaciones que ya habíamos mencionado anteriormente.
3. Aplica el “autosardina”, o mejor aún, utiliza el transporte público y así evita embotellamientos, los cuales generan más gases que cuando el coche lleva una aceleración constante (además de que es contaminación visual y auditiva).
4. Para los fumadores: te proponemos que lleves una cigarrera y así ayudes a evitar los desechos que generan las cajetillas. Además, existen ceniceros portátiles; intenta conseguir uno para el festival y así evitar tirar las colillas en el piso. Si tiras las colillas en la basura, estarás ayudando a remediar la contaminación del suelo.
¡Cuida al medio ambiente y disfruta mucho a tus bandas favoritas en el Vive Latino 2013!
For a couple of years the organizers of Vive Latino have been working to ensure that some details of the festival are focused on sustainability, so that we, as the public, can further the cause with simple actions that are in our own hands. We propose 3 key actions:
1. If possible, try to come with a full stomach; this is because surely you have noticed the great quantity of trash that is generated in events this large. If you are going to arrive early, are dying of hunger or really want something that is sold at the festival, urge the vendors to recycle. If you go more than once, get them to serve you on the same plate and take advantage of the napkins as much as you can to use the least number possible and avoid waste. It can't hurt to remind you as well of the importance of throwing all of your trash in the containers.
2. Beer glasses are another whole topic in itself – follow the recommendations that we mentioned earlier.
3. Carpool, or even better, use public transport to avoid traffic jams, which generate more gasses than when the car moves at a constant speed (and on top of that it is visual and noise contamination).
4. For the smokers: we suggest that you bring a cigarette case and therefore help avoid waste from cigarette boxes. Also, there are portable ashtrays; try to get one for the festival to avoid dropping ashes on the ground. If you drop the ashes in the trash, you will be helping to fix the floor contamination.
Take care of the environment and enjoy your favorite bands at Vive Latino 2013!
On Twitter comments on the event are under the tag #VL13.
“Vive Latino”, in its 14th edition, will take place in the Foro Sol (in the central-eastern part of the Mexian capital) on March 14, 15, 16 and 17 this year. The venue can hold around 55,000 spectators for each day of the concert.
Just in: The event organizers confirmed on the night of March 13 that the British singer-songwriter Morrissey cancelled his participation in the festival (for health reasons, it was said), and therefore the rest of the acts planned for Thursday the 14th will be included on the schedule for Friday the 15th. For more details visit the “Vive Latino” official website.

author: J. Tadeo


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Caracas Chronicles: From Blog to Book · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Blogging the Revolution: Caracas Chronicles and the Hugo Chávez Era brings together the best of our work from the last ten years: 150 posts that stand the test of time.
Francisco Toro and Juan Cristobal Nagel of the blog Caracas Chronicles have published a book that promises to bring together “most of what you need for a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of Venezuela in the Chávez era.” The book can be purchased as an e-Book or a paperback.


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@CatalanVoices Gives Voice to Catalonia · Global Voices
Violeta Camarasa

Every week, a different Catalan citizen or any person who lives or has lived in Catalonia (regardless of her/his nationality or citizenship) will tweet from the account @CatalanVoices to talk about what she or he likes, feels and thinks about Catalonia. What they share will also be published on the project's blog. This is a project launched by the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (DIPLOCAT) and inspired in existing initiatives like @ScotVoices.The project's goal is to “raise awareness about Catalonia” and boost discussion about “the current democratic political process concerning Catalonia’s political status in Europe and Spain”.

author: Violeta Camarasa


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China’s Social Media Censored After New President Draws Lone Opposing Vote · Global Voices
Abby Liu

China's social media censors are cracking down on discussion about the mysterious identity behind the lone vote cast against communist leader Xi Jinping‘s formal appointment as president.
In a largely ceremonial vote, Xi was selected as expected as China's president with 2,955 votes in favor and three abstentions on March 14, 2013 during the 12th National People's Congress.
But one vote of dissent was counted among the tally, and the identity of the deputy who cast the vote was not released.
Many immediately took to popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo to wonder who the lone opposing voice could be, but Weibo censors soon scrubbed the site of many of the comments involving the “vote of dissent” and added the term to its long list of banned words.
The results of the vote were circulated on Weibo with netizens wondering who cast the vote of dissent.
State media praised Xi as the president with the most votes since Mao Zedong‘s time. On Weibo, ifeng news [zh] circulated on Weibo a diagram of voting results from past presidents to compare: Jiang Zeming had 35 votes of dissent while outgoing President Hu Jintao had three.
One Weibo user “Zeng Langbo” commented [zh] sarcastically:
中国好像更“民主”了!
Looks like China is becoming more democratic.
News analyst “Laoxu Shiping” wrote [zh]:
当选不是新闻，高票当选也不是新闻，而这三票弃权特别是这一票反对票是谁投的，这才是新闻。
Xi's election is not news, the large number of winning votes is not news, but the one vote of dissent and who cast this vote is news.
Famous scholar and writer Wu Jiaxiang continued the point [zh]:
一票反对也不是新闻，新闻是能出这样的新闻。
The vote of dissent is not news, but being able to publish it is.
Some Web users speculated that the vote of dissent came from Xi himself. Sheng Dalin, news analyst from Henan-based newspaper Dongfang Jinbao wrote [zh]:
不会是习大大自己吧？据说八大选主席的时候出现了一张反对票，惊动了特殊部门，一查，原来是毛自己投的！
Maybe it's Xi himself? We heard that during the 8th National People's Congress, there was only one vote of dissent, which shocked some special departments, then they found out that Mao himself cast the vote!
Some other users also speculated that the vote of dissent was arranged deliberately to give the illusion of debate. “yjhjerry” wrote [zh]:
我倒有点怀疑是不是故意为之了。帝国主义不是说我们操纵选举走过场么，那么干脆坐实，不妨弄一两张反对弃权票什么的，也显得我们有不同的声音嘛。
I suspect that was intentional. Imperialists often say that we manipulate elections, so why not make it more real by showing a couple of votes of dissent? It shows that we allow different voices.
Another user “MC-Mark_Flghter” imagined [zh] that someone perhaps pressed the wrote voting button.
Caixu wrote [zh] that the identity behind the opposing vote wasn't important:
纠结于是谁投了反对票没有什么意义，允许反对票的存在，并允许讨论反对票，才是值得花费口舌笔墨讨论的。
It's meaningless to discuss who cast the vote of dissent, whether the vote of dissent is accepted and can be talked about is worth discussing.

author: Abby Liu


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Global Voices Podcast Special: Habemus Podcast! · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Hello, World – welcome to a special edition of the Global Voices Podcast.
On Tuesday, March 12, 2013 the college of cardinals assembled at the Vatican to elect the new head of the Roman Catholic church, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28. On Wednesday evening the Cardinal Protodeacon emerged onto the central balcony as St. Peter's Basilica and uttered the words “Habemus Papam!” (“We Have a Pope!”), and presented Pope Francis.
With two African cardinals considered at one point to be potential successors to Pope Benedict XVI, we spoke with Steve Sharra and Abdoulaye Bah from our Africa team about the possibility of an African pope, the continent's expectations of the next pope, and why cardinals at this week's papal conclave might have played games like volleyball.
Global Voices has a cardinal! Author Abdoulaye Bah with director Nanni Moretti on the set of the film “We Have a Pope”
Did you like the public domain Gregorian chants featured in the podcast? Get yours from Partners in Rhyme.
Thanks to Laura Morris for her support in producing this show!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Japan’s Jaded Public Pushes for Nuclear Truth Post-Fukushima  · Global Voices
Ayumi Nakajima

Two years after the powerful earthquake and resulting tsunami off the northeastern coast of Japan triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Japanese people are becoming increasingly frustrated with the government's reluctance to come clean on the risks associated with nuclear power.
A Japanese citizen advocacy group called Let’s Decide Together organized a large protest on March 10, 2013 [ja] to call for a national referendum on the future of nuclear power in Japan, the latest of many citizen-led efforts to shape the country's energy policy away from nuclear power since the Fukushima disaster, the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
In the wake of the tsunami, critics around the world blasted the Japanese government for withholding information about the meltdown from the public, delaying local evacuations and exposing some people unnecessarily to high levels of radiation. The World Health Organization has concluded that those in the most contaminated areas around the Fukushima plant have elevated risks of contracting cancer, from a 7 percent increased risk of leukemia for males exposed to the radiation as infants, to a 6 percent increased risk of breast cancer for females exposed as infants.
Nuclear Free Now Global Demonstration Hibiya, Tokyo. Photo by Masahiko Murata
Though public pressure after the accident led to the shutdown of all but two of Japan's 50 nuclear reactors, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently announced that plants that pass the country's new and stricter safety guidelines could be brought back online within the year.
But the government's emphasis on safety has not calmed Fukushima residents and activists around the country who demand more information about the dangers of nuclear power, no matter how bad the news may be.
The Fukushima Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety, co-hosted by the Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from December 15-17, 2012 in the city of Koriyama in Fukushima Prefecture, not far from the nuclear power plant, exposed the growing gap between the government and its people on the matter of nuclear energy.
The conference, in which 117 countries and 13 international organizations participated, was held to discuss and strengthen nuclear safety as well as learn from the Fukushima disaster.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan summarized [ja] the intent of the Fukushima government conference, spotlighting the government's commitment to its safety campaign:
事故から1年9ヶ月しか経っていない中で今回の会議を福島で開催することにより，原子力安全の強化の重要性につき強いメッセージを発信することができたものと考える。また，IAEA原子力安全行動計画の策定から1年を経たタイミングで国際社会の取組についてハイレベルで議論が行われたことにより，国際的な原子力安全を更に強化していくことにつながると期待される。
At the same time, many anti-nuclear organizations organized their own conferences. The Nuclear Free Now Organizing Committee hosted its Global Conference for a Nuclear Power Free World 2 in Hibiya, Tokyo on December 15 and 16, 2012 and the Metropolitan Coalition Against Nukes organized a demonstration calling for the end of nuclear energy that departed from Hibiya park. More than 5,500 people participated in the two days of events in Tokyo.
Also, the Fukushima Action Project, organized by a committee of citizens from Fukushima Prefecture in collaboration with the Nuclear Free Now Organizing Committee, coordinated various action from December 14-16, 2012 including a symposium by the Mayors for a Nuclear Power Free Japan network to coincide with the government conference.
On the first day of the government conference, about 200 citizens gathered in front of the conference venue in Fukushima to submit a formal request to the IAEA. The request called on the IAEA to disclose the data from a health survey of children, ensure accountability, and encourage the Japanese government to decommission all nuclear power plants immediately.
“KOU-YU-KOTO” (This is what's really happening) by Misato Yugi (CC BY-NC-SA 2.1 JP)
In its introduction, the request explained the Fukushima people's distrust of the IAEA's involvement in the area:
We have learned that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will establish two research centers in Fukushima Prefecture, as part of the Prefecture's ”Environmental Creation Center.” Based on the nature of the IAEA, we perceive it to be a global nuclear power promotion industry, emphasizing the peaceful use of nuclear and understating its risks. It is quite difficult to imagine and understand what such an institution is planning to do coming here to Fukushima. Many of us affected by the nuclear power plant disaster are questioning whether these research centres will have any benefit for those affected, and are concerned about the real intention.
It also emphasized the uncertainty that local residents are forced to live with as long as the government presses safety campaigns over information about the reality of the situation:
All that the government has done is to conduct a “safety campaign,” by telling people that “there are no immediate health risks”, or “it is alright to be exposed to 100μSv of radiation per year.” The residents of Fukushima are forced into a difficult decision between the fear of radiation, which cannot be seen or smelled, and the authorities’ “safety campaign,” which is causing great distress and fraction between families, friends and neighbors.
The agency replied [ja] to the request on January 17, 2013, stressing that they are not a decision-maker when it comes to nuclear matters in Fukushima or the rest of Japan:
IAEAとして、加盟国に対して原発を導入すべきである、原発の運転を継続すべきである、あるいは原発を停止させるべきであると言う立場にはありません。しかし、加盟国が原子力発電を導入する、あるいは継続するという決定をした場合には、それらの原発が国際的な安全基準を十分満たし、周辺国の懸念にも十分対応する形で安全かつ持続的に運転されるよう支援するということがIAEAの役割です。
Demanding the truth
“KOU-YU-KOTO” (This is what's really happening) by Misato Yugi (CC BY-NC-SA 2.1 JP)
The two “Red Dot” radiation illustrations in this post were drawn by artist Misato Yugi and have become widely known in post-Fukushima Japan. The illustrations try to show how dramatic the situation would be if radioactivity were visible.
But without red dots marking radioactivity in real life, the Japanese people are left to demand the truth about the dangers from the government and other agencies.
Ourplanet-TV, a non-profit media station, captured a member of the Fukushima Women's Network against Nuclear Power Plants [ja] doing just that on December 15 near the government conference venue, asking for the facts surrounding nuclear power from IAEA spokeswoman Jill Tudor.
The video is available here [ja].:
覚えておいて欲しいこと、それは、福島県はもう脱原発を決めた、ということです。それからもうひとつ、IAEAはぜひチェルノブイリの真実を語ってください。チェルノブイリの健康被害の真実を語ってください。[…] 最後にお願いです。今日から3日間行われている会議で、原発の安全性ではなくって、原発の危険性について語ってください。そして世界中の原発をなくすという、そういう会議に切り替えてください。
We want IAEA to remember, Fukushima prefecture has already decided to renounce nuclear power [ja]. There is one other thing. Please tell us the truth about Chernobyl, Please speak the truth of the health effects after Chernobyl. Lastly, in the three-day conference starting from today, please talk about the dangers of nuclear power, not the promotion of the safety of nuclear power plants. And please switch the agenda to eliminate the nuclear power plants in the world.
Another member in the footage also appealed to Tudor to let the Fukushima people have a say in nuclear matters:
私たちのことを抜きに、福島のことを決めないでください！
Please don’t decide on anything about Fukushima without the Fukushima people, us!
Kyania, who evacuated from Fukushima to Kyoto with her child after the nuclear meltdown, has documented her experience in a blog. On December 21, 2012, she published a document composed by citizens submitted to Fukushima Prefecture protesting the presence of IAEA in Fukushima overseeing decontamination and other aspects of the disaster clean-up. She also reinforced [ja] how important it is for people to know what is going on after the disaster in order to protect themselves:
国民の一人、一人が、自分と家族を守るのは自分自身である事を自覚し、情報を取り続けて下さい。
そして、あなたの思いが溢れた時には、私達と一緒に、ご自分が出来る事を、どんなに小さい事でも良いので続けて頂きたいです。
Each and every one of us should realize that only you can protect yourselves and your families, so keep collecting information on your own. If you feel butterflies in your stomach, I want you to continue taking actions on what you can do, no matter how small they are.

author: Ayumi Nakajima


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Unstable State of Justice in São Tomé and Príncipe · Global Voices
Mário Lopes

The judicial system of Sao Tome and Principe has been in tumultuous tides. Elsa Pinto's appointment to Attorney General's Office raised objections about her judicial past and lasted no more than fifteen days [pt]. Humbah Aguiar analyzed the situation in a video [pt], Danilo Salvaterra shared on Facebook a reflection [pt] on the current state of justice in the country.

author: Mário Lopes


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Anti-Whaling Activists Hit a Nerve in Japan · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

Japanese whaling authorities and anti-whaling activists are trading blame after a harpoon ship collided with two vessels from the marine conservation group Sea Shepherd in Antarctic waters on February 20, 2013.
The incident offered a glimpse into the country's complicated relationship with whaling as many Japanese Web users, regardless of their opinion on the practice, lined up against Sea Shepherd and slammed what some called the world's selective outrage over Japanese whaling.
Activists from US-based Sea Shepherd maintain that the 8,000-tonne factory ship Nisshin Maru rammed two of the organization's vessels, the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin, as well as its own refueling ship, the South Korean tanker ship Sun Laurel.
Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, the country's quasi-governmental whaling body, disputes the anti-whaling group's version of events, claiming that Sea Shepherd vessels made a “foolhardy” attempt to sabotage the Nisshin Maru's refueling effort, provoking the collision.
No one was injured in the incident.
The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986. In recent years, Japan has caught between 400 and 1,000 whales per year as part of what it calls “scientific research” and the meat is sold as a byproduct on the open market in Japan, despite the country's waning appetite for whale meat. Critics have called the Institute of Cetacean Research a ruse to continue commercial whaling despite the moratorium.
Critics have also accused Sea Shepherd of using aggressive, at times violent tactics to stop Japan's whaling. Days after this latest clash, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling on an unrelated case filed against the organization by Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research in November 2011, labeled them as pirates.
Image of the collision from the Institute of Cetacean Research.
After the collision, many Japanese Web users took to social media to condemn Sea Shepherd without explicitly professing support for their homeland's practice whaling, a sign of the Japanese people's nuanced perspective on the practice.
In an online poll on newly launched polling platform zzhh.jp [ja], users were asked to answer whether they thought Sea Shepherd's intervention of Japan's whaling is a criminal act. Many of the 210 users who participated answered that they consider it a crime regardless of if they are for or against whaling. User @naoki_ma commented:
調査捕鯨に反対するのは自由だが、彼らの行動はどうひいき目に見ても国際法に違反する行為。欧州の捕鯨国に対して批判活動を展開していなことを見れば人種蔑視を感じざるを得ない。正当防衛を含めた毅然とした対応を
Japanese media coverage of opposition to whaling has been relatively scant compared to the amount of coverage devoted to the subject by international media, as the case has been for other marine mammal hunts by Japan.
But the news of the clash between the whaling ship and Sea Shepherd ships dominated headlines in Australia, which is one of Sea Shepherd's most prominent supporters. Japanese author Kaz Hagiwara (@reservologic), who resides in Australia, noted on Twitter:
@reservologic: 今朝から豪州のニュースは、日本の調査捕鯨船が豪州領海内でシーシェパードを暴力的に妨害したという記事で持ち切り。国政選挙が近くなると出てくる日本の捕鯨問題はオーストラリア政府の定番スピンなのだった。そういやギラード首相の支持率は最低。http://bit.ly/VJ8KMg
@reservologic: Media coverage in Australia this morning flooded with the news that Japan's whaling research ship violently intervened with the Sea Shepard in the Australian territorial waters. The issues surrounding Japan's whaling always come up almost routinely when an election is near. Note that the approval ratings of PM Julia Gillard is in a slump now.
But despite the Japanese's clear cut opposition to Sea Shepherd, opinions about the actual matter of whaling aren't so unanimous. Some wonder about the inconsistency of plentiful whale meat available in the online [ja] and offline marketplace as a byproduct of whale research. Twitter user @one_one_nine[ja] asked:
@one_one_nine: 調査捕鯨といいながら、市場には相当量出回っているのは何故なんだ？ RT @lllpuplll: 捕鯨はだめ。クジラさんが可哀想、といいながら、ブタさんやウシさんを平気で食らう日本。日本人は、自分の足下をよく見つめるべき。
@one_one_nine: Then why is it that there is a substantial amount of whale meat available in the market while they claim that it is for research purposes? QT@lllpuplll: No whaling because it's a pity while you devour piggies and cows? Japanese should be more aware of where they stand.
Japan's financial support of whaling has also attracted criticism at home that funds could be better spent elsewhere. Miyako Maekita (@maekitam), who heads green advertising agency Sustena, discussed [ja] on Twitter in October 2012 how the budget for reconstruction efforts in Ishinomaki, which suffered serious damage from the massive earthquake and resulting tsunami in March 2011, was diverted to whaling instead:
@maekitam:【23億円】震災復興予算が南極海調査捕鯨事業へ23億円。被災捕鯨地宮城県石巻市「恩恵ない」と指摘。調査捕鯨費18億円＋シーシェパード対策費4億8千万円。捕鯨と鯨肉販売行う日本鯨類研究所は水産庁次長OBが理事長、役員10人うち3,4人が天下り。これ火事場泥棒。#今日の数字
@maekitam: 2.3 billion yen was allocated to Arctic research whaling from the disaster reconstruction budget. Disaster-stricken Ishinomaki city in Miyagi Prefecture [whaling area] protested that “this does not help our community.” 1.8 billion yen for research whaling + 480 million yen for Sea Shepherd counter measure budget. The Institute of Cetacean Research, which handles whaling and selling whale meat, consists of former-government officials “parachuted” in. The former vice-director for the fisheries agency sits as chief director, three to four “parachuted” in former government officials of all 10 members. This is an act of thief.
But defenders of the practice, despite Japan's image in the press as a cruel whaler, point to Japanese folk belief that considers whales as divine [ja]. A Twitter user commented last year that Japan holds memorials for dead whales in certain areas:
東北の鯨神社では日本が江戸時代から現在に至るまで捕鯨した全ての鯨を奉っており、全てに戒名を与えている。 日本は世界で最も鯨を大切に扱い、鯨の生命一つ一つを歴史に残し、長年にわたって鯨の慰霊をしている。しかし、シーシェパードががそのような事をしたと言う話は一回も聞かない。

author: Keiko Tanaka


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China: Urumqi International Bazaar · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Xinjiang Far West tours its readers around the largest Bazaar in the World, the International Grand Bazaar at the heart of Uyghur, Xinjiang province.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China’s Smear Campaign Against Apple · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A number of celebrities echoed China Central Television program that criticized Apple in the Consumers’ Rights Protection Day. Yet netizens are clever to find out that their accounts are either being hacked of some of them are paid to do so. (From Ministry of Tofu)