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Uzbekistan: ‘National’ Social Network Not Quite a Facebook Clone · Global Voices
Ekaterina

Would you ever give up your Facebook account to switch to a “national” social networking platform? Well, this is what the authorities in Uzbekistan apparently hope the country's Internet users will choose to do. They are challenging the popularity of Facebook and the Russian-language social network Odnoklassniki [Classmates] in the country by promoting Youface, a new local platform.
Interestingly, this is not the first attempt of the sort. An Uzbek-language social network service, Muloqot.uz, was set up back in 2011. However, the platform has not become popular, perhaps because people had to provide their cellphone numbers to register on the website. The launching of Youface, therefore, is another attempt by the authorities to get the country's Internet users to prefer a “national” platform over the “foreign” ones.
The new social network has striking similarities with Facebook – in name, but also in interface and functionality.
Home page of youface.uz
The domain name is owned by an Uzbek national named Ayubhon Abdullaev. He has admitted [ru] that the new social network service resembles Facebook “at first sight”. However, according to Abdullaev, the service's design “will be changed” as soon as its Facebook look helps attract more users. He also announced that the goal of Youface is to “boost patriotism among young people in Uzbekistan”. It is not surprising than that the website's welcome page quotes Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov: “Our children must be stronger, smarter, and happier than we are”.
Some netizens seem to like the idea of having a “national” social network and are quite optimistic about Youface's future. For example, Black_A writes [ru]:
Prajevyov uvidem. Nu zato o nix uje uznala ves MIR! eto vam ne kakoyto MALAkot.uz :D ili SET.uz! etot sayt budet kak VK.ru v Rossiyi. Unas budet YouFace.uz…….. Ya registrirovalsya tam i ya etogo gorda skaju!!
However most Internet users in Uzbekistan have not made up their minds yet about the new social network. Almost two months after its launch, Youface has only slightly over 1,500 registered users (as of July 7, 2012). The majority of Internet users in Uzbekistan seem to care little about the new service. Nevertheless, some netizens have criticized the service for being a Facebook clone.
Hushnud, for examples, tweets [ru]:
youface.uz плохая копия FB очень даже. дизайн детское и вообще…
Oybek agrees [ru]:
я вообще в шоке такого плагиата никто не видел, просто нереально стыдно за то что это у нас… http://youface.uz
However, once users register on the service and sign up, they can see that the website has some differences from Facebook. For example, Youface users can see who has viewed their profiles. This option is not available on Facebook, but it is very popular on Odnoklassniki. Youface also allows users to search for new friends not only by name, but also by sex, age, and location, making the website similar to online dating services. The website also has a “Marketplace” where users can post classified ads. Besides, Youface features a “Youmoney” option which does not function yet, but which is supposed to enable users to shop on the website .
Thus, Youface developers hope to attract users from Uzbekistan by providing them with more functionality then either Facebook or Odnoklassniki can offer.
An information security expert who does not want to be identified suggests [ru] that Youface might have been created to help the authorities in controlling the country's Facebook users and “relocating” them to the local social network service. According to the expert, some users might simply not notice that instead of opening a real Facebook page, their internet browsers will be opening Youface. The login and password typed into the website will then be intercepted and used by the authorities to access the Uzbek nationals’ Facebook profiles. Besides, according to the expert, Youface developers might make it completely identical to Facebook and  even copy some of the latter's user databases. In this case, Uzbek users would have access to the clone service rather than the authentic Facebook, without realizing it.
It is impossible to tell now whether these assumptions are true or not. However, Youface's policy states [ru] already now that, “when posting content on the site a user empowers the site administration to copy it […]” and even if a user deletes her or his account, “the site administration has the right to keep archived copies of user's content …”

author: Ekaterina


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Video: From Colombia, Versión Beta Makes a Recycled Organizer · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Using two empty plastic bottles and a zipper, the Colombian Version Beta Show [es] uses a video to teach viewers how to make a storage container.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Video: Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project Helps Iraqis Waiting for Resettlement · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project strives to help Iraqis who are in the legal limbo of waiting for resettlement papers.
This series of videos tells the stories of refugees and also shows how through policy advocacy, providing legal representation to refugees and assistance once they are resettled, the IRAP is helping them out.
The two next videos show the stories of Ekhla and her children and explains why they had to leave Iraq and seek resettlement elsewhere. Death threats and the children's health problems, which they believe were caused by the war, were two of the main reasons.
For Zaman harrassment because of her status as a woman and part of a religious minority,  as well as the violence the whole family was exposed to, were the causes for which they left. They have been in resettlement limbo in Amman for 5 years: unable to work or study, the family of 6 spends their days in one bedroom and a hallway, waiting for a resolution that will allow them to move on with their lives.
All Mustafa wants is to go on with his life. As a refugee, he fears that returning will get him killed, so he goes on, living in Jordan with his brother and two friends. Unable to legally work, they spend their days hoping time will pass faster: talking, watching TV and preparing and eating their meals, and not going out farther than the market to get their food. As a Shi'a Muslim and refugee, he's twice a victim of discrimination in a country that wishes them to leave as they themselves wish to depart.
Some of these stories have happy endings: both the Ibrahim family and Mustafa have successfully resettled in the United States, but as for Zaman and her family, the process has yet to finalize.
The Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project was started by graduate students at Yale Law School to provide legal representation and policy advocacy on behalf of Iraqi refugees seeking resettlement, and to assist those who have resettled. Eight other law schools and several hundred volunteers including students, lawyers and advocates have joined the effort to deal with this humanitarian crisis.
The IRAP provides different ways in which people can join the efforts and help them by either making donations or volunteering, information is available on their site.


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Allegations about the UN Tech Exports to North Korea · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

The North Korea Tech blog wrote about the latest revelation that the U.S. Government is looking into exports of computer equipment to North Korea by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Bulgaria: PM Boyko Invites Creators of “Boykometer” for a Chat · Global Voices
Ruslan Trad

A few days ago, the web site Politikat.net (The Politician; bg), created by prominent Bulgarian bloggers Komitata (Konstantin Pavlov) and Asen Genov, became the subject of the government's attention. Komitata wrote about it here [bg].
Politikat.net
Politikat.net is an Open Source platform that tracks how promises made by the government and PM Boyko Borisov are being fulfilled (or not fulfilled). It includes a special section called “Boykometer,” inspired by the US website Obameter.
On July 6, the press center of the ruling party GERB sent a letter [bg] to Komitata and Genov, asking them to provide statistics and resources used by Politikat.net:
Dear Mr. Genov,
In connection with your being responsible for administering the Politikat.net portal, which contains allegations of certain “promises” made by the Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the statistics on his performance, we request your answers to a few supplementary questions.
On what basis are the speeches of Boyko Borisov selected (unless you claim that you have covered 100 percent of his public statements)?
By what criteria certain parts of Boyko Borisov's statements are qualified as “promises”?
What quantitative and qualitative measures were used to assess objectively the degree of implementation of the “promises”?
From what sources and in which order the information is collected, summarizing the progress of the “promises”?
How often do you update the statistics on the “promises” that have the status “in progress,” so as to ensure the timely submission of accurate data to the customers?
[…]
Sevdelina Arnaudova,
Head of Press Center of GERB
A widely-circulated humorous take on PM Borisov asking Asen Genov for statistics and information. Source: Vladimir Doychinov on Facebook
The government, led by Boyko Borisov, is facing criticism and accusations of pressure on the Bulgarian media. According to a report [bg; .pdf] of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, there is a “disturbing situation” with the freedom of speech in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian branch of the Association of European Journalists writes that “corporate journalism dominates Bulgarian media sector.”
After sending the letter, PM Borisov invited Genov and Pavlov to “discuss” Politikat.net and his “promises” to the people. It was disturbing that the Interior Minister also attended the meeting.
PM Borisov (center) together with the Interior Minister (left) during their meeting with bloggers Asen Genov and Komitata (right). Photo by Asen Genov, used with permission.
In 2011-2012, Bulgaria dropped dramatically – from the 70th to the 80th place – in the world press freedom rankings of Reporters Without Borders. The country ranks last among other EU states, sharing the same index with Serbia, Chile and Paraguay.
On July 7, The Economist published an article, in which the situation with the freedom of speech in Bulgaria was described this way:
[…] Mainstream newspapers are owned by banks or powerful companies. There is little investigative reporting. Advertising by the government and by state-owned companies is a big source of revenue for newspapers; because of that, self-censorship is the order of the day. […]

author: Ruslan Trad


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Chile: Citizen Campaign Seeks to Eliminate Tax on Books · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

‘Libros Sin IVA’ [es] is a citizen campaign which seeks to eliminate the 19% value added tax (VAT, “IVA” for its initials in Spanish) on books in Chile. The first of nine points in their manifesto [es] explains that Chile has one of the highest consumption taxes on books: “almost one fifth of the price of a book in Chile is taxes.”
The manifesto also argues that countries that have a special taxing treatment for books understand that books, whether print or digital, “are still one of the main vehicles of knowledge, entertainment, and construction of a reflective and inclusive citizenry.” It also points out that 4 out of 5 Chileans think that books are expensive, and 54% would buy more books if they were cheaper.
In the following video, celebrities, writers and other supporters of this campaign outline their main arguments:
But just how expensive are books in Chile? Blogger Nathan Lustig summed it up last year:
Books are incredibly expensive in Chile. I’m talking $50-$80 for a new hardcover and $30-60 for a new softcover. Even used books can be $5-15. […]
Every Chilean I’ve talked to about book prices says “oh man, don’t get me started, it’s ridiculous.”  It’s a big problem.
Citizens who want to support the ‘Libros Sin IVA’ campaign are invited to add their signature [es] on the official website. The campaign gathered more than 27,000 signatures in less than ten days, as highlighted [es] by The Clinic. At the time of writing this post, the ‘Libros Sin IVA’ website recorded 31,829 signatures.
The debate
The campaign has sparked a debate on reading and the access to books in Chile.
Enzo Abbagliati, who has blogged extensively about public libraries and the access to books, was one of the first to react to the campaign. In a post [es] in his blog Cadaunadas, Abbagliati explains that he does not adhere to the campaign because even if it achieves its goal, he doesn't think it will have a significant impact in making Chile a country that reads more.
Abbagliati cites the same studies used by the campaign to argue that the price of books is not among the main reasons Chileans use to justify why they don't read. Among other things, Abbagliati says that due to other factors, like where books are sold, only those who already buy books would benefit from the measure.
On a similar note, Abbagliati points out that Chileans who earn a minimum wage or less –and can barely make ends meet– will not really benefit from this change in the taxation of books. He concludes his post presenting a solution:
Si de fomentar un acceso equitativo a la lectura se trata, hay un Plan B. Sí, con B de Biblioteca.
The blog Lucha Libro [es] asked its readers to comment on the campaign. User Ange replies [es] in the post's comments section saying that Chile needs to encourage its citizens to read:
[…] El IVA es algo estúpido en los libros, claro que sí, pero quitarlo no es la solución. La gente gasta plata en poner una tele en cada pieza de sus casas, incluso la gente “pobre”. No me vengan con excusas por el IVA. El que quiere leer, lo hace porque le gusta, porque lo animaron de chico a leer, y va a leer revistas, diarios, libros, internet, recetas de cocina, etc. El IVA no es una limitante.
Other netizens have been discussing the initiative on Twitter using the hashtag #LibrosSinIVA [es], like Victor Hermosilla (@vjhermosilla) [es]:
@vjhermosilla Si bien adhiero a #LibrosSinIVA estoy de acuerdo que esa medida no cambiará hábitos de lectura en chilenos, sobre todo de estratos sc bajos
Editor Marco Antonio Coloma (@mcoloma) [es] responds to some of the criticism:
@mcoloma Hay gente que tiene la fórmula para hacer de Chile «una sociedad lectora». Nosotros no. Sólo creemos que hay algo básico: libros sin IVA.
Marco Antonio Coloma also wrote a post [es] in his blog in response to Abbagliati's arguments. Coloma clarifies that the campaign is not proposing a global solution, but it only suggests a starting point:
La eliminación del IVA al libro debiera ser la primera pieza de un plan más ambicioso, integral y definitivo de promoción del libro y la lectura. ¿Por qué? Porque, siguiendo el ejemplo de una abrumadora cantidad de países, debiera existir coherencia entre la importancia que le asignamos como sociedad al libro y el tratamiento que tiene éste en nuestro sistema tributario; porque Chile era un país sin IVA al libro hasta 1976 y hay, por tanto, un imperativo ético de saldar una deuda histórica con los valores democráticos; y porque, además, es una medida efectiva para mejorar el acceso al libro y la lectura.
Coloma also reacts to Abbagliati's “Plan B” (libraries), saying that strengthening public libraries should be an important part of any program which seeks to promote books and reading. Nevertheless, Coloma cites a study on reading behavior in Chile which points out that only 15% of the population has visited a library in the last year:
Ese mismo estudio señala que el 35% de las personas compra los libros que lee, 29% los pide prestado a amigos y familiares y sólo el 11% accede a ellos a través de una biblioteca. Esto demuestra no sólo que en el ámbito de las bibliotecas públicas hay mucho por hacer, sino que el principal medio de acceso a los libros es el mercado. ¿Por qué no implementar una medida probada, que convoca amplios consensos, y que justamente favorece el acceso a los libros a través del mercado?
He concludes his post saying that this campaign is about democratizing a more fulfilling reading experience, where citizens can be “curators” of their own library, “pass it on to their children, grab a book whenever [they] want, write on it, highlight it, lend it to someone, give it as a gift or even abandon it.” He asserts that eliminating the consumption tax on books is a starting point.
Libros Sin IVA aims [es] to start a public discussion, but their work doesn't end there: they want to present specific proposals to Congress and eventually to President Sebastián Piñera's administration. You can follow the discussion on the campaign's official Facebook [es] and Twitter [es] accounts.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Colombia: Cauca Indigenous Demand Army and Guerrillas Leave Their Territories · Global Voices
Julián Ortega Martínez

In an open letter [es, fr], the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN), in south western Colombia, demanded that “groups and legal and illegal armies” leave their territories, specifically the town of Toribío, which is routinely attacked by the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) [es]. The indigenous destroyed army and police trenches, as well as a FARC camp [es]. President Juan Manuel Santos was booed [es] when he arrived to the town, where a council of ministers is set to be held on Wednesday, July 11.

author: Julián Ortega Martínez


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Ecuador: Saying Goodbye to Lonesome George · Global Voices
Alison Martinez

“Lonesome George,” from the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, was the last tortoise of his species. The tortoise was found dead on Sunday morning, June 24, 2012, in his yard at the Galápagos tortoise breeding center in Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz.
George was the last tortoise of the Chelonoidis abingdonii species, and he was approximately 150 years old.  He died of natural causes, since his organs began to fail due to his old age, according to the results of the emblematic animal's autopsy.
Since he was the last of his species, many attempts were made to save him; however, as Vicente Tagle León (@vichetagle) [es] explains, these attempts were not fruitful:
@vichetagle: Hubo muchos intentos por hacer reproducir al #solitariogeorge, pero ninguno funcionó. Hoy Galápagos y el mundo pierden a un símbolo!
From the moment that official sources from the Galápagos National Park confirmed the news, a series of mentions, farewells, and references to the tortoise began spreading on social networks like Facebook and Twitter as an homage to George.
Lonesome George, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Marco Chile, a Galápagos Island native, published [es] an editorial in honor of George on Facebook. Among other things, he says:
A más de uno en las islas y en el mundo entero nos ha llenado de tristeza enterarnos de la muerte de George, especialmente a quienes crecimos cerca de este quelonio que se convirtió en el ejemplo de lucha de una especie empujada a la extinción por la acción de las especies invasoras y la irresponsabilidad ó desconocimiento de los primeros colonizadores de las encantadas.
On Twitter, hashtag #solitariogeorge [es] quickly became a local trending topic in Ecuador.
The Tomebamba Voice (@tomebamba) [es], an Ecuadorian radio station, reported the following:
@tomebamba: La muerte del #SolitarioGeorge conmociona el #ecuador hay 70 tweets por segundo. pic.twitter.com/FlbyQNJ6 /via @gustavomerino
Andrés Ponce G. (@AndresPonce28) [es] remembers that George appeared in one of the old Ecuador currency bills:
@AndresPonce28: Había olvidado que el Solitario George aparecía en el billete de 5.000 sucres yfrog.com/kg4lzunj
While Carla Villamarin (@carlitavu) [es] writes:
@carlitavu: El país está de luto:( #SolitarioGeorge RIP♥ siempre en nuestros corazones
On July 7, journalist Andrés L Morales A. (@AndYMoralesA) [es] shared a photo of a parade in memory of Lonesome George:
@AndYMoralesA: Marcha en recuerdo del #solitariogeorge en las calles de Pto Ayora #galapagos http://twitpic.com/a54g7j
The directors of the  Galápagos National Park decided to honor the tortoise by constructing an interpretation center [es] named Lonesome George. Additionally, the park put forth a campaign so that those who had the chance to know George could share photos of the tortoise.  An exhibit [es] of these photos took place on July 8.
On July 5, the Ministry of Heritage also began the process of declaring Lonesome George a part of Ecuador's cultural heritage.
With George's death, the number of land tortoises on the Galápagos decreases to 10. These tortoises are an endangered species, and George's death reminds us of the urgency to join forces for their preservation [es].

author: Alison Martinez


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Egypt: Highest Court Freezes Morsi’s Parliament Recall  · Global Voices
Sahar Habib Ghazi

Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court has frozen President Morsi's decree to reinstate parliament. Blogger Zeinobia writes: “This is so annoying like a headache especially with the legal experts from both teams screaming on TV channels that they are the right and the other team is wrong.”

author: Sahar Habib Ghazi


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European Union: A Survey Among Immigrants about Integration · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

Le café pédagogique links [pdf, fr] to the results of a survey launched in 15 cities from 7 U.E. countries, among immigrants in possession of their legal documents and with or without citizenship of their host countries. The questions were aimed at integration, which appears to be highly wished for.

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Mozambique: Innovative Ways of Producing and Distributing News · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

Johannes Myburgh  shared on Twitter the Mozambique Media Landscape guide, which he helped produce with Infosaid media project. Radio is considered the country's “most important channel of communication”, but Infosaid highlights independent and electronic newspapers – such as Faísca, Whampula Faz and Global Voices partner @Verdade [pt] – as “innovative ways of producing and distributing” news.

author: João Miguel Lima


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Palestine: Football Player Mahmoud Sarsak Set Free · Global Voices
Rayna St.

Palestinian football player Mahmoud Sarsak has been set free yesterday [July 10, 2012]. The Facebook page Team Palestine publishes images from his welcome in Gaza. Arrested on July 22, 2009, when trying to reach his club in the north of the Occupied Territories, Sarsak had been detained since then as an “enemy fighter” but with no charge against him.
Palestinian footballer Sarsak on his way to Gaza. Photo credit: Team Palestine, Facebook
A massive welcome for Sarsak in Gaza. Photo credit: Team Palestine page, Facebook
In March, Sarsak joined the hunger strike of around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and his fasting lasted more than 80 days. His efforts were encouraged by Eric Cantona's open letter to UEFA's president Michel Platini and FIFA's president Joseph Blatter asking Israel to release Palestinian players detained in violation of international human rights conventions.

author: Rayna St.


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Russia: Online Platforms Coordinating Aid for Flood Victims · Global Voices
Teplitsa

Floods in Kuban, Russia, have completely destroyed 640 homes, with more than 5,000 partially submerged. According to data from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Crisis Centre, the natural disaster had killed 150 people as of July 8.
Since the tragedy, citizens across Russia have been gathering humanitarian aid for the affected population, whose situation remains extremely grave.
Here is a short list of the most active online resources now coordinating aid for the victims in Kuban.
The homepage of Coordination of Aid for Victims of Flooding in the Crimea [ru]
This portal hosts the most current information: photo reports, broadcasts from the disaster site, lists of the deceased, and data about the arrival of humanitarian aid. There is also a host of information about what kind of help volunteers most need now and how individuals can get themselves to the area to help out.
Virtual Bell – The atlas of emergency aid
A new mini map has been added to Virtual Bell’s [ru] site for those affected in Krasnodar Krai. Volunteers from the “Bell” have spread information about the points of admission for humanitarian aid and targeted requests and proposals from volunteers.
Once you have registered on rynda.org, you can then create a Crimean volunteer profile and receive notifications twice a day in your email inbox about new requests for aid in the Crimea.
The interface of the virtual map on Rynda.org
Aid is being gathered across all regions. You can find very detailed information about needs and points of admission on the website for  “REformation” in Novosibirisk, a sociopolitcal movement.
Screenshot of “REformation.”
Map of aid in Kuban
It is also possible to add points about where help from volunteers or humanitarian aid is needed to this crowdsourced map on the online platform, Ushaidi.
Screenshot of Map of Aid in Kuban.
Summary 0f information about humanitarian aid access points
On Elena Popovoi's blog [ru]
Through social media:

author: Teplitsa


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Saudi Arabia: The Mosque and the Corniche  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger Ahmed Al Omran tweets: “Hai'a [Saudi religious police] targets corniche-goers with a mobile mosque. If they can't force you to go to mosque, they bring mosque to you.”

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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South Sudan: One Year After Becoming World’s Newest Nation · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

South Sudanese have just celebrated their first anniversary of independence. South Sudan's formal independence was declared on 9 July, 2011 when it became world’s newest country. A referendum took place in January 2011 which resulted in 99% of South Sudanese voting for independence from the north.
The referendum was a consequence of the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the Khartoum central government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M).
After witnessing the birth of new nation, Heather and Joel argue that after one year there is much work still need to be done:
Being in Juba during the birth of this new country was a highlight for us during our time in South Sudan. It gave us energy and hope to keep working for peace and justice. One year later there is still much work to be done for peace and justice in the region. Please join this international movement to call for peace in South Sudan and Sudan.
Lee Crawfurd calls for balance in covering South Sudan's birthday:
Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive and demonstrating a heavy bias, but I feel a bit like the mainstream media's coverage of South Sudan's first birthday was a pretty unrelenting torrent of negativity.
He then asks:
I would be the first to call for more criticism and scrutiny of the Government of South Sudan, but can't we have just a little balance on their first birthday celebrations? And where has all the criticism been for the past 7 years since the peace agreement?
South Sudanese beat the drum so hard in joy until his hands were bleeding. Blood marks can be seen on the drum. Photo courtesy of africanfaders.blogspot.com/
J. Moore shares with her readers Tom Murphy's curation of Twitter debate about South Sudan independence:
Tom Murphy usefully organizes a Twitter debate about the framing of South Sudan's independence. Semhar Araia, founder and executive director of the Diaspora African Women's Network, objected to the title of the ONE campaign's blog post for the occasion: “South Sudan: A one-year unhappy anniversary.” Here's her Tweet that really gets to the point “Unhappy my ass. #Africa is free with or without you. Thank you very much.” There's a caution-intoning cameo by Vanessa Parra; ONE changes its headline; Semhar sends thanks. But I would recommend you read the whole thing for the ending: a thoughtful reflection by TMS Ruge, Project Diaspora co-founder, on reflexive criticism of Africa narratives.
Roving Banding wants us to imagine what would be happening in South Sudan if the country had not been independent:
So let's imagine for a second what would be happening in South Sudan if there had not been independence. Peace and prosperity? New schools, roads, and hospitals? There are a couple of approaches we might use to think about what would have happened. We could look at the history of South Sudan pre-independence. We could look at all of the sterling development initiatives led by indicted war criminal Bashir in the South between 1989 and 2005. All of the schools and hospitals that he built. Or we could look at some of the people still living in the North. Perhaps those who have fled their homes to hide in caves from Bashir's bombers.
Women in South Sudan celebrating the birth of a new nation. Photo courtesy of Matata Safi.
Rob Rees identifies problems facing South Sudan. He says that not all problems can be blamed on actions of her neighbors:
Inter-ethnic rivalry, especially amongst pastoralist groups in Upper Nile and Jonglei provinces has frequently been the cause of localised fighting. Late last year however, fighting between Dinka, Nuer and Murle peoples escalated into major conflict and in Jonglei province alone, it is estimated that more than 6,000 people have died as a consequence.
Corruption is another issue which appears to be an impediment to development in RSS. Even President Salva Kiir has stated publicly that billions of dollars have been stolen from the nation by a number of (unnamed) individuals and has appealed to them to return the money to the state.
He goes on to say that events of the past year have been extremely disappointing to friends of South Sudan and Sudan:
We had all been hoping that the creation of two new states would enable their troubled history of conflict, displacement and famine to be left behind but that has not happened. Hope for a better future for the people of both countries must prevail, but whether this is achievable in the short term is doubtful. There will be no way that the two states can be isolated from each other – they will continue to share the longest international border in Africa and there is much more to be gained by each of them through having good relations rather than festering hostility.
Amanda Hsiao notes that birthday celebrations were much better that independence celebration a year ago:
One marker of progress could be found in the minutiae of the day, in particular, the level organization of this year’s ceremony. Water bottles and snacks were in ready supply for the audience while barricades prevented the crowds from surging forward, in sharp contrast to festivities the year before during which the combination of marathon speeches and the blazing heat caused many among the audience to faint from dehydration and heat stroke.
However, not all South Sudanese had a “happy birthday”:
Though there was a lot of singing, dancing, drumming, and ululating yesterday, several Sudanese friends (especially those from areas in South Sudan that still don't truly have peace) commented to me that they weren't really happy on this day because their people are still very much suffering and there is no end in sight of the war crimes being committed against innocent people. Not to mention the thousands and thousands of refugees who live in horrific conditions and are hanging onto life by a thread.
In celebrating South Sudan's birthday, David Leventhal blogs about a micro-loan scheme with a 99% repayment rate in South Sudan:
In the few years they’ve [Seed Effect, a microfinance organization operating in South Sudan] been up and running they have dispersed over $200,000 (USD) in micro-loans to over 600 clients. They maintain a 99.64% repayment rate. That’s no typo – that’s 99% repayment – something that Citi, Bank of America, JPMorgan and every other prime lender would LOVE to have. And here, in this small, land-locked, poverty stricken country in Africa they’ve achieved it! And the principle and interest from these loans gets to be redistributed into new loans which empower more families.
Global Voices Online wishes the people of South Sudan a peaceful and prosperous future.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Sudan: Blogger Recounts Three Days of Interrogation  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage Sudan Revolts.
Sudanese blogger Maha Elsanosi vividly describes her three days of interrogation at the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), after being arrested in Sudan.
In her must-read post, Maha, who is our Global Voices Online author for Sudan, recounts:
During my first detention, I faced 4 hours of emotional abuse. One interrogator said to me: “Take a good look at the window, this will be the last time you ever see the sun.” Another told me that I was going to be transferred to women's prison without anyone as much as looking at my file. That's how dangerous they deemed me to be.
Maha is a member of Girifna, a non-violent resistance movement made up of Sudanese university graduates, whose name translates to “we are fed up.” The group states that its aim is to overthrow the ruling National Congress Party, which governs Sudan, and hopes to develop a shared vision for a national agenda, which will steer their country forward. Their Twitter account is available here and is used to spread information about the on-going revolution in Sudan.
Demonstrations started in the Sudanese capital Khartoum last month, after the government announced spending cuts and other austerity measures. And unlike other countries, the protests, which continue today, are under-reported.
Maha's second day of interrogation lasted a grueling 11 hours. She describes them:
I was threatened, blackmailed, insulted, emotionally abused and psychologically tortured. They had my laptop and they told me they had access to all my photos; and that they would use them if they sensed I'm causing any trouble. I was also told that they could easily make me lose my job. “You have nice pictures on your phone”, one guy said to me. “You have a lot of fans,” he added. The same guy was browsing through the photos on my laptop. He saw a picture of me and my best friend hugging. He then asked me if I was a lesbian.
Her third day's interrogation lasted for two hours. After her questioning, Maha says:
They made me sign a statement pledging that I will not take part in any Girifna activities, citing that if I do, I will be subjected to trial under the security law. They made my dad sign the same statement. They gave me back my phone and other items, but said that they will keep the two laptops for “further investigation”. I claimed them back a short while ago.
She also reminds us:
Among those still detained for weeks are Boshi, who was also arrested earlier this year, Usamah Ali, a prominent citizen journalist and a Twitter microcelebrity, Girifna members Mohamed Izzelden and Rashida Shamseldin and many, many others. They are all at risk of torture. They have sacrificed their freedoms for the sake of a free Sudan.
Mohamed Izzelden has since been released.
This post is part of our special coverage Sudan Revolts.


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Turkmenistan: Silent Anniversary of Deadly Blasts in Abadan · Global Voices
Anna Fergana

Question: How did the Turkmen mark July 7, the first anniversary of the explosions at an arms depot in the town of Abadan? Answer: They marked the anniversary in silence. There were no reports in local or international media. Turkmen netizens also remained silent.
What happened in Abadan?
On July 7, 2011, state-run media in Turkmenistan reported [ru] that a summer heat wave caused a fire and a series of explosions at a fireworks warehouse in Abadan, not far from the country's capital, Ashgabat. The government quickly restricted information surrounding the incident. Landline and cell phone connection to the town was cut. Internet connection went down as well. Many people taking pictures or filming the blasts had their cameras taken away by police. Besides, chrono-tm.org, an independent emigre news site that covered the incident, had reportedly been hacked to prevent information from spreading. Many residents fled Abadan before security agencies shut down and isolated the town.
One of the blasts in Abadan caught on tape. Screenshot from video uploaded on September 26, 2011, by Youtube user maxrimas.
Despite the Turkmen government's attempts to cover up the incident, it was clear right from the beginning that explosions occurred at an arms depot located near the town. While the government claims that 15 people died as a result of the blasts, unofficial sources believe there might had been up to 300 deaths.
It was not until July 10, 2011, that the authorities admitted [ru] that there had been explosions at the arms depot:
[В]озгорание, произошедшее в результате особо жаркой погоды, установившейся в последние дни, привело к детонации пиротехнических средств и их разлету на значительную территорию, в радиусе которого оказался армейский склад, где хранились подлежащие утилизации взрывчатые средства от боеприпасов времен Советского Союза.
Hushing up the blasts
Afterwards, the authorities dropped all mentions of fireworks and arms depots. In this official report [ru], for example, the incident was vaguely attributed to “explosions at warehouses”:
Напомним, что в соответствии с постановлением президента Туркменистана город Абадан, пострадавший от взрывов, произошедших на складах в окрестностях города, было решено отстроить на новом месте…
Overall, the authorities have lately preferred not to mention the blasts at all, in an apparent hope that people will forget about the deadly incident. Twelve months after the blasts, there is no official day of morning for the people who died in Abadan in July 2011.
Nevertheless, YouTube retains a permanent memory of the blast. In the above video, recorded through a window in a house located in the vicinity of the burned down arms depot, several loud explosions can be heard as the camera captures a smoke-filled sky. After some time, a police car heads in the direction of the blasts, while a man in an official attire ushers onlookers away. The video ends with an almighty blast and the sound of cracked glass.
Another video shows Abadan residents fleeing the town:
After watching the first video on Youtube, Onur Aksaray commented recently:
guess what..no one heard of it… neither does anybody know the exact number of dead omg
The residents of Abadan have also managed to disseminate pictures depicting the destruction caused by the blasts. Some of the pictures can be viewed here.
No mourning for the victims
The Turkmen government's reluctance to commemorate the victims of the Abadan incident has left many people disappointed.
As Catherine A. Fitzpatrick, a human rights advocate and blogger wrote for Gundogar about a month after the explosion:
An official day of mourning was never declared, to the chagrin of those who have suffered. Some residents are hoping that when the town is reconstructed, as President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov promised, some kind of memorial service will be organized, perhaps in nearby Kipchak, site of Turkmenistan's largest mosque, and that a traditional sadaka or feast will be held. Yet the government has been more preoccupied with plans for celebrating the 20th anniversary of independence this fall
Even on forums accessible to the nationals of Turkmenistan, where dissent is rare, netizens were unafraid to vent their frustrations. OWEN, a member of a popular Turkmen forum, Teswirler commented on July 8, 2011 [tk]:
Erbet gynandym.Allajanym asmanymyz asuda yurdumyz parahat bolsun! Allahym Yurdumyzda beyle betbagtcylyk iñ soñky gezek bolsunda herna.
While Terrorzini said [tk]:
Bolýa, ýapalyň! Ýörüň, barymyz gidip Türkmen owazyndaky görkezilýän klipleri göreliň! Nämä gerek olaryň ýagdaýyna gynanyp, asla ol gürrüňleri agzamak nämä gerek. Abadanda şu wagt öýleriň aýnalary kül-uşak. 4-5 tanşym bilen jaňlaşdym. Ilat giden panikada. Türkmen owazynda bolsa aýdym gidýär. Başga döwletlerde şeýle ýagdaýda ähli razwlekatelnyý programmlar yatyrlyar. 1-2 günlük matam yglan edilýär.
Where did the voices go?
One of the most impressive aspects of the post-Abadan reaction was that despite the country's isolation and an authoritarian regime, the Turkmen have managed to make photos and videos from Abadan globally accessible. As Freedom House has reported:
Significantly, in July, 2011, the explosion of a weapons depot outside the capital city, which resulted in many casualties, highlighted the ability of a small band of citizen journalists using smartphones and the Internet to derail attempts by the authorities to suppress domestic and international coverage of the event
Writing on NewEurasia.net, blogger Annasoltan also highlighted the ability of Internet users in Turkmenistan to supply global audiences with firsthand information from the country. Those left out of the e-loop were forced to feed on gossip:
What was really striking about this experience was that those who were not on teswirler [Turkmen forum] during the Internet blackout had no idea about the scope of the explosion and its resulting damage, due to the typical news blackout that follows any unexpected event or crisis in Turkmenistan; all they knew through rumors was that something terrible had happened — and boy, you can imagine the terrible imaginations let loose in such a situation
British newspaper The Telegraph reported that some bloggers who had posted videos of the Abadan incident were detained and interrogated by Turkmenistan's security agencies. One blogger has ended up in jail, ostensibly for covering the incident.

author: Anna Fergana


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Uganda: Nodding Disease Denying Children Their Future · Global Voices
James Propa

Nodding disease is a mentally and physically disabling disease that affects children between 1 and 10 years. It is currently restricted to small regions in South Sudan, Tanzania and northern Uganda.
The disease is incurable at the moment and its cause is not known. Recently, some old people have also shown signs of the disease. The areas affected by the disease are mainly in the northern region of the country. The disease denies the children a chance to be productive as they cannot do anything for themselves, be it holding a knife to make a meal for the girls, and holding a hoe to plant a single seed for the boys.
An 18 year old man may look like a 3 year old boy and has to be carried around and held to get some heat in the body. The first symptoms of this disease is the continuous nodding of the head, failure to eat and drink. Later on the child becomes stunted physically and mentally.
A Ugandan journalist, Florence Naluyimba, has taken the first initiative to investigate and bring the issue to light. She says although the government is trying to provide medicine to help the victims in 3 health centers, they have to travel long distances on foot or on bicycles to reach the health centers. The sick ones cannot take themselves to the hospitals and have to be carried on the back or put on bicycles for over 30km.
The disease usually leads to seizures and at times this makes them fall into fire, sharp objects or in ponds/rivers, leading to death or severe injuries. Many children have lost body parts such as fingers in these accidents. It so happens that the victims can be too weak to even cry.
The Center for Disease Control plans to carry out aerial spraying targeting black flies, which are suspected to be the major cause of this illness. It is not clear whether this will help or not.
Ugandan villagers complain that samples were taken to USA since 2010, but they have never received any reliable information about the cure and cause since that time.
Below are some pictures and YouTube videos about the disease.
Nodding disease in its initial stages.
Photo courtesy of ugandaradionetwork.com
A child with injuries in the face after he fell on fire during seizures
Photo courtesy 256news.com

author: James Propa


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Yemen: Sanaa Explosion Kills 20  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

On Twitter, Yemeni netizen Ibrahim Mothana writes: “#BREAKING At least 20 killed in an explosion in police academy in Sanaa.”


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Africa: Social Media Skills for African Youth With Disabilities · Global Voices
Haute Haiku

Open Society Foundation and Disability Right Initiative have formed an organization to cater specifically to the disabled African youth – African Youth With Disability Network.
Through the network, African youths around the continent with disability received training on social media skills and how to work and portray themselves as journalists:
[…]for the promotion, adoption and ratification of the United Nations Convention on disabled people. The YI and DRI saw a dire need to set up a specifically African organization, which gave rise to the African Youth with Disabilities Network (AYWDN). This group was created as a way to bring together young Africans from across the continent with the aim of creating inclusive societies where people with disabilities can live better lives with dignity and contribute to and influence the internal political debates.
Workshop participants (left to right): Boaz, Gladys and Medi. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Wanjiku
Earlier this month, a workshop was held in Dakar, Senegal and several countries including Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Zambia, and Tunisia. Persons with disability are not just covered in positive light but no light at all. The workshop empowered persons with disability with techniques on how to handle and take over media especially the social media and included communication and writing techniques.
Rebecca, an active Kenyan blogger, discusses the workshop on her blog:
This week I had a fabulous week with a group of young people; training on media, whether new or old is never easy.  The media in every country is almost guilty of similar things; they don’t cover our issues, they entrench prejudice and stereotypes in most cases never have time to write and air positive stories.
The workshop educated and trained the disabled so that they can in turn educate the public using tools such as Twitter and Facebook.
Rebecca writes:
When you think new media training, you probably think I do all the sexy stuff like using infographics to make your website interactive or how to have a dancing or a fancy AVI on twitter. No, think basics on how to set up a Facebook page, why it is important, why you should be on twitter, looking for other people in your country on twitter and seeing why they have so many followers and why or what you should do to get followers.
[…]Think about growing up in rural Uganda, in a wheelchair, motivated by a mother who believes that you must get educated and achieve your potential no matter the circumstances, think about pushing a wheelchair through the muddy roads when it rains, but most of all, think about the village schoolmates in primary school who had to wake up two hours earlier so that they can help push you two miles to the primary school.
A comment from a workshop participant, “My ignorance made me think social media was tough.” Photo courtesy of Rebecca Wanjiku
Deputy Secretary General for Administration at Federation of Liberian Youth, Daintowon Pay-bayee ,says, “disability is not inability.” She then asks, “you have heard that before but what is your perception if you first meet a disabled person?” Ms Pay-bayee refuses to be judged because of what she is that's why she will keep working on her dream:
Disability is not inability. To fight discrimination and change public perceptions, we need to begin talking about youth with disabilities in our homes, our neighborhoods, and on the national and international stage.Donors, governments, and the media need to give this issue urgent attention. Perceptions of people with disabilities are degrading. We need to encourage the potential in all of our young people. I will keep working for my dream of living in an inclusive society where I am judged not by my physical limitations but by my potential and my character.
Daintowon Pay-bayee, an ardent campaigner of people living with disability in Liberia, remembers when she got disabled at the age of five.
There are photos, posts and tweets about the workshop on OSIWA Facebook page, OSIWA Twitter page and AYWDN Facebook page.
OSIWA Program Coordinator Kanja Sesay shared insights from the workshop on Twitter:
@MKSesay: “For the media, it is no longer politically correct to talk of blind people but of people living with a visual handicap” – Tidiane Kasse
@MKSesay: “Young people all over the world are doing great things”… Positive statement from disability rights activists meeting in Senegal.
@MKSesay: #African states are lagging behind in promoting disability rights, youth need to hold governments accountable.

author: Haute Haiku


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China: Shifang Government Goes From Angel to Satan in Crackdown? · Global Voices
Gloria Wong

The week-long not-in-my-backyard or NIMBY protests in Shifang [en, zh], a small city in southwestern China's Sichuan province were finally brought to an end by a brutal crackdown on July 2, 2012. Outraged by the vicious repression, a number of famous Chinese bloggers try to explain why the Shifang government behaved so irrationally in handling a protest that started peacefully.
Confrontation between police and Shifang citizens. Public domain photos via Offbeat China
Shifang government blames outside instigators
Offbeat China explains the Shifang protest in this detailed account [en, zh]. Soon after the crackdown, the Shifang government issued an open letter [zh]. Below is part of an excerpt translated by Ministry of Tofu:
July 1 is the birthday of the Party. Some people with ulterior motives sinisterly and groundlessly publicized this project and instigated unwitting students to rally around the Shifang Municipal Party Committee, which drew large crowds…
Poverty gives rise to the desire for change. Lagging behind makes one vulnerable to attacks. Don’t have blind faith in the paper tiger. They are extremely cruel and merciless and will only deliver unrest, by introducing the anti-humanity Falun Gong (a spiritual movement labeled a cult and banned in China) to a third country and funding Dalai Lama’s splittism clique…
What the Chinese Communist Party aims for is an era of prosperity and jubilation that will be celebrated by the entire nation and benefit the entire humanity. The center of the world will slowly gravitate towards China. Shifang is a small city where people live in peace and happiness, where people have ample food and clothing and expect to prolong their life span. But its people cannot be taken advantage of by others to do things that will damage the basis of our happiness and our image.
Such conspiracy theories are not uncommon in China's politics, yet famous online critic @五岳散人 [zh] tries to read between the lines of the open letter:
@五岳散人: 四川什枋因为钼铜项目引发的大规模群体事件具有极度鲜明的特点，一边是动用军警暴力镇压，一边是承诺顺应民意停止建设，然后再次把事件定性为一小撮、境外势力等。如果您看不明白，我给您两个关键词：色厉内荏、心虚。掌控着暴力的人，对暴力本身已经没有把握了。
Shifang was a hard-hit area during the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and was listed as a top priority for reconstruction. Upon reading the open letter, popular Chengdu blogger Li Chengpeng, who volunteered in the relief work during the Wenchuan Earthquake, accounted for the government's attitude with his blog post,  Weird Mission-A Letter to the Officials in Shifang Government [zh]:
整个灾区的官员们莫名其妙拥有一种奇怪的使命，买豪车是为了重建，挪用赈灾款是为了重建，重度污染也是为了重建，贪污也是为了重建……因为一场灾难，你们获得太多的犯罪豁免权和不被批评权，更重要的是——你们被惯坏了，自我英雄催眠，强烈的悲剧崇高感，有时候连你们自己都产生幻觉，搞不清此时是在贪污还是在重建
A protester injured during the police crackdown in Shifang. Public domain photo via SF Choi in Facebook
Shifang netizen liuanbo88's comment [zh] echoes Li's observation:
他们杀过一次人了。他们杀人用的不是刀，而是摒弃的身为父母官的责任感，是512地震时黄金抢救时间的不作为。他们还想杀一次人，这次用的是他们对金钱的贪婪，用的是想提升GDP和政绩的欲望。
The Lucifer effect
After the brutal crackdown, Li rushed to Shifang and tried to find the truth. Later, he wrote a reflective piece about the Lucifer Effect experiment in Shifang [zh] (the original post was deleted and the link is a backup copy by China Digital Times). Li tries to answer a question in his post: why the angel has turned into Satan?:
什邡政府太强大了，很多人知道钼铜项目先后被新疆、云南、西藏拒绝，就连很多什邡当地官员也反对这个项目。可为了实现任期内最大一个政绩，书记强行上马。…为了普及这种正确性，什邡进入了一种近乎搞笑的癫狂状态。按照指令，什邡电视台为此专门制作了一个专题，什邡政府各部门负责人甚至妇联主任必须依次在节目里向市民宣讲钼铀项目的优越性，手机平台向所有市民发送动员短信，公务员们（虽然他们很多并不同意钼铜）也被要求走上街头宣传它的重要性、合理性。…经验告诉我们，这里最大的恐怖不是官员错了，这里最大的恐怖是官员正确，他们带着正确甚至崇高的想法，就可以跨越一切的顾忌和法律…他们先行把自己定位为好人，那些反对自己的当然就是别有用心，就该受到惩戒。这就是路西法效应…
A girl from Shifang kneeling in front of the police to seek compassion from authorities. Public domain photo via Offbeat China.
Prominent blogger Han Han's explanation of the Shifang government's insane reaction has shared similar insight with Li's Lucifer theory. Han Han's original post has been deleted, below is a quote from China Digital Times’ translation:
I also want to tell the Shifang government that your decision to disperse the crowd was too sudden and excessive. I can understand that as a local government, you have no experience dealing with this kind of mass incident. Once you see the government offices surrounded by people, and the sign that was over the door broken on the ground, of course you feel annoyed. You look down at the people and then up at the calendar, [and think] oh gosh, it’s the Organization’s birthday. The whole situation feels bad, and it’s happening on the wrong day, and something terrible will happen, and you might lose your position, and so you conclude that you must disperse the crowd before anything else. These people are not even celebrating the Birthday, so fine, you bust it up, they’re not giving you any face. I can imagine the order from the policy-makers: “Settle this as soon as possible.” Then the ones carrying out orders think, “As soon as possible… disperse… got it… dial 0101…” And so there’s no room left for the most basic exchange of words. Could it be that you’re treating the people’s anger at environmental destruction like an epidemic, to be stamped out in one day? No need for talk, just throw the tear gas? Having gone through Wenchuan, don’t you know that the more emotions build up, the bigger the explosion? When people release their anger, even if it’s over the top or started by someone from the outside, can’t you take it on good faith? You’d rather pepper spray them? So this is how the police connect with the people, by crying pepper spray tears with them?

author: Gloria Wong


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Colombia: Film on the Afro-Colombian People in Theaters in August · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The Colombian movie Chocó, on the life of an Afro-Colombian family in the coastal region of Chocó, which opened the Cartagena International Film Festival and was presented in the Berlinale earlier this year will finally reach theaters in Colombia this following August 3rd.  Watch the trailer here.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Ecuador: Juggling Work and Motherhood · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In her blog Lunas Azules (“Blue Moons”), Silvana Tapia writes [es] about juggling work and motherhood. You can find more posts about parenting under a tag [es] in her blog dedicated to the subject.


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Egypt: Remembering the Abbasiya Events · Global Voices
Rayna St.

Egyptian blogger Wael Eskandar publishes an extensively documented report on “the most brutal military crackdown” for the last months. Preceeding the presidential elections in Egypt, the Abbasiya events were quickly forgotten by most of the media. Recalling them is important: “those arrested in the Abbasiya events are still in prison facing military trials, their stories locked up with them. This is an attempt to tell their story. The injustices they continue to face is reason enough to keep telling it.”


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Haiti: The New York Times reviews Haitian Television · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

What do people watch on TV around the world? Alessandra Stanley, the chief television critic of The New York Times is traveling to many different countries and through videos, she is letting us know what people make and watch on TV. So far, she has covered Haiti and Russia.


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Iran: 13- year- old girl banned from travel abroad · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several bloggers and a leading human rights site reported[fa] Mehraveh a political prisoner's daughter banned from travel abroad. Mehraveh is 13 years old and her mother, Nasrin Stoudeh, is a jailed lawyer in Iran. A blogger has published her photo.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Mozambique: Has Social Media Killed Blogging? · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

On a short series of posts, professor Carlos Serra writes about some of the reasons why Mozambique's blogsphere is fading away. One reader comments that blogging requires a load of work in order to ensure updates and quality. Whereas Serra says that social media may need to be blamed, despite the pros of its usage.

author: Sara Moreira


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Russia: Caught Stealing Supplies from Flood Victims · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

The social documentary film makers behind “Srok” [ru] (“The Term”) have published footage [ru] on YouTube of two men who apparently tried to steal supplies from a collection point in Moscow at Vorob'evy Gory, where citizen volunteers were gathering humanitarian aid to send to the flood victims in Krymsk. The video has had over 10,000 views in just 24 hours.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Russia: Sveta from Ivanovo to NTV · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

NTV has announced [ru] that RuNet sensation and Nashi member Svetlana Kuritsyna will host a weekly TV show where she interviews Russia's “greatest newsmakers.” Kuritsyna is known online as “Sveta from Ivanovo” and is infamous for her incoherent and widely mocked pro-Kremlin comments from a December 2011 YouTube video [ru] (now with nearly 2 million views). Bloggers have responded to Kuritsyna's appointment with a mix of disbelief [ru] and irony [ru].


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Syria: Bloggers and Activists Rally to #FreeHussein · Global Voices
Yazan Badran

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.
Syria's bloggers rallied again to campaign for yet another of their own in Syria's detention centers. After the #FreeBassel campaign about blogger and open source developer Bassel Safadi, bloggers and activists launched the #FreeHussein campaign to highlight the plight of blogger Hussein Ghrer [AR].
Ghrer, one of Syria's most prominent bloggers, has been incarcerated since February 16, 2012, when he was arrested along with other bloggers and colleagues in a raid on the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM). This is Hussein's second arrest in the past year. After four months in detention without being referred to court (far more than the legal limit of 60 days according to applicable Syrian laws), the campaign comes to draw attention to his announcement of an indefinite hunger strike and to demand his unconditional release.
A banner for the #FreeHussein campaign
Bloggers launched the campaign late last night by releasing a statement in Arabic, English, French and Spanish. It says:
We, Syrian bloggers, demand the immediate and unconditional release of our colleague in detention, blogger and friend Hussein Ghrer especially since more than four months had passed without pressing charges against. His four-month long detention far exceeds the maximum legal limits for incarceration without court referral which is set to 60-days according to Syrian law.
The statement also makes note of Ghrer‘s serious heart condition:
To our great concern, Ghrer suffers from hypertensive vascular disease and mitral valve prolapse. We fear a deterioration in his health condition in Syrian detention cells, known for their poor environmental, psychological and physical conditions. The detention centers’ environment and their lack of the necessary medical equipment may pose a direct threat to his life.
Since then, Syrian and international Twitter users have been busy spreading the campaign and tweeting about Hussein. Syrian blogger Yassin Swehat tweets [ar]:
@syriangavroche: الحرية لصديقي حسين غرير.. الحرية ل #سوريا التي أريد! #Syria #FreeHussein
Hussein Ghrer during a conference in Cairo in 2011. (Photo: Amira Al Hussaini)
Syrian blogger Dania tweets:
@Dania_rif: يالله حسين عم نستناك، بكفي عتم #FreeHussein
And DamascusTribune says:
@DamascusTribune: hands of Hussein Greer were not stained with blood. they were rather stained with ink. his weapon was his pen. we need him free #Freehussein
Arab bloggers and tweeps also shared their concern for Hussein:
@jamalghosn: #freehussein because he is one of the few who gave honest answers on syria free of bias,hate,vendetta,prejudice and will continue to do so
@Budour48: كتب حسين في مدوّنته تضامنا مع الشعب اللبناني إبّان حرب تمّوز ومع الشعب الفلسطيني خلال مجزرة غزّة. الآن هو بحاجة لتضامننا. #FreeHussein
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.

author: Yazan Badran


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Togo: Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo Resigns Ahead of the Elections · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The Republic of Togo blog reports [fr] that Prime Minister Gilbert Houngbo resigned on July 11 to officially allow all political parties to be represented in the new government ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Trinidad & Tobago: Blogosphere Responds to Turtle Crushing Incident · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The news of leatherback turtle hatchlings being crushed by bulldozers on a beach in Trinidad this past weekend has garnered international media attention as well as concern in the blogosphere.  The incident happened when the Ministry of Works was attempting to re-route the Grande Riviere river in order to address the issue of beach erosion in the area, which is one of the preferred nesting sites for the endangered leatherback turtle.  Turtle hatching season generally runs from March to December, with May and June being the months of highest concentration.
Some reports suggested that as many as 20,000 eggs and hatchlings were killed.  A statement from the country's Environmental Management Authority, however, estimated the losses to be closer to “a few hundred”.  The EMA has maintained that it has tried to be responsive to environmental concerns in its efforts to halt the beach erosion.  This perceived downplaying of the destruction by the relevant state bodies has irritated both mainstream media and bloggers alike.  An editorial two days ago in a leading local newspaper plainly stated that:
The Environmental Management Authority's attempt to spin the destruction of turtle eggs and hatchlings does not reflect positively on the Authority's commitment to conservation.
Newly appointed Environment Minister Ganga Singh…insisted that ‘the impact has not been as severe as has been claimed and circumstances were created where the authorities were made to appear to have been negligent.’ Yet he also admitted that ‘things were not done in the best way’, which at the very least means that some level of incompetence led to this decimation of an endangered species. And this, really, is the crux of the matter.
Netizens, meanwhile, turned to Twitter (under the hashtags #turtles #trinidad) and Facebook to voice their dismay – about the death of the turtles and about the failure of state agencies to take adequate responsibility.
@ClippertonTweet thought that the whole situation could have been avoided with proper planning:
Was it possible to plan it better? YES! http://gu.com/p/38qkk/tw  via @guardian #Trinidad #turtles #conservation #environment
Others, like @KasindraMaharaj, were concerned about the negative publicity for the country and its eco-tourism sector, in light of the Minister of Tourism's statement that this type of “disaster” should never be repeated:
@globeandmail: Not the kind of International Branding we want for #Trinidad. Carried also by BBC & more. @cnewslive @CNC3Television #Turtles
Papa Bois Conservation, an environmental non-governmental organisation with a public Facebook page, was very vocal about the blunder.  Addressing the position of the EMA on the matter, the group commented:
The crucial questions aren't being addressed: The problem was ongoing from December. The Drainage Division of the Ministry of Works was notified about the erosion 6 weeks ago- why was no action was taken. Residents say they made reports months before- why no action was taken. Why was there no qualified supervision of the earthworks at what is one of the world's most environmentally sensitive beaches? Was there any study done to investigate the least destructive way of dealing with the issue? What is being done to ensure this won't happen again? How many more eggs could have been saved if the response had been prompt, planned and executed according to best practices? Come on, we want real answers, and real solutions.
In her outrage over the debacle, political blogger The Eternal Pantomime posted a link to a previous post she had written about the present government's “Seven Pillars of Development”.  The blogger also seemed mistrustful of the Environmental Management Authority:
The EMA believes that this emergency action will have some positive impact on the overall population of Leatherback turtles nesting in Grande Riviere. At the beginning of June I visited Grande Riviere and noticed the erosion taking place on the beach. Coastal erosion is nothing new in the area. In previous years under past regimes repair work, such as was undertaken over the weekend, has been done, but not during the hatching and nesting phases of the leatherback turtle season. It’s no news that this current government has no environmental policy.
Mt Plaisir Estate in Grande Riviere is a conservation site. To do any sort of work there would require a particular process, the least of which would be a Certificate of Environmental Clearance and of course requisite personnel would have to be onsite. The EMA, the body that should be protecting the environment is…playing the numbers game and obscuring the real issue.
But The Caribbean Institute of Sustainability, a non-profit “Think and Do Tank” devoted to the preservation of the people and environment of the Caribbean region, which focuses on applied solutions which yield environmental, economic and social benefits, yesterday posted a statement on its Facebook page, which took a measured approach to the incident and made the point that both traditional and social media's coverage of the situation was not always factual:
Over the last forty eight hours there has been global attention paid to the events on Grand Riviere Beach in northeast Trinidad, regarding endangered Leatherback turtles, and the efforts by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to deal with serious erosion at the site which is threatening nesting sites and properties along the beachfront. Unfortunately, much of what has been written and spread around the world is simply not factual. Sensationalism and untruths will not help to preserve these animals.
Several months ago, the Grand Riviere River, which flows into the sea at the beach, changed its course during a high flow event following heavy rainfall. The river's mouth moved over 100 meters west of its typical location. This change meant that the river ran parallel to the seafront in this area, eroding the area in front of hotels, guest houses, residences and other structures. This left a narrow strip of beach, approximately 30 meters wide, between the river and the waves. Leatherback turtles laid thousands of eggs in this strip over the last few months. Unfortunately, with water now on both sides of the area, the majority of the nests became inundated, waterlogged, preventing the eggs from maturing. Thousands of hatchlings never made it.
It also noted that Steven Greenleaf, President of the NGO and “an experienced ecologist and natural resource conservation professional” visited the site and “spoke to villagers…members of the Grand Riviere Nature Tour Guide Association, who are the people actually there on the ground with the turtles…biologists, conservationists, fishermen, and government officials”:
Among those he spoke to there was complete consensus that the project to redirect the river was necessary and in fact will probably save tens of thousands of hatchlings during this nesting season alone, while also protecting properties which depend on, and are part of the ecotourism industry in this village.  Certainly some viable hatchlings were killed. The best estimates given by turtle conservationists who were actually there was between 100 and 200 viable hatchlings were killed, not the ‘Thousands,’ which were reported. Certainly the whole event could have and should have been handled better, particularly from a communications and outreach perspective. The excavation works should ideally have been done earlier in the year but coordination between different government agencies to get the equipment to the site took time, an example of where inter-agency coordination needs to be improved.
The statement also offered valuable new information:
Another river enters the sea at Grand Riviere beach and it has changed its course in a similar fashion. However, this smaller stream with its new course, is threatening an area with much higher numbers of nests and viable hatchlings than the Grand Riviere river was impacting. The conservationists and residents present pleaded with the government officials not to remove the excavation equipment without addressing this second stream as well, a fact that we hope all will remember if in the next few days, another sensationalised and irresponsible story hits the wires about another, ‘Turtle Slaughter.’
Leatherback turtles…are endangered. They are a treasure which we all have a responsibility to honor and protect. The fact that this story has received such a passionate response from around the world is good news for the turtles. However…reckless sensationalism…does not help these animals, and it does a great disservice to the dedicated people who have worked for years to protect them…
While there is the need for real improvement in the management of the environment in Trinidad and Tobago, the way this story has reached around the world, in the form that it did, has done a disservice to the nation of Trinidad and Tobago.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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#TwitterEnCatalà Provokes Tweets of Joy and Hate · Global Voices
Violeta Camarasa

Note: #TwitterEnCatalà is the Catalan-language hashtag for #TwitterInCatalan.
On July 6, 2012, thousands of Catalan-speaking netizens celebrated the fact that Twitter finally speaks their language. The hashtag #twitterencatalà quickly became a trending topic in Spain, and Data'n'Press launched twitterencatala.org to monitor the number of users who switch their accounts into Catalan. Within the first 24 hours, more than 10,000 did so.
Many Twitter users have rejoiced in the website's newest language edition, but many others have expressed their anger at the announcement, tweeting derogatory remarks about the Catalan language and people.
On the positive side, many directly thanked Albert Cuesta, who organized the public petition for a Catalan Twitter, as well as all those who signed it:
Promotional image for #twitterencatala. Source: www.rogercasero.cat
@csolaniubo: Avui és el dia que hem de felicitar l’ @albertcuesta per ser tant tossut i fer que entre tots hàgim aconseguit el #twitterencatala Gràcies!
@jordiipa: El meu #FF és per als 7.383 signants de la petició i els 5.000 voluntaris que han traduït #twitterencatala < i el meu x @albertcuesta grcs!
There were also abundant tweets that celebrated the launch of Catalan Twitter as a victory for Catalan identity in the context of Catalonia's current sociopolitical situation:
@sonrisadecolor: M'encanta tenir el #Twitter de l'ordinador en #català. Només una mica més i ja tindrem la #IndepedènciaperCatalunya! #twitterencatala
@quimtorra: Això del #twitterencatala és com ens passarà l'endemà de la independència: semblarà mentida que no hagués estat sempre així.
That being said, Catalan Twitter's launch also provoked a storm of angry, in some cases racist tweets towards the Catalan language and people, and conversely, some vitriolic, as well as sarcastic, responses:
@xaviconde: Los que están detrás de #twitterencatala quieren partir España. Además de ducharse poco, claro.
@juanjo_R_G: #twitterencatala Eso, eso, y yo quiero la versión en panocho, bable, andaluz y latín antiguo.
@somosloslocos: Ahora Twitter parecerá un huerto, todos hablando como si tuvieran un nabo en la boca. #twitterencatala
@mapumo21: La ràbia dels espanyols és directament proporcional a les meues ganes de parlar, escriure i pensar en català! #twitterencatala #adeuespanya
@el_bocazas: Que los catalanes tengan #twitterencatala m parece tan reprobable como que los rusos tengan #twitterenruso o los franceses #twitterenfrancés
@Maltlatadol: tt #twitterencatala y la peña rajando. Jajajajaja maldita envidia. A min só me molesta que non hai #twitterengalego
The website Apuntem.cat, dedicated to denouncing anti-Catalan racism on the Internet, collected some of the most violent tweets (note: in Spanish, “catalufo” is used as a slur for Catalans):
Anti-Catalan tweets with the hashtag #twitterencatalà, curated by apuntem.cat
@AdrianVic04: Catalans, I wish you the worst illness and suffering, and that death follows you through life, you are the fucking shit of SPAIN.
@manuelrodrigue1: come on, man now that want to put #twitterencatalà, when will these piece-of-shit separatist catalufos quit? they're just disgusting
@Ander89zgz: These catalufos disgust me. Can't we just exterminate them all?
Violently anti-Catalan tweets have worried Catalan netizens for a long time. European MP Ramon Tremosa has brought these concerns before the European Commission, arguing that these kind of statements shouldn't be protected as free speech because they “carry the seed of hate” [cat].
Catalan Twitter was launched less than a week after the Centre d'Estudis d'Opinió's latest public opinion poll [cat], which highlighted that over 51% of the Catalan electorate would vote in favor of independence if a referendum were held tomorrow.

author: Violeta Camarasa


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Uganda: Remembering the 2010 Bomb Blasts · Global Voices
James Propa

It's exactly two years since over 80 people died in bomb blasts at Kyaddondo Rugby Club and Ethiopian Village bar, Uganda. All these people had gone to watch the World Cup final taking place in South Africa. Being that it was the first time Africa was hosting this tournament, people were waiting eagerly for the final match which was between the Netherlands and Spain.
It was approaching 12am when the bombs took off, leaving over 70 people dead on the spot and others injured.
The Memorial stone at Kyaddondo Rugby Club
Mainstream media houses have paid tribute and respect to Ugandans who lost their souls in the senseless attacks. Other Ugandans all over the world have posted messages on Facebook and also on Twitter using the hashtag #WeRememberJuly11:
@beewol broke it all on twitter by saying:
@beewol: WeRememberJuly11 WeRememberJuly11 WeRememberJuly11 WeRememberJuly11 WeRememberJuly11 WeRememberJuly11 WeRememberJuly11
He added:
@beewol: R.I.P Sports Lovers who perished this day 2 years ago #WeRememberJuly11
@pkahill remembered his friend:
@pkahill: #WeRememberJuly11 he had no battery so waiting for his friends at shop rite he left one friend in and the bomb went off 1/2
He added:
@pkahill: #werememberjuly11 we pray for the souls of lost ones, for comfort to their loved ones&hope with time the wounds of loss will be healed 1/5


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Video: Worldwide One-Minute Environmental Film Contest Accepting Submissions · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The 3rd Edition of the Tve Biomovies 1 minute environmental film competition has begun. Anyone above the age of 9 with a camera and an idea for a 1 minute video on environmental topics can participate to win a $300 award to produce their video and then compete to win a grand prize of $1500 and participation in the UN COP 18 Conference in November.
Still from one of the 2011 Biomovies winners, Drops of Hope
To participate, choose one of the 5 categories related to environmental awareness such as  oceans, recycling, women and climate change, fresh water, and sustainable living. Using their form, send in your pitch for what you'd like your 1 minute video to be before September 5, 2012. A jury will select 10 proposals (two from each category) who will then be able to receive funds to make their one minute film.  Those 10 films will compete for the grand prize, and the one with more views for each category will win. Full information on how to participate can be found on the tve biomovies 2012 guidelines, pitches can be made in Arabic, English, German, Russian or Spanish.
Last year's winners came from many different places around the globe, all promoting care of our environment and resources in less than one minute. Following are three of the winning films.
Drops of Hope from Italy and Tunisia:
Recharge from India:
The Unsettled Pygmies from Uganda:


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Yemen: Another Suicide Blast Rocks Sanaa · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

As police cadets were leaving the Police Academy in Sanaa yesterday, July 11, 2012, for their holiday, a suicide bomber detonated himself at the southern gate killing nine and injuring 15 as reported by the Ministry of Interior.
The suicide bomber lost an arm and a leg and was alive when found at the scene. He was later reported dead in the hospital.
The site of the suicide bomb attack in Sana'a via @yitersinan
Since former president Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down, suicide attacks have been a recurring phenomena in Sanaa and Aden. The last attack in Sanaa happened on May 22, a day before the anniversary of Yemen's unification, killing nearly 100 soldiers.
Reuters had reported that 22 people were killed and claimed that Al Qaeda was responsible for the attack.
Iona Craig, a foreign journalist in Yemen, tweeted the following:
@ionacraig: Police academy students say six dead in suicide bomb attack. They claim bomber still alive after losing arm and injuries to side. #yemen
@ionacraig: Journalists straddling pool of blood whilst interviewing police officers outside academy. Don't call us vultures for nothing. #yemen
This video posted by Yemenivolume shows scenes at the gate of the police academy in the aftermath of the attack (Warning: Graphic content):
An extremely graphic video was posted by ahrartagheer1 showing the suicide bomber alive with parts of his limbs lost while he was moving and talking.
Many netizens were dismayed by this attack and some were skeptical regarding who was really behind it, not believing it was the usual suspect, Al Qaeda. YemenToday, a pro-Saleh television channel owned by his son Ahmed, was the first channel to reach the scene.
Yemenupdates tweeted a cartoon by Rashad el Samei in which the television crew are illustrated. The reporter speaking to “someone important” says: “Yes we are at the scene of the explosion but the suicide bomber hasn't arrived yet.” The cameraman replies: “Tell him we will go get some Qat and return.”
@yemen_updates:
Cartoon by Rashad Al-Samie depicting a TV crew – close to a top military officer- as the suicide incident is staged. https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?pid= …
Ibrahim Saleh wondered [ar]:
Ibrahim Mothana sarcastically tweeted:
@imothanYemen: Only in Yemen! Media reports that the suicide bomber managed to kill 9 people in the attack but stayed alive! Scientific explanation?!
YemenPeaceProject tweeted:
@YemenPeaceNews: Nothing on AAS FB page about today's bombing. Actually, nothing new on their page for a few weeks. #Yemen
Others believed the attack to be by al Qaeda:
Gregory Johnsen tweeted:
@gregorydjohnsen:Today's bombing may be an indication of the direction AQAP is going in #Yemen after losing territory in Abyan and Shabwa.
Atiaf Alwazir tweeted:
@WomanfromYemen: to those who claimed that #Yemeni military had everlasting victory last month over #AQAP in the #South, think again.
She added:
@WomanfromYemen: according to “taiz city”, family of suicide bomber suspect denied he was the one responsible for attack but was caught in attack #Yemen
Farea Almuslimi tweeted:
@almuslimi: Now, everyone will drawn in “details” abt the bombing and forget the big questions; as always; poor #Yemen.!
Many questions are on the minds of Yemenis, if the suicide attacks were by Al Qaeda, why haven't they targeted the counter-terrorism special units or the republican guards or even the central security forces and whether they are that strong and unbeatable? If the Saleh's were the masterminds behind these attacks, then when, how and if they will be stopped?
What is the reconciliation government doing to stop these terror attacks besides condolences, condemnations and orders for investigations? But the most concerning question is how many more lives will Yemen lose and how much pain it will have to endure until stability and safety is established? If ever?

author: Noon Arabia


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Afghanistan: American-Handpicked President a “Terrible Idea” · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

In a recent op-ed piece in the Washington Post, American scholar Michael O’Hanlon (who also advises the CIA) argued that the US should pick the next president of Afghanistan. Ahmad Shuja, an Afghan blogger and political commentator based in US, calls this proposal “a terrible, terrible idea” and a “dangerous option that displays a naive understanding of Afghan politics”. Shuja also recommends a list of alternative options that the US should pursue “instead of installing another dictator-president” in Afghanistan.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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DR of Congo: Controversial Sentence for Thomas Lubanga · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

[All links send to French articles unless stated otherwise]
On July 10, the Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC), convicted the Congolese Thomas Lubanga Dyilo to a total sentence of 14 years in prison.
He was found guilty of war crimes for having conscripted and enrolled children under 15 years old and made them participate actively in hostilities from September 1, 2002 to August 13, 2003 in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is the first sentence promulgated by ICC since its creation on July 1, 2002.
A “Statement of the Prosecution Office regarding the sentence pronounced against Lubanga” reported that:
The Prosecution had requested a longer sentence in line with the gravity of the crimes and the aggravating circumstances. The Prosecution is now studying the Judgment in detail and will consider whether or not to appeal. The Prosecution is also expecting to hear the judges’ decision on reparations in order to ensure the victims of Lubanga’s crimes see the full scale of justice.
Screenshot of Thomas Lubanga in a documentary on FirstRaceTV
In a post published on Congo opportunities, Eljiv K Ndamuso recalls that:
The former head of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UCP) was found guilty on 14 March 2012 of war crimes and mass murder of hundreds of civilians on ethnic grounds in Ituri, eastern DRC. A sentence of 30 years was required against the accused on 13 June, by former Attorney general Luis Moreno. Following the defence appeal, mitigating circumstances have been granted to the former rebel leader for his constant cooperation throughout the procedure. Thus, the penalty is reduced to 14 years of imprisonment.
Since the defendant had been surrendered to the ICC in 2006, Wairangala Wakabi, Ugandan journalist, reports on his website regarding Lubanga's trial:
While establishing the sentence, the Court has decided to deduct all the time already spent in prison. Mr.Lubanga has been held in detention unit of ICC in Schevenigen since March 2006.
Therefore, T. Lubanga should only be held in prison for 8 years, although he is suspected of having committed crimes of exceptional gravity. There have been many negative reactions online.
Within the college of judges who issued the sentence, unanimity has not been reached. The site aeta-network.org of the NGO “Action for transparent and peaceful elections in Congo” reveals that:
Ms. Judge Odio Benito has composed an individual opinion, dissenting in a particular issue. She disassociates herself from the decision of the other two judges to the extent that she believes they have not accounted for the harm caused to victims and their families, especially ravages caused by the severe punishments and sexual violence endured by the victims of these crimes.
Internet users have shown their anger on plenty of websites. Below there is a sample. On the website of Radio France International, one of the most followed radio stations in the South Saharan region, an anonymous reader wrote:
he should have received 50 years, I am truly sorry
Another reader expressed his disillusionment:
I am very disappointed with the ICC. Justice in Congo is preferable than the ICC. Lubanga should have received a life sentence. Unfortunately the ICC saved his life.
There were additional outraged reactions on the website of  the TV channel France24. Thus, Roger Nzita wrote:
We the Congolese people see with suspicion the condemnation of Mr Thomas Lubanga, who scattered grief in the east of our country, but we regret that the real organisers of crimes committed are not worried…
In an article which undertakes a retrospective on the events that M. Lubanga coordinated, the site congolol.net, gives in depth information about the role of his movement in the tragic events that have devastated the DRC.
August 1998, less than two years after the fall of Mobutu, another war breaks out in DR Congo. It is opposing power given to Kabila the father, supported by Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia; in favour of several rebel groups backed by Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. In this entanglement, Thomas Lubunga reinforced by Rwanda and Uganda, finds himself at the head of an armed group, the Union of Congolese Patriots (UCP).
The international NGO Human Rights Watch reports after a field investigation several cases of human massacres along ethnic lines:
The general context of war in Congo and the wide availability of political and military support from exterior actors, especially Uganda and Rwanda, have fuelled the growth of armed political groups in Ituri based on ethnic differences. Foremost among these groups was the UCP, lead by Hema, the National Front for Integration (NFI) controlled by Lendu, the Party for Unity and Safeguarding of the Integrity of Congo (PUSIC) dominated by Hema South and the Armed Forces of the Congolese People (FAPC) with mixed leadership.
These different groups have carried out massacres, rapes and burned villages. HRW reports on facts which the NGO has heard in vivid detail:
Following the attack against Mongbwalu, UPC attacked a number of nearby villages including: Kilo, Kobu, Lipri, Bambu and Mbijo. The forces of UCP overtook Kilo on 6 December 2002 and few days later the command of UCP ordered the deliberate killing of dozens of civilians. The UCP fighters detained men, women and children, who are believed to be have been hanged, and forced them to dig their own graves ahead of killing them.
With so much evidence collected from credible sources, we can better understand the reactions of indignation. Marie- France Cros in a public post on lavoixdukasai.blogs.lalibre.be, expresses the views of many observers:
It should have been a great day: that of the first judgement of the first permanent International Criminal Court (ICC). Instead it is a day of disappointment because the Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga is sentenced to 14 years in prison for war crimes in a conflict that claimed over 60,000 lives.
Meanwhile, after a failed attempt by  the government to integrate elements of the rebellion, particularly those of General Bosco Ntanganda and his troops ( ally of Thomas Lubanga), the rebels have resumed fighting in the north-east of Democratic Republic of Congo.

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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Ethiopia: Where is Meles Zenawi? · Global Voices
Endalkachew Chala

Rumors about the health of Ethiopia’s Prime Minster Meles Zenawi have dominated the Ethiopian social media sphere for weeks raising questions about the future of Ethiopia without him.
Zenawi has not been seen around since G20 meeting which was hosted in Mexico in June. He has not even attended the 21st Ordinary Session of the African Union which is being hosted in Addis Ababa until 16 July 2012.
Netizens have been sharing their thoughts regarding his health and disappearance on Twitter and Facebook. Social media users have been wondering why the story about his health and whereabouts is overlooked by the mainstream media.
Janice Winter tweeted:
@janice_winter: Are foreign correspondents in Addis Ababa awake? Where is English news of Zenawi's ailing health & disappearance from planned public events?
Meles Zenawi at the World Economic Forum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, May 2010. Photo courtesy of World Economic Forum (CC BY-SA 2.0)
On his Facebook page Desta Wegegnaw asked [amh]a similar question:
ኧረ ወሬው ከምን እንደ ደረሰ ንገሩን? ዶይቸ ቬሌም ቪኦኤም ምነው ፈሩሳ የጠቅላያችንን የጤና ጉዳይ መንገር? ማን ይሙት አሁንም አልሰማንም ሊሉ ነው? ድንቄም::
Abiye Teklemariam in his extended note on his Facebook page reflected:
Facebook is awash with rumors of Meles Zenawi's impending demise. Most of the variables on the ground in Ethiopia indicate that the regime is what political scientists call “Triple Threat”. Its features include a very strong military that is often used as a last resort adjudicator of political contentions, a strong leader with military background, and a party with an ideological facade that keeps its moderate cohesiveness. Triple threats resemble personalist dictatorship in that they wouldn't allow the rise of individuals with power bases to contest the supremacy of the dictator's rule.
But while it is very unlikely for classical personalist dictatorships to survive the demise of the dictator, triple threats have a remarkable ability to remain resilient even after the death of the strong leader because of the structure and power of their armies. In Ethiopia, the army is organized in a manner that makes collective action for opponents of the regime within it very difficult but mobilization of resources and man power by regime supporters easier. I think if Meles dies, we will see a quick move by regime supporters within the army to quash lone wolf rebellions inside the army and spontaneous mass uprisings outside. Were there organized opposition forces with the ability to exert coercive power in Ethiopia, the army would face serious challenges and might make concessions. Without such alternative centers of power, I expect a relatively quick consolidation of power and a return to a more repressive rule. This is a long-winded way of saying that people with democratic aspirations for Ethiopia shouldn't get all too excited about Meles Zenawi's death before we did our homework.
Daniel Berhane receive a dismissive remark from a government official when he tried to probe about Meles Zenawi’s health:
I did my best to probe about Meles Zenawi health and the answer I got could be summed up in this dismissive remark from one official:
“what is the matter with these [media?] guys…can't you live without rumors….can't the man get rest? he is just exhausted……we aren't gonna say anything b/c it not necessary. You will see him in a few days anyways…..”
Zelalem Kibret has collected Twitter reactions on Storify titled “Meles, Where are You?”

author: Endalkachew Chala


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France : World Forum for Democracy Will Take Place in Strasbourg  in October 2012 · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

The World Forum for Democracy is organized by the Coucil of Europe in Strasbourg from October 5th to  11th, 2012. The blog Démocratie réelle à Nîmes maintenant [fr] republishes the post of blog d'a. spohr [fr]on Mediapart news website, detailing this large-scale project, entitled “Democracy: between old models and new realities. Bridging the gap”. One question remains: Will the Indignants be disturbing the event, following the call #OCCUPYfakeDEMOCRACY, relayed by D-MaxSamson [fr]?

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Greece: Online Petition Against the Privatization of Greek Water · Global Voices
Alexia Kalaitzi

An online petition [el], entitled “Save Greek water from privatization” has begun after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ announcement calling for an aggressive programme of privatisation, including water. Main arguments of the petition is that countries in which  privatization has been applied has caused an extreme rise of prices and in some cases put public health at risk. The issue has provoked various reactions from netizens in Facebook and Twitter.

author: Alexia Kalaitzi


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Hong Kong: Foreign Domestic Workers Protest Mandatory Live-in Policy · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A number of migrants rights organization protested outside the Hong Kong immigration office on July 11, 2012 against the mandatory live-in policy which puts foreign maids in a vulnerable condition and deprives them of minimum wage protection and rights of abode in Hong Kong.
The protest is in reaction to a scandal exposed by local media regarding Purple Lee, a singer dubbed the “diva of Cantonese songs for Children,” and her outrageous treatment of  her maid, who is made to sleep in a customized bed on top of a toilet bowl, in a bathroom. While a reporter visited her home for an interview, she proudly introduced her ingenious design.
Purple Lee's customized bed in bathroom. Photo from Facebook Campaign Page.
The incident has generated a lot of concern about the living condition of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Hong Kong. A campaign page, “Toilet is not a place to sleep“, was quickly set up on Facebook, exposing similar cases.
The Asian Migrants Coordination Body, a regional Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)  on migrants’ rights based in Hong Kong, pointed out during the protest that Purple Lee's case only reflects the tip of iceberg. Its  statement explains FDWs’ vulnerable condition in Hong Kong:
Because of the mandatory live-in employment arrangement, FDWs are forced to accept whatever the employer provides them, could it be on the toilet, on top of the washing machine, in the cupboard and many others.
Mandatory live in arrangement is just one form of social exclusion against FDWs. We also have the Two Week Rule, ban on driving duties, ban on Nepali workers to go back to HK and work, the exclusion on the Statutory Minimum Wage and the imposition of Minimum Allowable Wage for foreign domestic wages.
These situations are against the International Convention on Decent Work or the C189. The very essence of the convention is to protect every workers right against any abuse and exploitation.
A number of migrants’ right organizations protested outside the Hong Kong Immigration Office on July 11, 2012. Photo from inmediahk.net. Permission to Use.
FDWs could live in their own apartment with employer consent before the mandatory live-in arrangement was enforced by the immigration department in 2004. Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Hong Kong (Hong Kong Indonesia Domestic Worker Association) explains in their protest album in Facebook:
Many FDWs are forced to sleep under the table, with wards who are already young adults, in the laundry room or the kitchen. The right to privacy of FDWs is violated every day and the uncomfortable living arrangement adds more to the physical and mental pressures experienced by FDWs…
The mandatory live-in arrangement is one of the issues that show how FDWs are treated differently from other workers – foreign or migrants – in Hong Kong. Not only are FDWs excluded from policies that can be potentially beneficial but even worse, FDWs are subjected to policies that make true the brand for FDWs as modern-day slaves. The New Conditions of Stay, exclusion from the Statutory Minimum Wage, the arbitrary and unjust Minimum Allowable Wage, prohibition from applying for the Right of Abode and the mandatory live-in employment arrangement – truly, the policies that exclude and discriminate FDWs abound in Hong Kong.
A foreign domestic maid telling her story in the protest. Photo from Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Hong Kong's Protest Album in Facebook
Inmediahk.net, a citizen media website, reports from the protest scene [zh] the desperate stories told by FDWs :
「我沒有自己的私人房間，睡床只在垃圾桶旁邊。」一名印傭持咪申訴。另有一名外傭接著說：「太太（僱主）沒有為我提供早餐及午餐，所以我每天只進晚餐。平日飲用的水來自水喉水，未經煮沸。」更有外傭表示曾遭僱主虐打，當眾展示身上的傷勢。
積極參與請願行動的外傭僱主Doris Lee小姐認為，僱主不應只重視自己權益，也要顧及外傭的人權和權益。「每個人都可享有人權，不能因為外傭非香港人，到本港工作就可隨便剝削她們的人權。外傭遭僱主剝削已經不是新鮮事，她們不懂中文，如果我們僱主埋沒良心不作聲，我們便是無良的一群。」她認為部份僱主家庭因收入不高、家中地方不足而無法為外傭私人房間甚至自己的睡床，已成為一種部份香港人接受的文化，並被視為正常。她認為這部份人的邏輯思考中，「外傭只是他們的工人，所以遭遇到不好的對待也正常不過」，而此舉嚴重剝削外傭人權。

author: Oiwan Lam


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