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Russia: Businessman in Exile Uses Blog to Answer Questions · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

One of the youngest Russian millionaires Yevgeny Chichvarkin [EN], who escaped Russian authorities and currently resides in London, UK, used his blog [RUS] as a platform for a virtual press conference. This live Q&A session attracted thousands of bloggers.


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Russia: Largest Political Community Online Removed And Restored · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Vulgarity and tons of unrelated information may be a part of open conversations online but that alone rarely leads to elimination of the most popular communities on the Internet. The recent case of Russian popular online community ru_politics revealed how fragile those conversations are and showed the willingness of online community to stand up for free speech on the Internet.
The most popular Russian online political community ru_politics [RUS] has been suddenly  shut down by one of its moderators on January 1. Blogger and political activist Grigoriy Pashukevich (a.k.a. LJ user alter-gregor) was the one who decided to terminate ru_politics for its “wastefulness and vulgarity.” Pashukevich also prevented other moderators of the community from restoring it.
This led to many speculations and questions on the blogosphere. Unwilling to believe in the actions of Pashukevich, bloggers created an alternative political community ru_politics2 [RUS]. They also suggested that the moderator's account had been hacked and someone used the account's privilege to shut down the community. Pashukevich immediately dismissed those rumors and explained the decision [RUS]:
Мне надоел тот пиздец который происходит, и я это нафиг удалил. Надо новое создавать.
Pashukevich's radical measures toward ru_politics immediately became a hot topic on Russian blogosphere. Liberal and conservative bloggers expressed their outrage and disappointment with Pashukevich.
One of the well-know liberal bloggers Oleg Kozyrev (a.k.a. LJ user oleg_kozyrev) expressed his take on the incident [RUS]:
В том, что крупнейшую общеполитическую площадку блогосферы убил формально демократ, член Солидарности и Яблока, есть какое-то своеобразное безумие.
Ни левые, ни националисты, ни охранители этого не делали, а демократ сделал. Причем не побыв там и чуток времени в модераторах.
И кажется искренне даже не понимает, чего он такого учудил неверного.
Больше всего для провала демократии стараются демократы – вот что грустно и поражает.
And it seems like he sincerely doesn't understand what he did wrong.
Democrats are trying their best to fail democracy – that's what is shocking.
Conservative blogger Ruslan Nikolaev (a.k.a. LJ user obshinnik)  sarcastically wrote [RUS]:
…. и после этого либералы будут пугать нас кровавой гэбнёй и ОМОНом? Да вам никакой ОМОН не нужен, вы сами себя сожрете. Горланите о свободе слова – и спьяну закрываете каналы свободной информации. Вам не то что власть в России, вам свободного выхода в интернет доверять нельзя!
Vladimir Milov, one of the leaders of a Russian democratic movement “Solidarity”, expressed his understanding [RUS] of motives that led to the closure of the community but explained why this might not be a right decision:
Гриша не устает волосы дыбом поднимать у окружающих. Гришенька! Ру-политикс, конечно же, мерзопакостная помойка, а вовсе не “свободная площадка для дискуссий”, однако такими шутками ты, мягко говоря, настроишь пол-интернета не только против себя, но и против демократов вообще. Про существование ру-политикс в окружающем нас реальном мире знать никто не знает, а про тебя теперь всегда будут говорить: “А, это тот самый чувак, который…”
Giving up to the pressure of the blogosphere, Pashukevich later restored ru_politcs and tried to explain his actions as a New Year joke.
Whatever were the reasons that motivated Pashukevich to close down the online community, the incident showed an incredible fragility of the Russian political blogosphere. Aside from the disturbing fact that the new appointed moderator was able to close ru_politics and prevent other moderators from restoring it, Pashukevich's actions resulted in criticism of Russian democrats who are apparently willing to limit free speech online.
Additional info:
Community ru_politics has been created in 2003. It is the 62th most popular community on Russian popular blogging platform Livejournal.com. An average number of subscribers is 7,500. There are almost 100,000 entries. There are currently six moderators. Four of those (e_dikiy [RUS], pavell [RUS], slavamakarov [RUS] and haeldar [RUS]) are allegedly connected with pro-Kremlin PR-agencies and two (karimova [RUS], welgar [RUS]) are associated with the liberal opposition. The community had an open policy toward the posts and generally allowed anyone to publish anything related to politics. However, some oppositional bloggers – Vladimir Pribylovsky, for example – were expelled from the community.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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South Africa: Photos of first day in school from readers · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Dispatch Now has a gallery of photos from their online readers after they asked them to send pictures of little ones having their first ever day at school.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Sri Lanka: Journalist Fell Prey To Election Violence · Global Voices
Rezwan

Committee To Protect Journalists reports that in an election campaign related violence BBC’s Sinhala service reporter Thakshila Dilrukshi was hospitalized after a political mob attacked her while she was on duty.

author: Rezwan


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Sri Lankan Presidential Elections: The Heat Is On · Global Voices
Rezwan

On November 23, 2009 the incumbent President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that the next presidential election in Sri Lanka will be held on January 26, 2010. According to analysts he is seeking a fresh mandate prior to the expiration of his first term in 2011 riding on his immense popularity after defeating the Tamil Tigers in 2009. To counter Rajapaksa's favorable position, the main opposition party in Sri Lanka (UNP) has formed an alliance (United National Front) to contest at the presidential elections and nominated ex chief of Army General Sarath Fonseka as their candidate. Fonseka is revered for spearheading the total annihilation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) and the Tamil liberation struggle. Although there are 23 candidates competing in the election, the battle between Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka is the prime focus.
As the date of election approaches, the campaigns have grown intense and the heat can be felt also in the Sri Lankan blogosphere. Many bloggers are rallying behind their candidates and are engaging in strong debates with analysis and points-counterpoints.
Mawbima Sri Lanka writes about Mahinda Rajapaksa's manifesto:
President Mahinda Rajapaksa unveiled a 14-point programme titled, ‘A brighter future’ with a promise to bring Sri Lanka to a prominent position in Asia and the world and work towards a political solution to the ethnic problem.
Groundviews tried to visualize the promises by Sarath Fonseka detailed in his manifesto which seems to call upon voters to look forward and build a better future together. Kusal Perera at Groundviews analyzes Sarath Fonseka's manifesto:
With no commitment given to the Tamil people, Gen (rtd) Fonseka’s manifesto could only turn to the Sinhala South, with promises. [..]
We thus end up having an alternative candidate backed by political parties that have no programme for development, no programme for democracy and no programme for reconciliation and are also into corruption, both while in government and as political parties.
We therefore end up at this presidential election having no alternative to choose from and not wanting to know we would be voting for the same mess, may be dressed and packaged better, but wanting others to believe its a change.
We have also seen some intense reactions from bloggers. Lanka Rising asserts that the theme of  Sarath Fonseka’s election campaign is nothing but ‘lying’. On the other hand, Lanka Polity accuses Mahinda Rajapkasa of blatant misuse of public property and tax money in his campaigns. Mahinda was criticized for sending unsolicited sms messages to all mobile phone subscribers, across all networks in Sri Lanka.  Sanjana Hattotuwa at Groundviews questions Mahinda's ad campaign on international media websites and writes an open letter to the president asking:
Why is it that your official campaign website has no information on campaign financing? How can I be assured as a voter that the money being lavishly spent by you and your campaign for re-election is not public finances?
Going Global looks at the campaign trail:
Propaganda is usually illegal and mostly sponsored through dubious means. In the case of Mahinda, he is dictating the terms here. He controls the state and arguably the legal system. He is setting the rules in a game that Fonseka is not equipped to play in. When it comes to campaigning its a jungle out there and the fittest survive. And given the conditions of play it is no surprise who is gaining the upper hand.
Sri Lanka's liberal democrat blogger Lefroy says:
So who’s ad campaign is better? hmm. Hard to say. Mahinda’s probably slightly ahead. But Sarath has done quite well with far less money and no state power.
Dayapala Thiranagama at Groundviews discusses which of the candidates has got the edge:
It appears that the election is reshaping the political forces that existed before the war. It is also bringing to the fore the old political problems. This election finds Sri Lanka standing at a crossroad. It is an indictment of our political parties that following the defeat of the Tigers and the opportunity to win the peace, all that is on offer to the voter is a choice between the anti democratic histories and repressive nature of the competing  parties. At stake is nothing less than the future of our fragile democracy.
Lanka Polity says that the Tamils are in dilemma and may have to choose between the lesser of the evils.
The Abyss asserts that irrespective of the prevailing conditions the vote matters:
So what if both candidates have downsides, it doesn’t mean it would be wrong for you to decide between them. Regardless of what you do or don’t do, you do make a difference, more than you know. You’re acting by not acting, you’re choosing without making a choice, you’re voting someone in by not voting.
Jude Fernando at Groundviews sees some hope in this election:
Whether or not Fonseka can win, if we work to increase the number of votes he receives, we can hope for a stronger opposition in the future, and we can successfully expand the space for democracy. We can make it more likely that one day we will be able to hold the ruling party accountable, and we can exert pressure to make the next general election much more just and fair. This is the way I suggest that we approach this election. By struggling to build the opposition, even behind a less than optimal candidate, we can avoid the trap of cynicism and the mire of hopelessness.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti: News from Citizen Media  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad-based Caribbean Free Radio does a wonderful job of sifting out the most compelling pieces of news from the barrage of information on Haiti: the citizen media coverage she cites has proven to be “outstanding”.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Tunisian Diplomat Dies in Haiti Earthquake  · Global Voices
Lina Ben Mhenni

Tunisians were absorbed in the Tunisian National Football Team match against Zambia last night and so were bloggers. Football fans were cheering their country, which is taking part in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations Group D encounter in Lubango.
The number of posts published yesterday was also smaller than usual and very few people wrote about the Haiti earthquake. Those who wrote about it did to talk about the death of Hedi Annabi, a 66-year-old Tunisian diplomat and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Haiti (Minustah).
Adibs1 wrote  a post entitled: Earthquake in Haiti: The Tunisian Hedi Annabi  Head of the MINUSTAH Reported Missing. He said:
Hier à 23h heure locale, 17h heure a Haïti, un violent tremblement de terre de magnitude 7 sur l'échelle ouverte de richter a frappé de plein fouet l'île de Haïti faisant des centaines de morts et des dégats matériels énormes.
Le siége de l'ONU à Port Prince à été completement déteruit, des centaines de casques bleues sont portés disparus dont le chef de la Minsutah le diplomate Tunisien Hédi Annabi.
Agé de 63 ans, Annabi est un diplomate tunisiende carrière qui dirigeait depuis le 28 janvier 1997 le département des opérations de maintien de la paix aux côtés du français Jean-Marie Guéhenno.
Stupid ideas wrote a post entitled  Tunisian Representative of the UN ion Haiti  probably Dead . In it the blogger said:
D'apres le yahoo, le représentant de l'ONU qui est un tunisien est décédé. J'espère que l'information soit fausse mais selon l'articleMr Hedi Annabi -ancien sous-secrétaire général adjoint aux opérations de maintien de la paix de l'ONU de 1997 à 2007, et chef de la Mission des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti (MINUSTAH) depuis le 1er septembre 2007- était parmi les personnes qu'abritaient le bâtiment de l'ONU lors du tremblement de terre qui a frappé la ville. Tous ceux qui étaient dans le bâtiment ont péri.
Mes pensées pour sa famille.
.

author: Lina Ben Mhenni


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Uganda: Fredi Mutebi: Multi-color wood artist from Uganda · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Fred Mutabi is a multi-color woodcut artist from Uganda who has long used his artistry to convey the fragility of the human condition in Africa and to celebrate the natural beauty of Uganda, his homeland.


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Uganda: Museveni distances himself from Anti-Homosexuality Bill · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sokari posts a YouTube video showing Ugandan President distancing himself from Anti-Homosexuality Bill: “Nonetheless it is not clear how much of the Bill he is distancing himself from so the pressure needs to be kept up as clearly it working.”


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Why Malaysians are migrating? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The number of Malaysians who are migrating to other countries is increasing. The Other Malaysia provides a historical and political analysis to this phenomenon.

author: Mong Palatino


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Zimbabwe: Putting information in the hands of Zimbabweans · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kubatana's Freedom Fone Project helps put information in the hands of Zimbabweans: “The Freedom Fone project aspires to help civic organisations extend their information in an audio format to mobile phone users.”


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Bangladesh, India: Positive Outcomes Of Sheikh Hasina’s Visit · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sushanta Das Gupta and Kh. A. Saleque at E-Bangladesh summarizes the positive outcomes of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recently concluded trip to India.


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Barbados, DR, Haiti: Good vs. Evil  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Regional bloggers lash back at American televangelist Pat Robertson, whose comments about the Haiti disaster left a bad taste in their mouths.


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Barbados, Haiti: Helping our Neighbours · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Remember how Barbados struggled when one house collapsed into a cave?  We couldn’t rescue five people with everything we had on the island and a special team in from the United States. Now think about Haiti”: Barbados Free Press challenges the Caribbean community “to take 10% of Haiti’s population from the island and to sponsor the immigrants for five years.”


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Colombia: President Álvaro Uribe’s Bid for Third Term · Global Voices
Julián Ortega Martínez

Last year, most of the political activity in Colombia revolved around President Álvaro Uribe's intention to run for a third term in 2010. Even though campaigns for the May presidential election (and Congressional election in March) started a while ago, it is clear that most Colombians are waiting for Mr. Uribe to decide whether to run or not. Last week he told a local radio in Montería (the President has been giving interviews for regional radio stations outside Bogotá during the last few days) that his second reelection is up to [es] “the [Constitutional] Court, the people, and God”.
In September, the Congress passed a law [es] calling for a referendum on a constitutional reform in order to allow Mr. Uribe to run for a third term in office. In 2005, the 1991 Constitution had already been amended to allow Uribe's re-election. This law must pass through revision by the Constitutional Court. The Inspector General's Office (Procuraduría) must issue [es] a non-binding statement (concepto [es]), which nevertheless is usually taken into account by the Court's justices.
On Tuesday, January 12, Inspector General Alejandro Ordóñez (a staunch [es] Catholic known by his conservative positions on issues such abortion, contraception, and gay rights [es]) issued his recommendation [es], which was favourable to the referendum, an initiative led by politician Luis Guillermo Giraldo and which has been full of controversy on its funding, its mistakes of procedure during its debate at the Congress, and even blatant grammatical errors in the question asked to voters. The initiative, nevertheless, brings some concerns, since the 1991 Constitution was designed for presidential terms of 4 years and allowing a re-election may affect Colombia's internal democratic institutional structures.
Before the Inspector General's statement became public, Jaime Restrepo from the blog Atrabilioso addresses [es] an article by the newspaper El Espectador regarding “God's political power” [es], given the statements quoted above, claiming that despite being a lay state, Colombia remains a confessional nation, specially since Uribe has been in office:
Comencemos por decir que, para los cristianos, Dios no sólo tiene que ver en el proceso sino que es Su voluntad la que decidirá la suerte de la “encrucijada del alma”. Desconocer las prácticas y creencias religiosas de millones de colombianos no solo es una torpeza, sino que demuestra la intolerancia totalitaria de algunos sectores antiuribistas.
Restrepo also slams left-wing politicians and even members of the Catholic Church who reacted to Mr. Uribe's words on the issue. Colombia's top Cardinal, Pedro Rubiano, had already expressed [es] his support for Uribe's re-election, but in 2014.
During and after Mr, Ordóñez's long press conference [es] on Tuesday afternoon, broadcast live on the media, Colombian twitterers reacted to the explanation he made before stating that the referendum law should be declared constitutional:
@egolaxista :
Lo gracioso es que si el concepto del Proc[urador] es favorable a Uribe dirán que ese concepto es muy importante, pero [si no] dirán que no es obligato[rio]
Jorge Ruiz @chandaxi:
se ha sabido echar severo tedeum el procurador, esto vale por 7 misas
@egolaxista:
O sea que LG Giraldo terminó siendo un genio, porque hizo la trampa más legal de toda la historia en Colombia.
Richie Tamayo @melisMatik:
Gracias Gustavo Petro hijo de puta. Con el voto que te dí ayudaste a poner a ese cabrón de Procurador que nos clavó la reelección.
@pcastano :
¿A alguien le quedaban dudas sobre la gran desgracia que es el señor procurador?
Carlos Torres @carlostor :
Igual solo era un formalismo, el concepto del Opus Dei no obliga a la corte, a ella la obliga “el estado de opinión” #Uribe3
Gabriel Amorocho @gamorocho:
[¿]Voto en blanco inexequible? Nos jodieron. Al procurador le faltó decir: “voten por Uribe”
@simonwilchesc:
[¿]Es verdad que el procurador terminó de dar su concepto y mostró esta foto? http://tinyurl.com/ylppae6
María Isabel Ángel V @MaisAngel:
Por lo menos las dictaduras militares rompieron con las instituciones de un solo golpe, no a [cuentagotas]…
@kamiloklauss:
La esperanza es que el referendo pasado se le hundió. #referendo #uribeIII
The hope is that his last referendum sunk #referendum #uribeIII
@egolaxista :
Yo cambiaría el Libertad y Orden, por un “Adelante Presidente” en comic sans tamaño 72. Adelante, acabe con todo.
María Isabel Ángel V @MaisAngel:
Antes tenía unas ganas locas de largarme de este país, ahora no me las voy a aguantar
Jorge Ruiz @chandaxi:
Parece que los mamertos ya se resignaron, o ya me bloquearon todos… bien
Julián Mil Batallas @ruizjulian:
Ya perdí la fé en la democracia y en el país #fail
Paula Vejarano @Asmodeo_ :
Declaro publicamente mi más profundo desprecio al Procurador de este país
I publicly declare my deepest scorn for the Inspector General of this country
Andrés Osorio @anfoc:
A mi el Procurador me recuerda al Reverendo Alegría, es sólo un charlatán, un personaje insignificante al que no se le debería poner cuidado
Even Fidel Cano Correa, publisher of the newspaper El Espectador, joined the controversy:
¿Y si tituláramos mañana la nota del concepto del Procurador sobre el referendo: “las irregularidades son constitucionales”?
(The newspaper's headline actually was ‘Mistakes [of procedure] do not stop referendum’)
On Realidades Colombianas, a final note on a post [es] by Valentina Díaz deals with Mr Ordóñez's statement:
Por ser un incondicional del presidente, sus políticas y como forma de agradecimiento por haberlo postulado para el cargo, fue positivo. Sus justificaciones no fueron muy claras. El funcionario trató de enredar cuando explicaba el por qué en la televisión y llegó a sostener que las irregularidades en el tramite no son malas si se trata de favorecer al presidente. Este concepto no es obligatorio para la Corte Constitucional y lo puede aceptar o hacer a un lado, tirarlo a la bolsa de la basura.
Conservative Godopunk writes [es]:
Con respecto a todo este lío constitucional e institucional, a mí me parece que todo esto es un tiro que se les salió por la culata a los ex guerrilleros del M-19, los progres, y demás zurdos que participaron en la Asamblea Constituyente de 1991, dónde éstos eran mayoría. Si bien el Artículo 197 dice claramente que una persona puede ser presidente una sola vez y durante cuatro años (además de señalar otras excepciones), dentro de la constitución también se contemplan los mecanismos de iniciativa popular, tales como el referendo, en los cuales el pueblo soberano puede pronunciarse sobre los temas de interés nacional, e incluso cambiar normas constitucionales. Probablemente lo que esperaban era que una vez lograran instaurar su grandioso proyecto socioeconómico al mejor estilo cubano, en el cual “todos somos felices”, el referendo estuviese ahí para prolongarlo indefinidamente(algo que si pasó en el vecino país, miren ustedes). Pero no fue así, de hecho lo que eventualmente se hizo popular entre la amplia mayoría de colombianos fueron políticas totalmente contrarias, o por lo menos el interés por hacer desaparecer a las guerrillas a toda costa, y obviamente ha habido gente astuta que ha sabido aprovechar dichos recursos constitucionales.
The second re-election referendum still has a long way to go [es]: the Constitutional Court must issue a ruling on its constitutionality by mid-February (it could do it as early as late January), then it must be organized by the National Registry (Registraduría), despite its lack of resources and time; presidential candidates should sign up by mid-March. Despite some talk on the media earlier this week [es], the 2010 election calendar will not be modified [es], so the May 30 presidential election cannot be postponed. Mr. Ordóñez also asked [es] President Uribe to comply the ‘Electoral Guarantees Law’ (Ley de garantías), despite this norm, enacted in the wake of the 2005 constitutional amendment, states that the President-candidate must announce his intention to run six months before the election (it is not clear yet if a new law must be enacted in order to regulate Mr Uribe's aspirations or if he must obey the 2005 law). It seems the second re-election referendum is running out of time. If the Constitutional Court rules favourably and the referendum is held, Mr. Uribe's second re-election will be allowed if it wins a simple majority (50% plus one vote) of votes and if a turnout of more than 25% of the citizens registered in the electoral census (7,470,537 out of 29,882,147 [es]) is achieved.

author: Julián Ortega Martínez


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Egypt: Bloggers arrested over Naga Hammady Visit · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

More than 20 Egyptian bloggers were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt. Led by Dr Mostafa Al Naggar, the bloggers left Cairo, Alexandria, and other cities in Egypt to pay their respects to the families of the victims of the Naga Hammady massacre. Seven Christian Copts were shot dead on the eve of their Christmas, on January 7. Many others were injured as they left a church after the Christmas mass.
On his blog, Dr Mostafa Al Naggar wrote:
The bloggers unpoliticized visit to Naga Hammady was halted when the bloggers got off the train. Kareem El Beheiry wrote:
Followed by an estimated list of the names of the detained bloggers
3- باسم سمير حزب الغد والمعهد المصرى الديمقراطى
4- باسم فتحى المعهد المصرى الديمقراطى
5- احمد بدوى شباب 6 ابريل
6– شريف عبد العزيز
7- ماريان ناجى رويترز
8- مصطفى النجار مدونة أمواج
9- رؤى ابراهيم طالبة فى الجامعة الامريكية
10- شاهيناز عبد السلام مدونة واحدة مصرية
11- ناصر عبد الحميد حزب الجبهة
12-محمد خالد مدونة دماغ
13- شريف عبد العزيز
14- أميرة الطحاوى
15-سمر عقل حزب الجبهة
16- أحمد أبو ذكرى
17- اسماعيل الاسكندرانى
18- حنان
19- أحمد فتحى البدرى حزب الكرامة بقنا والذى كان يستقبل الوفد
20- ناشطة فرنسية لم نستدل على اسمها
Zeinobia commented saying:
Most if not all these bloggers are among the famous citizen journalists.
I do not understand why these bloggers have been detained.

author: Marwa Rakha


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Egypt: Stuff Younger Generations Won’t Know · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

JessyZ – Chocolate Mints in a Jar – created a list of the things younger generations won't know.

author: Tarek Amr


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Haiti: Bastion of Music Education Destroyed  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Africlassical is sad to learn that the earthquake in Haiti destroyed the country's École Sainte Trinité, where Julio Racine taught music.


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Haiti: Blogging daily updates on human and logistical situation · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

As of January 14th, the blogger at Haiti Solutions updates the logistical situation of the ” Frères de l'Instruction Chrétienne en Haïti” [Fr] while Réseau Citadelle  [Fr] publishes Alain Paret's list of survivors and casualties in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.

author: Fabienne Flessel


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Haiti: Finding Trapped Survivors Using Twitter · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Twitter users are using the tag #rescuemehaiti to direct help to specific locations in Port-au-Prince and around Haiti where there are known survivors who are trapped or in need of urgent care.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Haiti: Getting the Word Out  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Those of us outside of Haiti can only imagine the stark reality of daily life in the earthquake's aftermath – but amidst attempts to find loved ones, efforts to administer to the wounded and the overwhelming task of getting relief to those who most need it – bloggers in and around Port-au-Prince are finding the time to communicate with the outside world, which is desperate for news from those closest to the disaster.
The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog has been really committed to updating its posts, with Troy, the head of the family, tweeting regularly and posting images to his flickr photostream.  Troy, an American doing missionary work in Haiti, does not hide his admiration for the tenacity of the Haitian people:
The amount of the current suffering caused by the earthquake cannot possibly be known right now … the numbers cannot be estimated. But, if the way they deal with day to day hardship is any indication – the people of Haiti will rise.
His wife, Tara, also offers handy information:
Diesel is going to go fast and will be needed for any sort of communication.
Coming down if you are not willing to risk and get in and clean out horrific wounds would just tax an already taxed place. Medical professionals should contact organizations with the ability to coordinate efforts and try to get here. It won't help to have more non-medical people to feed and house. Hope that does not sound harsh – but it is truth.
Heart wrenching testimonies and photographs were also coming from how can they hear:
On my way out, I saw our dresser moving, the kitchen cabinets shake and spit out all sorts of cans, and the house moving as if it was made out of jello. I had never seen anything like that. But I only realized it was an earthquake when I finally got outside and saw people running in all directions. Some crying. Some rushing. Others wailing. Wailing as if life was pulled from within them.
The blog also offers information on how best to help in the midst of an untenable situation, which, judging by the blog's most recent post, is worsening:
Things are starting to get a little scary.  We realize that the destruction in Jacmel is more than we first thought.  I just found out that there are still hundreds of people here in Jacmel trapped under the rubble.  You can smell the dead people in the downtown area where much damage occurred.
The other question is the issue of water.  Will it run out soon?  Will we be able to have access anywhere to clean safe water?  I don’t know.
Pwoje Espwa – Hope in Haiti also blogs about their experiences:
The local general hospital is already filled with people who were hurt in the capitol. There are doctors and nurses but nothing else. No medicine, no sheets, no bandages, no food for them. Some are languishing on the floor. Keep them and us in your prayers.
The blog's most recent update talks about the fact that “EdH (Electricite d'Haiti) will start rolling out rations of electricity as the fuel supply is dwindling”:
The plan is to provide electricity at night for security and a few hours during the day. Only one gas station is open at this time and folks are predicting super high prices.
Met a man on the street this morning who comes from Jacmel which was hit hard by the earthquake. He was talking to himself in Kreyole, French, Spanish with a sprinkling of English. He spoke to me but I could not make out what he was saying. He abruptly turned away and walked into the darkness. Witnessing the massive destruction and loss of life can make anyone lose it.
Blesh Family in Haiti Weblog also posts information:
The situation is quite bad. Most of the major markets for food are crumbled. The banking system is down. There is only partial internet and cell phone service.
To make it clear from someone on the ground here…I have not kept up with the news and who is doing what but I’ll tell you that Haiti is a mess. The infrastructure is in shambles.
Still, partial Internet access in the context of such widespread devastation is nothing short of a small miracle – and Multilink Haiti, one of the country's Internet Service Providers, has taken the initiative and started tweeting, providing much-needed information and re-tweeting pleas to help find missing loved ones.
One of the most dedicated users of Twitter is hotelier Richard Morse, whose coverage of the situation has been stellar.
Changing Perspectives, while located in neighbouring DR, posts a report from a missionary located near Jeremie in Haiti:
Our phones are still out and not working and there is no way for people to get to Port to check on their families even if they wanted to.  We have no boats coming to Jeremie and we hear that the road to Cayes across the mountains is ruined in several places and no vehicles can pass.  This means that families can not get to Port to find out where their families are.  This is very, very hard on everyone.
In a later post, she gives news about an apparently under-utilised hospital in the north of the island:
Hopital Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart Hospital) is full-service hospital, fully staffed, volunteer teams both on site and standing by, ready to go.  We can take up to *200 injured patients* immediately!  We have operating rooms and beds.  We have discharged other patients whose condition is less serious.  We have cleared a soccer field for helicopter landing.
Real Hope For Haiti Rescue Center, meanwhile, is also trying to help with medical aid and writes:
I do not pretend to understand the suffering that is happening right now in this country.  I know we all feel like we had had enough over the years.  The staff has come in to work. They are praying for their loves ones in town.  They are hoping for news and believing that they will soon here from them.  Mothers and father are weeping for their lost children.  Children are crying for their lost parents.
The reality is even when the outside world begins [to arrive], what can be done?
Still, the outside world wants to know.


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Haiti: History of Earthquakes  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands gives a history of earthquakes in Haiti.


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Haiti: Oxfam streams Survivor testimonies and takes questions · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Through video streaming service Ustream, @PierreCote organized a live video show where at 10:30 pm, survivor Philippe Barthole who worked at Multilink Haiti dialed in through Skype to speak in French and Creole about the earthquake aftermath at Port Au Prince. He described it as apocalyptic and highlighted the dire need for water, food and doctors.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Haiti: Renowned Haitians announced dead · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

Though communicating inside and outside Haiti has been a huge challenge and most people have not been able to have reliable -if any – information concerning their relatives and friends, news has come, interestingly enough, from bloggers outside of Haiti, about famous people missing or already declared dead.
The bloggers of Espas Ayisyen [Fr] quote a post published on Radio Kiskeya [Fr], on Wednesday January 13th. It features a testimony by Haitian journalist and photographer Liliane Pierre-Paul [here is a stream of her pictures published on Flickr], who draws a list of well-known people who were officially found dead after the disaster. About it she says [Fr]:
ce nombre impensable de personnalités disparues laissait le pays dans un état de quasi-vacance décisionnelle.
Here is the list to which she refers:
Hédi Anabi / Patron de la MINUSTAH
-.Luis Dacosta / No 2 de la MINUSTAH
-.Monseigneur Serge Miot / Archevêque de Port-au-Prince (Décédé au cours de l’effondrement de la Cathédrale de Port-au-Prince)
-.Le Juge Roc Cadet / Doyen du tribunal civil (Décédé au cours de l’effondrement du Palais de Justice)
-.2 sénateurs décédés au cours de l’effondrement du Parlement
-.2 ministres du gouvernement en deuil : – Ronald Beaudin – Ministre de l’Économie et des Finances qui a perdu son fils lors de la catastrophe. – Patrick Delatour qui a perdu ses parents (Son père et sa mère)
-.3 directeurs généraux qui sont morts dans leurs ministères respectifs.
-.Mirna Narcisse Théodore, directrice générale du ministère de la Condition Féminine et des Droits de la Femme.
-.Le géographe et écrivain Georges et Mireille Anglade
As for Georges Anglade, Métropole Haïti published a post announcing his death along with his wife [Fr]:
La scène littéraire haïtienne vient de perdre un grand homme, Georges Anglade et son épouse ont trouvé la mort lors du séisme qui a ébranlé l'île le mardi 12 janvier. L'auteur haïtien se trouvait à Port-au-Prince à l'occasion du festival Étonnants Voyageurs qui devait se dérouler du 14 au 17 janvier.
Cyberpresse.ca also wrote a post questioning (or asserting!) the death of Haitian artists from the music industry [Fr]:
L'épouvantable séisme qui a frappé Haïti mardi a aussi décimé sa communauté de musiciens, chanteurs, rappeurs et professionnels de la musique résidant à Port-au-Prince, sans compter les autres artistes haïtiens de la diaspora de passage.
In the same post, Espas Ayisyen Toulouse  reminds readers that besides those well-known people, there are numbers of unidentified corpses in the streets [Fr]:
[…] Et une masse de “Tijosèf” c'est-à-dire des anonymes et des sans nom.
Find out more about the earthquake in Haiti on our Special Coverage page.


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Haiti: Rescuing Survivors, Searching for the Missing · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Here are just a few of the online networks and databases which have mobilized in the last few days to help relatives abroad locate family and direct urgently needed help to survivors, many of whom are still trapped beneath the wreckage of their own homes.
The International Committe of the Red Cross has an extensive online database of the missing where friends or family.
Major news organizations like the New York Times and CNN , as well as Google, have also set up databases for the missing.  A site called Haiti Earthquake Support Center is working on a tool which would allow volunteers to help match faces in news photographs to faces of missing persons.
The Facebook Group EARTHQUAKE HAITI currently has over 150,000 members and more than 4,000 photographs posted by family looking for loved ones.
Ushahidi, used to great effect during the Kenyan election crisis, is also mapping crisis information, including missing persons reports, information about collapsed buildings, and road conditions.
On Twitter, the tag #relativesinhaiti is being used by Haitians abroad who are still trying to locate missing relatives.  Meanwhile, #rescuemehaiti is being used to direct search & rescue efforts to specific addresses around Port-au-Prince where survivors are known to be still trapped under the rubble:
Christopher Frecynet still alive. They heard him screaming. 64 Rue Nord Alexis. Call cousin Daphney 509-39046983
63 people still alive Carribean Market. survivor sent txt so we can send help. PLEASE LET PPL KNOW
Heloise Boyer is trapped in her house #40 Rue O, Turgeau.
HELP IS NEEDED ! People still alive under College Canapé Vert are screaming for help to get them out …
Latitude: 18°31′25.74″N Longitude: 72°16′28.25″W #bresma #Haiti We need food and water to approx. 150 people there NOW


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Jamaica, Haiti: Help to Haiti · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaica's Yardflex.com reports that dancehall artist Beenie Man has pledged to help Haitian earthquake victims, while Montego Bay Day By Day urges compatriots to “give until it hurts and then give some more.”


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Mauritania: Hanevy Ould Dahah Remains Imprisoned · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Photo of Hanevy in the United States by Nasser Weddady
In June of 2009, Global Voices Advocacy was the first to report that Mauritanian editor Hanevy Ould Dahah, who runs leftist site Taqadoumy, had been arrested over a comment left on the site.  Ould Dahah, sentenced to 6 months in prison, should have been released on December 24, however, on December 26 it was reported by blogger Nasser Weddady on Dekhnstan, that Ould Dahah was still being held.  In the blog's very first post, Weddady remarked:
This is why I decided blogging. Hanevy’s case is not just another blogger/journalist thrown away for political reasons. His is one that will have profound implications for the country: if General Aziz doesn’t feel any push back for his treatment of a journalist, he is certainly going to assume that he is free to repress any dissenting voice without fear of any consequences. Let’s say that this is THE test case for the future of civil rights in the tiny, often forgotten, nation of Mauritania.
On the 28th, Weddady reported that Ould Dahah had begun a hunger strike.  On January 5, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the Mauritanian authorities for holding Ould Dahah past his release date, and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) called on the Mauritanian government to respect the law.  To date, no mainstream media sources have reported on the case.
To date, Ould Dahah is still being held.  On January 14, Nasser Weddady of Dekhnstan posted:
Hanevy Ould Dahah should in theory have his day at the supreme court today (Jan 14) after being suddenly summoned to appear before the highest court in the land. Except that the proceeding will be illegal. Make no mistake, the Mauritanian government did not suddenly discover that it erred in this case, it is merely trying to coverup its already highly illegal treatment of Hanevy. In fact, the authorities may convict him to another sentence!
Weddady also named the officials involved in Ould Dahah's detention, but then stated, “Hanevy’s ordeal is sanctioned by the highest authorities in Mauritania: General Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz. The system Mauritanians live under is such that he, and he alone, has the power of life and death on anyone foolish enough to cross him.”

author: Jillian C. York


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Nigeria: Nigerian bloggers take on would-be bomber Umar Abdulmutallab · Global Voices
Eremipagamo Amabebe

On December 25th,  the world was taken by surprise when news broke that  Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab,  a 23-year-old Nigerian citizen, had nearly succeeded in detonating explosives on a Northwest Airlines flight between Amsterdam and Detroit. The incident was the latest in a series of close-calls in airline terrorism since the attacks of September 11, 2001 and was the first case of a Nigerian attempting to carry out a suicide bombing on American soil.
In the immediate wake of the attempt, there was much speculation about the young Nigerian's background, motives and possible connections to al-Qaeda. Over the next few days it emerged that Abdulmutallab was the youngest son of prominent Nigerian banker Alhaji Umaru Abdul Mutallab; soon after it was revealed that the “underwear bomber” – as Abdulmutallab became known –  was a devout but conflicted Muslim and a lonely young man  who had received much of his education in Dubai, the United Kingdom, and Yemen.
Prior to the attack, Abdulmutallab had gone missing in the latter country for two months, before which he reportedly told his family to “forget” about him as he was never coming back. Alarmed, his father notified the US Embassy in Abuja as well as other security agencies; as a result Abdulmutallab was added to the US's counterterrorism database, but was not added to the “no-fly list”.
After leaving Yemen, Abdulmutallab spent a short period in Ethiopia and Ghana, then passed briefly through Nigeria en route to the Netherlands where he would board NWA flight 253 to Detroit.
When news of the attempted attack first broke, many Nigerians were caught by surprise, some even doubting whether Abdulmutallab was truly a Nigerian.
Imnakoya at Grandiose Parlor wrote:
I wondered, is this Mudallad a real Nigerian? Having a Nigerian passport is not a cast-iron proof of nationality given the extent of corruption in the nation.
Jide Salu agreed:
Believe me; Nigerians are too cowardly to be terrorists. Our attitude to death is simple; let it be as natural as possible, preferably in bed, sleeping in total oblivion, after a good night out at a party.
When the news was released that Abdulmutallab was beyond doubt a Nigerian citizen, some found consolation in the fact that many of his formative experiences had been made abroad. In a thoughtful post entitled “What does it mean to be a Nigerian?”, Seyi at Heal Nigeria wrote:
If Umar AbdulMutallab was a son of a “Mr Nobody”, it is likely that we will still be arguing over his nationality. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if the govt says, his father is an “illegal immigrant” in Nigeria.
Many have argued that Umar AbdulMutallab cannot be classified as typical Nigerian because of the length of time he spent overseas…. So as far as most Nigerians are concerned, Umar AbdulMutallab hasn’t exposed to the traditional Nigerian upbringing. And considering the limited time he spent living in his home country, there was no way he could have been ‘radicalised’ in Nigeria.
Jr Chiahanam Kanu of Solving Africa worried that Abdulmutallab's actions would sink Nigeria's already floundering reputation:
There’s an Igbo proverb that says, “If one finger touches palm oil, it spreads to all the other fingers.” This is indicative of how Nigerians the world over felt when they heard the news of a young man who attempted to detonate a bomb on U.S. soil in the name of Al Qaeda. Many of us worried that the actions of this one finger would spread to cover the entire 150 million of us.
Though he managed to find a silver lining in the events:
And then the next day, the news surfaced that the young man’s father had sent word months earlier to security forces saying he was worried that his son had become radicalized and might even be a threat. In an instant, I was again proud to be Nigerian. I was relieved that the shame that would have hung over my country’s reputation by adding terrorism to the list of already popular vices was abated. Yet somehow, the newsflash on CNN did not reflect this development as fervently as I’d hoped.
He concluded:
If all British citizens don’t have to carry the stigma of the shoe bomber, if all Oklahomans, don’t have to bear the shame of the Oklahoma bombings, then let the world be mindful of the invidious conclusions it so easily makes when someone from a poorer nation commits similar crimes. And if this is too much to ask, then let the oil of his father’s noble and highly sacrificial actions spread to cover those worried 150 million fingers.
And indeed, as many had feared, on January 4th,  the US government added Nigeria to a 14 country “watch-list”. The list designates four “state sponsors of terrorism” (Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria) as well as 10 “countries of interest” including – in addition to Nigeria – Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, and Algeria. Passengers flying to the United States from Nigeria and the 13 other countries listed will be subjected to enhanced security screenings, including full-body pat-downs.
In the following days, many Nigerians vented their displeasure by commenting in facebook forums such as “150 million Nigerians disown Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab” and “Get us off that list: Nigerians are not terrorists.”
Chippla Vandu had a different take on “disowning ” Abdulmutallab:
To “disown” connotes a refusal to accept as one's own or to repudiate. Irrespective of what one may say or think, Umar Farouk is a Nigerian. And while his actions certainly do not represent what one could expect from a “typical” Nigerian male adult (Muslim or not), disowning him does not in any way help understand why he did what he did and ensure that such does not happen again.
Citing a Pew Research Center poll which found that 43% of Nigerian Muslims support suicide bombing, Chippla continued:
How does disowning him help Nigerians understand what role extreme Islamic ideology played in causing him to attempt detonating an explosive device on board a US-bound airliner? How does it help Nigerians understand the complex interplay of religious faith, access to extremist religious groups and ideological brainwashing?
Seyi at Heal Nigeria also saw broader implications in Abdulmutallab's actions, pointing out that the addition of Nigeria to the “Terror watch-list” was not prompted by the events of December 25th alone.  Highlighting the recent clashes between Nigerian Security forces and militant Islamists groups such as Boko Haram and Kalo Kato, Seyi wrote:
For anyone to think that US govt reaction was just because of Umar AbdulMutallab’s terrorist expedition smacks of naiveté.
With the level of corruption in Nigeria, I’m convinced that a suicide bomber can pay his/her into a passenger aircraft. For the right price, such a person would be offered a ‘first class’ seat. It is in Nigeria where Customs officials aid and abet importation of fake drugs. It is in Nigeria where Immigration officials knowingly issue passports to non-citizens using false identity. There is no doubt that the new US policy would affect every Nigerian, irrespective of social status. Unfortunately, 150 million people will now pay for the sins of one stupid individual. Already a Nigerian traveling overseas is a suspected asylum seeker, suspected over stayer, suspected illegal immigrant, suspected identity fraudster, suspected drug courier, and now a suspected terrorist.
Seye Abimbola also wondered about increasing religious extremism in Nigeria, describing recent minor clashes at his university. Seye concluded:
Mild as these incidents were, what they show is that for these to happen in the liberal south, at the very bastion of southwestern Nigeria liberalism, you can imagine what possibly goes on in the north where some states already practice the Islamic Sharia legal system.
Chxta remarked that it was not the first time “'bigmen’ in Nigeria have gotten away with murder simply because they are ‘bigmen’”:
Earlier our beloved minister of information had attempted to shift the blame to our nice ‘bredas’ in Ghana, pointing out that the misguided young man spent only thirty minutes in Nigeria upon arrival from Ghana before he boarded that KLM flight. The memo that she did not read apparently is the one that states that if he was so disposed, he could have actually taken a motorcycle from the airport to as far as Surulere, collected the explosives there, and returned to the airport. All in less than thirty minutes. Of course at the airport no one would have asked him questions being that he is a ‘bigman’s’ son.
Some were able to see a lighter side to the attempted attack: “Rejoice!!! For the terror suspect is not Igbo” wrote Sugabelly on December 26th. Later, in an update she took a more serious tone:
It's like everyone has lost their sense of humour fa! People on twitter are giving me a hard time because I tweeted this. Oya, I'm sorry. Ndo so.
We are all Nigerians and we are all going to get shit the next time we set foot inside an airport, but let's laugh at the lighter side of this (since no one was hurt).
Be honest, when you heard a Nigerian man tried to commit a terrorist act in America, how many of you immediately thought ‘Please don't let him be [insert your ethnic group]?
Arukaino wryly tied the whole incident back to the government campaign to re-brand Nigeria, he commented:
So much for the rebranding slogan “Nigeria: Good People, Great Nation”. As a result of Abdulmutallab’s failed bomb attempt in Detroit, maybe the US could now interpret it as, “Nigeria: Good People, one terrorist, but still a Great Nation…hmmn.
(For more reactions from the Nigerian blogosphere, check here, here, here and here).

author: Eremipagamo Amabebe


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Russian Bloggers React to Haiti Earthquake · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

A powerful earthquake in Haiti became the first global disaster of 2010. Russian bloggers, although far away from the cataclysm, rushed to express their support [RUS] for the earthquake victims. Before long, Haiti tragedy became one of the most discussed topics on RuNet. Although many bloggers were simply reciting the latest news related to the disaster [RUS],  a few went beyond the headlines of news agencies. GVO provides some highlights from Russian blogosphere.
LJ user dainik [RUS] wrote:
Потрясен новостями с Гаити, чтобы так разворотило страну… Видел кадры в новостях, правительство не справляется с бедствием. Говорят, что это самое сильное землетрясение в регионе за последние двести лет. 7 баллов.
Twitter user playpausenstop admitted [RUS] that he was too terrified to look at all the pictures from Haiti.
Blogger mgsupgs compared [RUS] Haiti earthquake to the one in Spitak, Armenia, in 1988 [EN]. He argued that a huge number of casualties must be due to poor building standards. The blogger calls for natural disasters preparedness long before they occur while paying particular attention to the quality of buildings. Poor building standards in former Soviet republics also became a hot topic on the blog of an LJ user germanych [RUS].
For some bloggers the earthquake gave a reason to contemplate the power of nature. LJ user Hilarios, for example, wrote [RUS]:
Как бы человечество не старалось бы обуздать капризы природы, все эти попытки заканчивались провалом. Огромный багаж знаний, колоссальные средства – ни что простив разбушевавшейся стихии.
Other bloggers highlighted terrifying surreality of the happening. Vladimir Milov (a.k.a. LJ user v-milov) wrote [RUS]:
Картинка разрушенного президентского дворца в Порт-о-Пренсе – как будто сошедший с экранов голливудский апокалиптический фильм. Помните, по-моему, “Крепкий орешек” четвертый, где они симулировали разрушение вашингтонского Капитолия? А тут – всё в реальности.
Anton Maliavski (a.k.a. LJ user maliavski) rightfully notes [RUS] that people tend to think about Haiti only when something bad happens there:
Среди современных государств Гаити, пожалуй, рекордсмен в области плохих новостей. Вообще новости из Гаити приходят редко, но всегда только плохие. Все последние десятилетия человечество вспоминает об этом тропическом острове с веселым населением исключительно по причине каких-то происходящих там кошмаров. То диктатура мрачных Дювалье (сначала папа Док, потом бэби Док), потом правление бесноватого попа Аристида, военный переворот, резня, перманентные беспорядки и т.д. И все это параллельно с тотальной бедностью местного населения. Теперь вот еще землетрясение. […]
Кино про Гаити тоже всегда с плохим концом. “Комедианты” с Бартоном и Тэйлор, “На Юг” с Шарлоттой Рэмплинг, – везде failed love, смерть и насилие.
Жалко их. И ведь даже непонятно, чем можно помочь этой стране. Хотя, по большому счету, ведь и России непонятно чем можно помочь… Заколдованы.
Mail.ru user elekorostele thoughtfully commented [RUS]:
Ужасно…Вот когда понимаешь,насколько смешны наши повседневные капризы.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti: Making a List  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trying to make sense of the disaster in Haiti?  Lists from Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Free Radio suggest a place to start.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Remember the Tax?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“With Trinbagonians distracted with the upcoming Carnival, Beyonce and now Haiti, the new Property Tax seems all but forgotten”: KnowTnT.com posts a reminder.


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Uzbekistan: War of the monuments · Global Voices
Kathy Pidginson

14th January is celebrated as the Day of Defender of the Motherland in Uzbekistan. On the eve of this day, a grand opening ceremony of the monument “Oath to the Homeland” took place in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
The monument depicting an oath-taking soldier and a benedictory woman behind him is erected in the Park of Military Fame, where the Soviet-time “Defenders of the Homeland” monument was taken down in November 2009. The removed monument was opened in 1973 and the Park of Military Fame was opened in 1975, the 30th anniversary of the victory against fascism in World War II.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov described the former monument as the one that reflected the ideology of the begone regime [RUS]. But not everybody in the Uzbek blogosphere agrees with the official position.
nashingyou published pictures (below) of the two monuments –a former one and a new one – in the New Tashkent community, and commented [RUS]:
There was the monument to the Defenders of Homeland:
And it’s hard to say what it is now:
tupizza2 notes in comments [ru]:
The idea makes me recollect the monements of J.Stalin's era…
old-benj responds with sarcasm [RUS]:
They took down the monument, devoted to real defenders of the country, and erected this one to some guy, who did not even take the oath yet! In other words, the monument is devoted to a conscript!!!!
Some bloggers see more political aspects and anti-Soviet (or anti-Russian) implication of these actions. pavelsheremet writes [RUS]:
It is interesting why Russian “patriots” and “truth-seeking” MPs keep silent? Recently they were in a rage because [Georgian president Mikheil] Saakashvilli for demolishing a Soviet-time monstrous monument made of concrete. They nearly declared a war to Estonia for carrying the monument to soldiers out from the central square to a memorial cemetery. But there is no reaction to the Uzbek story. Memory about the Russian presence has been obliterated in Tashkent, but Moscow is quiet.
On the popular Tashkent blog mytashkent александр махнёв [Alexandr Makhnev] expressed his disappointment with the way the authorities acted [RUS]:
I can't say that I am too sad about the demolished monument. But the question is why they kept talking about renovation or reconstruction?! Why not saying outright that a new memorial complex would be raised on that place. They could tell us that just to show respect to the city residents.
The authorities’ actions: step 1 – rename the monument; step 2 – start “reconstruction”; step 3 – erect a new monument with totally different ideological meaning. We spit further than Estonia.
Indeed, many bloggers did not expect to see another monument. The point is that after removal of the old monument, Uzbek Ambassador to Russia Ilkhom Nematov promised that the whole memorial complex of the park will be reconstructed and returned to their place [RUS]. Алекс [Alex] comments [RUS] on mytashkent:
The ambassador lied… although he promised that the monument will be placed back! Sad, very sad.

author: Kathy Pidginson


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Bahamas: The Easy Way Out?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bahamian Nicolette Bethel takes issue with the alleged statements of her Prime Minister when it comes to helping Haiti: “The message that [he] is sending is that it is all right to allow practical impediments get in the way of help. It is OK to let the fact that it’s difficult…to get planes and boats into Haiti stop us from giving whatever we can.”  Fellow blogger Womanish Words, meanwhile, pens a poem for the survivors.


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Cuba, Haiti: The Time to Help  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“It especially frightens me that three months from now the suffering will no longer be a headline in any newspaper and people will have ceased to feel the urgency of the Haitian drama. I am afraid that we become accustomed to the misery and harden our hearts to the tragedy, focusing on our own problems without considering that others, next door, are screaming”: Generation Y, along with other Cuban bloggers, are doing what they can to help Haiti.


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Egypt: Best movies for Oscar · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Egyptian director, Amr Salama, discusses [Ar] some foreign movies screened in 2009. In his opinion, the Oscars committee will face difficulties in deciding the best movies, because -as he says- he has not seen one good movie that deserves the award.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


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Egypt: I quit my job so I can blog! · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Blogger Isis announced that she finally resigned from her job so she can live a better life, with one goal in her mind: a better future.


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Egypt: New online design magazine · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Loksha is a new online magazine, that has been recently launched by Zeinab Samir, who is interested in covering news related to the latest in the field of web design and development, as well as introducing Drupal to Arab readers.


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Haiti: Aristide’s Announcement  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

HaitiAnalysis.com and Repeating Islands report on Aristide's announcement that he is ready to return to Haiti.


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Haiti: Cell Provider Back On Line · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Pwoje Espwa – Hope in Haiti is pleased that cellular service provider Digicel is back on line, which “will make communications much easier.”


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Haiti: Citizen Videos of the Aftermath · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Through the dire conditions in Haiti after the 7.0 Earthquake on January 12th, on ground level people have been helping others selflessly: whether it is picking survivors from under the rubble with their bare hands, providing shelter to those in need, giving medical assistance or by giving much sought after information of what the situation is like through blogs, twitter, cellphone messages or video.
In Les Cayes, Louis St. Germain from the Global Orphan Project has been recording videos and sending them off to be posted in YouTube or for major news outlets. While most of the eyes are focused on the devastation of Port Au Prince, the nation's capital, he provides a different perspective from the South of Haiti, which also suffered greatly due to the Earthquake:
At the Film school Cine Insitute in Jacmel, students and staff have also rallied and have been reporting and making videos to upload online depicting the destruction and needs the people of Jacmel are facing. This next video is by Fritzner Simeus:
This next video, Priere by Manassena Cesar, also from Cine Institute, shows a prayer for all those suffering the quakes aftermath:
Although PierreCote, is in Canada, through an online video channel and a twitter account he has been moving quickly and constantly to provide information, enlist the aid of translators to publish the information in French, Spanish and English and interview people in Haiti, who during different moments of the day have been giving first-hand information and testimonies as well as requests for help in aiding their relief efforts on the ground.
Such is this morning's example: to keep the Internet networks up and running in Haiti, Paolo Chilosi, general manager of Multilink (internet network) in Haiti requested through a Skype Call a Sr. Cisco System Engineer to go to Haiti for four days to help rebuild the network and keep it up. Following, the clip made from the live show and uploaded to YouTube:
Do you know of any other citizen journalists covering events in Haiti? Please share this information in the comments and if possible also on your social networks so that their efforts don't go unnoticed. Thank you.
For more information on the earthquake in Haiti, click on our Special Coverage page.


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Haiti, Cuba: Cooperation  · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

Espas Ayisyen Toulouse posted a long speech  [Fr] by Fidel Castro, who states his pride at the historical cooperation in the field of medical studies between Cuba and Haiti.


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Haiti: Instances of “Looting,” but Little Confirmed Evidence of Post-Quake Violence · Global Voices
Marc Herman

Four nights after the Haiti earthquake, the airwaves and the Internet are seeing a growing debate over media's use of the word “looting.” Austria’s nachrichten.at reports cases of “pluendern,” literally “looting” in Port au Prince. The German term, like the English word, implies not just stealing, but a breakdown in social order. French media has used “pillage”. Spanish-language press and blogs are frequently using a similar word, “saqueo”.  Blogger Ortiz Feliciano finesses the term while introducing an explanation from a Red Cross volunteer on the ground:
El saqueo de las tiendas que empezó después del temblor parece ser inevitable y hasta necesario. ‘No hay otra manera de conseguir alimentos,’ dijo Matt Marek representante de la Cruz Roja americana sobre el saqueo. ‘Incluso si usted tiene dinero no tiene cómo comprar nada porque las tiendas están destrozadas y nadie trabaja.’
Similar use of the term appears in Polish media and the Irish and British press.
A debate over the term turned on racial politics on two American blogs.  The Awl, a group blog of NY media insiders, noticed a slightly different version of the Red Cross statement Ortiz Feliciano had highlighted. But where the Spanish language blog had emphasized the statement's literal content — the food shortages forcing scavenging in Haiti — the American bloggers focused on its implications, and referred to Hurricane Katrina:
Tom Scocca: …Haiti country representative of the American Red Cross, said: ‘There has been widespread looting of collapsed buildings since the earthquake hit. There is no other way to get provisions. Even if you have money, those resources are going to be exhausted in a few days.’
Choire Sicha: I'M GOING TO LOSE MY MIND
Tom Scocca: If there's no other way to get provisions, it's not looting.
Tom Scocca: This was also how it went with Katrina, right? Reports of rampant, scary violence. To go with the “looting.”
Choire Sicha: Black people running in the night!
Hundreds of comments on a US blog on racial politics, StuffWhitePeopleDo, have also been debating the situation.  Commenter Krystal*Lyte noted:
There were reports of people who were involuntarily starving looting the UN food supply…I honestly don't recall the samoans or the indonesians being characterized as such in their hour of devastation, but yet they [reporters] are bent on pushing the ‘angry’ theme on these particular victims.
At The Future Majority, sociologist Kathleen Tierney of the University of Colorado's (US) Natural Hazard Center, describes the term “loot” as an old problem:
…A lot of it’s about disaster myths—what people say happens in disasters versus what really happens. What these researchers discovered was that the media—even way back in the 1950s and 1960s—approached huge disasters with certain frames. When the media reports on disasters, they’re inevitably going to focus on the dramatic and antisocial, even if it’s one percent of the population committing these acts. And even back then, the looting myth always came to the fore of media reports.
As it has in Haiti.
Yes. For example, the day after this earthquake in Haiti, it was reported that a prison had collapsed and prisoners had gotten away—the presumption being that they had escaped to go and loot. The prisoners didn’t go to check on their mothers or their sisters, they went to loot. And we presumably know this, because they’re bad people, they’re criminals.
Reports of armed gangs, including video of young men with machetes, have appeared in citizen and news video today. Friday, thousands of media and relief workers appear to have made it to the quake's epicenter. But blog and media reports of looting appear to be based on only a few cases.
Konpay, the webpage of a Port au Prince-based NGO of the same name, reported gunshots today.
January 16, 2010. 7am:  The gunfire spread last night to our zone.  At 1 am it started.  It was off in the distance a ways when it first started but got closer and closer up until about 2:30 and then it seemed to stop.  All of the homeless on the streets and in the refugee camps again met the chaos with loud singing, clapping and prayers.  I am at the Matthew 25 house in Delmas 33. Here we have set up a triage hospital with more than 1,300 refugees on a soccer field.
An American mainstream news outlet, MSNBC, reported only one fatal shooting and a man stealing a coffin:
There were reports of isolated looting as young men walked through downtown with machetes, and robbers reportedly shot one man whose body was left on the street. An AP photographer saw one looter haul a corpse from a coffin at a city cemetery and then drive away with the box.
In Colombia's El Colombiano the terms “saqueo” and desperation appear together. A Spanish wire report quoted in the same paper, and cited widely throughout both the Spanish language media and blogosphere, distinguishes between looting and stealing, quoting quake survivors saying that as a crowd of hungry people broke into a UN warehouse and took vegetables and drygoods, a small group of thieves armed with sticks robbed their personal possessions.
Please visit the Global Voices Haiti Earthquake page for more coverage of the event.

author: Marc Herman


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Haiti: Pictures & Stories · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Heartbreaking stories from The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog here, and photos of some of the damage from Real Hope For Haiti, here and here.


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Haiti: Raw video footage  · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

From current.com comes the series of raw videos by afitzgerald showing different aspects of life in Haiti after the quake. Shown are tent cities, makeshift morgues as well as aid workers and survivors stating their need for aid: they see the planes full of supplies and/or food, but see none of it on the ground.


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Haiti: Remembering Jacmel  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I couldn’t help remembering how Jacmel looked like at 4:50pm on a regular day. Normally, you have people sitting in their homes, walking in and out, working in their businesses, and so on”: how can they hear posts an update and photos from one of the hardest hit areas in Haiti, while Changing Perspectives puts out an appeal for medical aid in Jacmel.


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Haiti: “Solidarité Haïti”  · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

After a few days of silence, the collective blog Solidarité Haïti, born after the 2008 hurricanes, has eventually posted  [Fr] about a dozen solidarity and relief efforts led by French Caribbean people in Europe or elsewhere.


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Haiti: Time Running Out for Earthquake Survivors · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Keziah Furth is a 24-year old American nurse who works with kids in Haiti.  She was able to call home today, and her parents posted this account of her experiences since the earthquake on her blog, Mwen renmen ti moun Ayiti yo!:
She immediately packed up some medical supplies and began to tend to the wounded in her immediate neighborhood. For the first two days people who had been hurt came in a steady stream. Eventually she had 300 people camped out in a nearby empty lot where she was able to go amongst them giving pain meds, bandaging, stitching up wounds without surgical tools or sterile equipment, distributing antibiotics, and giving food and water…
..She says there are less and less wounded to tend to and now the stench of the dead is overwhelming as you walk the streets. Every collapsed house exudes the smell. While many of her “patients” are stabilized and will live, several have died.
Keziah warns that unless food, water, and medical supplies come quickly, many will die needlessly.  She has so far not seen any foreign aid or rescue teams in the part of the city where she has been treating the injured:
Keziah is receiving food and clean water from the St. Joe's Home. Most of the people are not so fortunate; food and water are becoming increasingly scarce. Kez believes that unless help comes soon, dogs will begin to be killed for food. No aid has reached this part of the city. They have seen no aid workers, no water trucks, no rescue teams. Helicopters have been seen overhead, but no contact has been made; there is no evidence that help has arrived. When I told Kez that the US Armed Forces were in P.auP. and that the Red Cross and rescue and medical teams from many countries were on the ground, she cried.
Kez's supplies are running low; she predicts that by Saturday she will have no bandages, no meds, and no water to give.
She has done all that she is capable of doing for her wounded. If help does not arrive soon, some will die needlessly.


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Haiti, U.S.A.: Giving Well  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“With all the heartbreaking images from Haiti, the compulsion overwhelms to help”: Peace.Soul.Spirit.Tse. shares why she is giving her contribution to Partners in Health: “It is because I want to Give Well and not just give Dead Aid.”


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Morocco: Why is Tzipi Livni Welcomed Here? · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

A Moroccan Voice questions why Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni is wanted in Britain but welcomed with open arms in Morocco.


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Sri Lanka: List of web resources for Haiti earthquake information and help · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sanjana Hattotuwa at ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) informs that the ICT4Peace Foundation has created a page on its ICT4Peace Inventory wiki that links to a number of updated information sources to help the victims of the Haiti Earthquake.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti: Come Better Than That  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Tell me we could do better than $1 million US. Tell me that we can do better than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie”: The Manicou Report is disappointed in Trinidad and Tobago's contribution to Haiti's relief effort.


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Why should South Asians Donate For Haiti? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sridhar at South Asian Philanthropy project explains why South Asians should donate for Haiti: “South Asians are very diverse in their giving – from giving to causes here in North America, to giving around the world”.


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Afghanistan: Slow progress on power supply · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nick Fielding says that providing electricity for the residents of Afghanistan is one of the best ways of undermining the Taliban insurgency. However, although reports indicate increase of energy supply in the country, that modest increase hides many problems.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Algeria: Indigenous March for Autonomy · Global Voices
Hisham Almiraat

This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.
On Tuesday, January 12th, Kabyles, the indigenous people of Algeria, marched in the country's northeastern region of Kabylie, ahead of the celebration of the Berber new year (Yennayer), demanding more autonomy from the central state. The Movement for the Autonomy in Kabylie (MAK) organizing the protest explains that what started as a peaceful march was rapidly confronted heavy handedly by the authorities who imposed a media blackout. As the world's attention turned to Haiti and the tragic aftermath of a horrendous earthquake, little news about the protest appeared on mainstream media, prompting protesters and their supporters to report on the Net.
The Kabylie region has a long history of confrontation with the Algerian government, as indigenous demands evolved from calls for outright independence from the central state to a recently proposed plan of autonomy [Fr], culminating in the year 2001 in what is known as the Black Spring when riots broke out throughout the region leading to deadly confrontations between protesters and the Algerian army.
Tilanum posted this video on the video sharing website Youtube, allegedly showing a violent clash between protesters chanting “Murderous Power!” and the security forces:
The event was followed by microbloggers like Kabyle who tweeted the march and linked to pictures of the demonstration:
Saiduali blogging on Le Portail des Hommes Libres [Fr] posted pictures of a march that took place in the coastal city of Bejaia:
On the social networking website Facebook, a group [Fr] was created attracting over 800 members and bringing together supporters and opponents of the autonomy in Kabylie. Lee Loo comments on the group Wall explaining that although she's a Berber herself, she opposes autonomy. She writes:
Vous nous faites honte. Je suis Amazigh mais mon pays reste l'algérie […] Vous n'avez aucune chance, alors là zero chance […] Tout le reste des Kabyles sont contre çà!
Allas Di Tlelli, blogging on Kabyles.net [Fr] contradicts that claim. He writes:
[L]es forces existantes en Kabylie sont, plus ou moins, acquises pour l’autonomie de la Kabylie avec une différence d’approche qui relève beaucoup plus de l’idéologie politique.
These events come with the backdrop of recent moves by neighboring Morocco to grant its Amazigh population more rights (indigenous languages are being taught in school and a Berber language TV channel has recently been launched), in addition to a broader plan that will bring, the Moroccan authorities claim, more autonomy to different regions including the contested territory of Western Sahara.
This post is part of our special coverage Indigenous Rights.

author: Hisham Almiraat


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Azerbaijan: Demonstrations for imprisoned video blogging youth activists · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Support Adnan and Emin posts details of two demonstrations scheduled to take place outside the Embassies of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Paris, France, and London, England, in support of imprisoned video blogging youth activists Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli. The two men were detained last summer and sentenced to 2 and 2.5 years in prison in what most observers consider to be a politically motivated trial.
The Presidency of the European Union, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders have condemned the verdict. Amnesty International has declared both men to be prisoners of conscience. Both demonstrations will take place on 22 January and are a continuation of those held last year.
In Paris, the protest action will start at 3pm.
A 15 heures, le 22 janvier 2010, Paris participera à une série de manifestations organisées à travers le monde pour la libération des “donkey blogueurs” Adnan Hadjizadeh et Emin Milli.
Les deux jeunes vidéoblogueurs ont été condamnés, le 11 novembre 2010, par le Tribunal du district de Sabayil à Bakou, à deux ans et demi (Emin) et deux ans (Adnan) d'emprisonnement ferme pour prétendu hooliganisme.
Les blogueurs ont fait appel de ce jugement.
L'audience en appel aura également lieu vendredi prochain, 22 janvier 2010.
Tandis que les supporters d'Adnan et Emin assisteront au procès à Bakou, nous nous réunirons à Paris devant l'ambassade d'Azerbaidjan, 78 avenue d'Iena à Paris (16ème)
Rejoignez- nous en face de l'ambassade pour protester contre l’ emprisonnement arbitraire des blogueurs et appelons à leur libération immédiate.
Invitez tous vos amis.
Allons faire du bruit pour Adnan, Emin et tous ceux qui ont été punis pour avoir filmé et raconté l'injustice en Azerbaïdjan.
Meanwhile, the London demonstration will take place at 1pm.
On January 22nd, London will be part of a series of protests across the world calling for the freedom of the “Donkey Bloggers”
Join us outside the Azerbaijan Embassy to protest against the unlawful imprisonment of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, and call for their immediate release.
So don your best donkey suit and invite all your friends, and let's make some noise for Adnan, Emin, and countless other unjustly imprisoned activists in Azerbaijan.
Background to the case can be found in Global Voices Online's Caucasus 2009 Blog Review and on Threatened Voices.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Barbados, Haiti: Canine Contribution · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Dogs in Barbados examines the role of Man's Best Friend in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Chile: Emapanadas of Con Cón · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

In Chile, Pancho Araya of Santiago en Picada [es] recommends the empanadas of Con Cón, which are filled with cheese and various fillings, including oysters.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Dominicans aiding Haitians where no UN, Red Cross · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

@thehaitian: “Just saw group of Dominicans in pickup. No UN. No Red Cross. crossed border with bread, water, & salami to give.”


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Georgia: Penisman, an alternative superhero · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Social Blurbs comments on two teenage bloggers in Tbilisi, Georgia, and their alternative style of blogging. In a guest video post on the social media blog, the two young bloggers speak about Penisman, a Georgian superhero who “doesn't give a crap.” The blog says that 15-year-old Giorgi Chilaia and 14-year-old Bachi should be commended for their “tasteful use of [dirty language] and their self-deprecating humor.”


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Haiti: Awarded Haitian born writer expresses grief and hope · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

Four days after the tragedy started, world-famous Haitian-born Dany Laferrière, in Port-au-Prince at the time of the terrible earthquake, tells about his experience, respect for his people and hope for the future. Read the whole article, republished by blogger Haititempo, here [Fr].


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Haiti: Beyond the Capital · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Much of the coverage of the destruction in the earthquake‘s aftermath has been focused in and around Haiti's capital city, Port-au-Prince. But many other areas close to the ‘quake's epicentre have also been affected, as bloggers are quick to point out…
Jacmel, located about twenty-five miles south of Port-au-Prince, is “stranded and increasingly desperate”, according to Repeating Islands’ republication of an excerpt from “the award-winning team of reporters from the Miami Herald:
Residents of Jacmel, a quaint, historic Caribbean port city that suffered widespread damage and has been cut off from Port-au-Prince to the north, complain they have been forgotten. Four days after the quake struck Jacmel with equal force, they say they are still awaiting food, water, medical supplies and relief workers.
Despite the blog's discontent “about the nature of the coverage of the earthquake in Haiti on American television and other media”, in another post it follows the Herald team as it reports on another area that is receiving little media attention, Carrefour:
This town, which on Tuesday was the epicenter of the earthquake, is living in the epicenter of oblivion.
Pwoje Espwa – Hope in Haiti, meanwhile, reports on the relief efforts taking place in Les Cayes:
In contrast to the situation in PAP, the UN is guiding the relief efforts in les Cayes, and will be coordinating and providing a platform for the efforts of all the NGOs working in the area. There is no fuel left for purchase in Cayes and the UN has very little left. The UN folks are not sure when food and fuel will be delivered. All of us are nervous about this. There was a commercial flight on Tortugair this afternoon from Cap Haitian to Cayes, and they delivered a group of 8 orthopedic surgeons to work at the hospital.
As the people arrive here from the destroyed capitol we will assist them in any way we can. Some need money to go on to family on the coast or inland; some require medical attention; all are hungry and thirsty; almost all need clothing and shoes along with personal hygiene items. A simple thing like letting this young woman use my cell phone to call her mother and tell her she was all right and in Cayes was momentous for her and her mother.
Konbit Pou Ayiti says that “Haiti KONPAY has  been playing a critical role coordinating a rapid response to the  crisis in both Jacmel and Port-au-Prince…pursuing two major strategies”:
1.    Delivering immediate support to people on the ground in Jacmel  and Port-au-Prince by coordinating the transport of supplies and volunteers. Carefully design volunteer interventions to avoid exacerbating the developing food and water shortages.
2.    Encouraging the evacuation of Port-au-Prince and establishing the resources necessary to assist victims when they arrive in the countryside by assessing existing resources in outlying areas and sending teams and equipment to clinics.
The post goes on to quote a report “from Amber Munger on the ground in Port-au-Prince”:
These are some details of the damage  in Jacmel, which is a city of 34,000:
·      1,785 homes completely destroyed
·      4410 homes partially destroyed
·      87 commercial businesses destroyed
·      54 schools destroyed
·      24 hotels destroyed
·      26 churches destroyed
·      5730 families displaced
·      Death count approaching 3,000, nearly 10% of the population
(Reported by Gwenn Mangine, www.mangine.org)
Mangine also posts images from the (severely damaged) general hospital, with a further update on Sunday 16:
…we noticed that the main pharmacy in town was open. And so we went in and bought them out of everything they had from the list— alcohol, hand sanitizer, peroxide, wound care items, meds… (another truckload.)
Yesterday we were expecting a big shipment of supplies, but we got one box. Still– we rushed over to the hospital with it. Mostly antibiotics and trauma care supplies– both were desperately needed. The doctors were thrilled.
Pye's in Haiti discusses the “crazy busy” situation at the local airstrip:
We had a plane full of supplies ready to come, however the San Juan airport would not let the plane leave with the medical supplies…. We are hoping that flights start today of supplies and medicine.
And Darren Tyler of Conduit Mission, who has been trying to send emergency supplies to Jacmel by boat, shares an update from a member of his organisation on the ground:
The port can be used, cruise ships can come in there. We need help bad here is the city. What kind of supplies are on the boat? How fast can they get here? We are starting to feel people get frustrated and scared….
Updates are being posted regularly on Twitter. @melindayiti noted (15 January) that “Jacmel is a mess – we have planes and boats but US coordinators won't give us clearance to get in!” And a few hours later added: “2 boats on the way, still no clearance to land plane w/critical medical teams”. Meanwhile, @RescueJacmel, a new Twitter account, is attempting to ensure that international rescue efforts do not overlook the small city.
Video bloggers are also chronicling their experiences, with clips from Les Cayes and Jacmel getting lots of attention on YouTube and other video sharing websites. The Cine Institute in Jacmel also posted eyewitness accounts of the earthquake.
Lougou Corner is one of the blogs eager to supply information from their community:
# We last communicated with Ginette last Thursday evening and she said that an exodus of people left Port-au-Prince already and came back to the provinces and rural areas.
# We communicated via email with some ministries in Cayes and they reported that hospitals in Cayes are flooded with patients returning from Port and other areas affected in the provinces.
We have seen firsthand in Lougou how an entire community has changed when residents have a say on the issues that affect their own lives.  They have the best knowledge on what can and should be done to meet their pressing needs and bring lasting change in their community.
And finally, from a U.S.-based Caribbean diaspora blogger, comes a stirring account of her friend's quest to find his mother, most likely in a neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince:
‘As we came up on the block, I first walked right by the house because a good portion of it was totally demolished. The fitness center across the street was also completely demolished with a really strong smell coming from in between the bricks. When I asked people if they knew my mom, they shook their heads until I mentioned her by her nickname, Tita. And they were like, “Oh, yeah,” with joy in their eyes. “She's right there in the house next door.”
‘I opened the door. Her back was to me. I tapped her on the shoulder. The surprise, the tears, the hug so hard to explain. It was an unbelievable moment. She squeezed me so hard, crazy with joy. She paraded me down the street. “Meet my fourth son. He came for me,” she said. “He came for me.”‘
We can only hope for similar stories coming out of other affected areas.  For more on the earthquake in Haiti, visit our Special Coverage page.


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Haiti: “Culture, Crossroads, Color” · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Haitian-American writer and artist Lenelle Moise tries to: “balance the images of the devastation of my birthplace (injured bodies aching in wait, starving orphaned children, mass graves set amid rubble) with evidence of all the beautiful dynamic magic its descendants make.”


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USA: Haitian Nationals Granted Temporary Protected Status · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a special status given by the United States to foreign nationals from specific countries where there has been some sort of recent turmoil or trauma, such as war or an earthquake.  The status requires that the individual already be in the United States, and the individual must apply for consideration under TPS.  Currently, TPS is given to citizens of El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Somalia, and Sudan.  As the name implies, the status is temporary and does not automatically qualify an individual for permanent residency (green card) or citizenship.
This week, following the horrific 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti, a number of politicians and journalists began calling on the United States to give TPS to the one to two million (by most estimates) Haitian nationals that live in the country.  Several petitions, including one by breakthrough, were circulated, and 83 Congresspersons signed a letter to President Obama requesting TPS for Haitians.
On Friday, January 15, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano granted TPS to all Haitians currently living in the US for eighteen months.
Prior to the announcement, blogger The Latin Americanist noted:
Haitian expats and immigration advocates have long clamored for TPS for Haitians, especially in light of numerous hurricanes and major storms over the past decade. Though their pleas had fallen on deaf ears by both the Bush and Obama administrations, support for Haitian TPS has gained backing from key lawmakers
Also prior to the decision, American blogger and immigration scholar Koulflo Memo called TPS a “no-brainer”:
The right wing Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has announced opposition to granting TPS for Haiti. The reason they give is that they assume Haitians won’t leave after TPS is lifted. They also say the Haiti situation does not meet TPS criteria. FAIR’s opposition is dishonest and wrongheaded. It is also racist.
I hope President Obama is not over-calculating his chances for comprehensive immigration reform later this year by appeasing the FAIR constituency on this crucial humanitarian issue.  Such a non-response would indeed forsake Haiti in its time of need.
American blogger Deep Thought commended the Obama administration's decision, writing:
President Obama showed real leadership in moving quickly to help the people of Haiti. He and Secretary Napolitano also showed compassion in suspending deportations to Haiti for eighteen months by granting TPS (temporary protected status) to Haitians currently in the United States; dumping a bunch more people into the current scene of devastation would be unhelpful at best and disastrous at worst. Yes, they are getting some heat from Nativist groups but the real test of leadership is the ability to make tough decisions because they are right.
Blogger and adoptive parent all buttoned up  discusses thanking her representative for pushing for TPS and also requests help for Haiti's many orphans, writing:
This issue is getting a lot of press at the moment.  I hope that it makes a difference, but you and I both know that people grow tired of seeing the same sadness over and over again.  There were more than 200,000 orphans  living in Port-au-Prince before all of this began, and however you feel about these issues– and they are complicated– none of this intervention is meant to undermine the integrity of the Haitian people or their desire to look after their own children.  It is just not possible for them to do so.  This is a humanitarian issue.
Although Haitians in the United States are now protected for the next 18 months at minimum and able to work, the people of Haiti still need help.  Here are a few organizations providing relief in Haiti, and here are a few ways you can donate hotel or frequent flier miles.
Please visit the Global Voices Haiti Earthquake page for more coverage of the event.


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Haiti: Hoping for Miracles  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“This city is more densely populated than I can fathom. The work ahead in Port and other areas is mind-numbing. I know there are tons of efforts being made — some of which you'll never get to hear about on media or blogs”: The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog is sure they will “see miracles this week.”


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Haiti: International clashes over humanitarian assistance  · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

Five days after the terrible earthquake which has partly destroyed the capital city, Port-au-Prince and others like Leogane and Jacmel, it has been very difficult for rescuers, medical teams and humanitarian services  to reach the population and help the survivors.
However, these difficulties are not generated by a lack of commitment and will from the International Community, which has shown almost immediate reactivity to assist and help, as explained by AlterPresseHaiti [Fr]:
[…] La visite de Ban Ki Moon suivra celle de la secrétaire d’État des États-Unis, Hillary Clinton, qui a passé quelques heures à Port-au-Prince ce 16 janvier afin d’exprimer au président René Préval et au peuple haïtien la solidarité et l’engagement de Washington.
[…]
Pour sa part, le président français Nicolas Sarkozy avait dépêché le 14 janvier à Port-au-Prince le secrétaire d’Etat à la coopération, Alain Joyandet, pour exprimer « la solidarité de la France à ce peuple meurtri ».
Le président dominicain, Leonel Fernandez, avait effectué le 13 janvier une visite surprise à la capitale pour présenter ses sympathies au président Préval et au peuple haïtien.
All these visits paid by foreign authorities can't hide the difficulties that their respective teams of rescuers are facing. Martinican blogger Bel Balawou adds a post about the whole management of Port-au-Prince airport [Fr]:
Haïti: des avions remplis d'aide refoulés, des dizaines de personnes obligées de dormir sur le tarmac faute de pouvoir s'envoler, des tonnes d'aide attentant d'être distribués du fait d'une mauvaise coordination: la colère grondait samedi à l'aéroport de Port-au-Prince.
Here is an excerpt of the NGO Doctors Without Borders's press release (01.17.10) doubling Bel Balawou's post:
Port-au-Prince/Paris /New York, 17 January 2009—Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) urges that its cargo planes carrying essential medical and surgical material be allowed to land in Port-au-Prince in order to treat thousands of wounded waiting for vital surgical operations. Priority must be given immediately to planes carrying lifesaving equipment and medical personnel.
The explanation comes from another post from blogger Potoprincipe [Fr]:
La gestion de l'aéroport de Port-au-Prince, capitale haïtienne largement détruite par un puissant tremblement de terre mardi, a été confiée vendredi aux Américains par le gouvernement haïtien.
Mais plusieurs avions transportant de l'aide n'ont pas pu atterrir.
BelBalawou gets more precise on the situation [Fr]:
Cette gestion de l'aéroport par les Américains a même créé des tensions diplomatiques après le refoulement vendredi d'un avion français qui avait à son bord un hôpital de campagne, alors que les moyens pour traiter les blessés manquent cruellement.
On the same line, Potoprincipe explains that other countries have met with the same experience [Fr]:
Des sources officielles ont par ailleurs indiqué à l'AFP qu'un avion cargo de l'armée argentine, transportant notamment du matériel médical et une unité de purification d'eau, était toujours bloqué samedi dans un aéroport situé à 120 km de Saint-Domingue, que deux avions mexicains avaient dû attendre “deux jours et demi en République dominicaine” avant d'être autorisés à atterrir et que 40 tonnes d'aide en provenance du Pérou avaient été finalement acheminées par voie terrestre samedi depuis Saint-Domingue.
Facing criticism and protest from other countries bringing assistance to Haitian people, the American authorities had to defend their position. Bel Balawou quotes an American official here [Fr]:
‘On décide en coordination avec l'ONU et les Haïtiens’, a expliqué M. Merten, en rappelant la nécessité de hiérarchiser les priorités: ‘il est clair qu'il y a un problème’, a-t-il reconnu. Il met néanmoins en avant le fait que les Américains ont été capables de rendre, en 24 heures, utilisable l'aéroport dont la tour de contrôle a été touchée par le séisme.
These recent diplomatic clashes raises questions among bloggers, Bel Balawou shares some thoughts on the way international humanitarian assistance should be managed [Fr]:
L'administration de l'aide internationale est généralement confiée à du personnel issu du pays bailleur de fonds. Pour réaliser la promesse du développement, il faut changer cette pratique et embaucher du personnel local, estime un auteur américain qui connaît bien Haïti.
This fear for the future of Haiti, concerning the International Community and humanitarian assistance is shared by Radio Kiskeya, who publishes a post entitled “Are we straight on the way to be placed under foreign supervision?” [Fr]:
Une bonne partie de l’intelligentsia est soit en deuil ou prise sous les débris. L’aide internationale ne s’embarrasse même plus de consulter les forces vives du pays pour coordonner la distribution de vivres. Haïti est édentée.
In this same post, the author Harold Isaac makes a point which sounds like an invitation to the Diaspora:
Et c’est là qu’un rendez-vous historique est en train de se révéler : Une opportunité exceptionnelle de mobilisation de toutes les forces vives et compétences d’origines ou d’affinités haïtiennes, de l’intérieur et de l’extérieur, pour constituer une alternative fiable de gouvernance.
Please visit the Global Voices Haiti Earthquake page for more coverage of the event.


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