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UK: #TwitterKurds Organize First Social Media Gathering in London · Global Voices
Nigar Hacizade

A group of Kurdish Internet activists that have been organizing around the #TwitterKurds hashtag on Twitter have come together for the first Kurdish Social Media Gathering earlier this month in London.
The event, which was followed through the #KSMG (Kurdish Social Media Gathering) tag, was live streamed and joined in via Skype and YouTube by those who could not be there physically, although there were participants who had traveled from as far as Australia to participate. It was held on January 21, 2012.
@xoshink: @TaraFatehi speaking at the #KSMG in London! She travelled all the way from Australia! #Bijî!#TwitterKurds
One of the organizers, @kurdishblogger, tweeted a photo of @TaraFatehi speaking to the participants:
@TaraFatehi is here from Australia to talk about Kurdish issues&Kurds in Australia #Twitterkurds#KSMG12 #Kurdistan pic.twitter.com/wVTqS0k3
A Kurdish Twitter user @TaraFatehi flew in from Australia to attend the KSMG in London. Photo shared by @kurdishblogger on Twitter
Others who were not physically there joined in the conversation with how they use the #TwitterKurds tag to communicate.
@xoshink: Social media connected me to amazing people around the globe; helped me find Kurds locally with ambitions to make a change.
@Vexhevxwaz: I totally agree with @apogeeculture1.#TwitterKurds inspired me to organize actions in my local Kurdish community.
Participants focused on social media strategies, Twitter in particular, to attract attention to a given news story, as well as carry out a campaign.
@Shakawan: Q: where do we go from here ? should trending kurdish issues be the top priority?
@B9AcE: Tactics should be chosen from a strategic goal. TT reaches mainly new mainstream. Directed campaigns a #TwitterKurds
@B9AcE: Need new, high impact topic. Send it to large noise makers, asking for it to be spread starting at same time.
@WRyaM: social media tools are also podcasts, Events, collective bookmarking wikis… so let us use them all
Organizers then showed a video sent from Diyarbakır, “sent to them for this gathering by Abdullah Demirbaş, who is the mayor of Sur Municipality in Diyarbakır.” The presenter also noted it was
“worth making a mention at this moment of a very important agency in Amed (Diyarbakır) called @AjansAmed – it's a new social media organization website, a group of social media activists who have put together these videos that you are seeing tonight. Abdullah Demirbaş was part of a campaign to get people tweeting. Every Thursday we were tweeting #abdullahdemirbas, because he has a medical condition he needs to leave America for but he can't travel, because he was taken to court and now he has a travel ban.”
Xende Biradostî tweets:
@Wekhevxwaz Thank you, #KSMG for raising awareness of the plight of #AbdullahDemirbas. #TwitterKurds
Image shared by Halkevi Media on Twitter of the event
One of the speakers was Mehmet, from Halkevi Media, in London. His presentation also included strategies to use social media towards what he saw was beneficial to the Kurdish communities:
This gathering to me is one of the most important events of 2012. I work for Halkevi, the social media part at @halkevimedia, so social media is very important to me. I think we have been lacking in the social media area for quite a while and our numbers are not maximized, there are more Kurds on the internet but they are using it more for their personal stuff, but (social media can also be used) to create awareness and consciousness of Kurdish issues and democratic struggle of Kurdish people and people in the region. I want to talk about the importance of social media in diplomacy – we need to increase the social media effect in diplomatic spheres. We need to determine the agenda rather than having our agenda formed by outside events, such as arrests, operations, etc. We need to have our agenda and initiate to lead rather than be led by political developments that constantly change. Also, we constantly tweet the same thing, it's not getting outside. We need to target certain individuals, for example Middle East correspondents of every single international media organization and MPs. Social media needs to be not separate from grassroots, there are 200,000 Kurds in this country, we needed to have more people here. We need to use different strategies to engage them.
@JowanM: “We have to determine the news” rather than waiting for them. Well said by current speaker #KSMG #TwitterKurds
@apogeeculture1: Kurds from all over are coming together for the first time in history through social media.@halkevimedia #twitterkurds #ksmg#KurdishRights
Next, @quzzulqurt from Turkey joined in via Skype. He noted that “this (social media) is a big chance for us around the world to come together. Before there was only Roj TV but now we have this chance and must use it to create awareness, for non-Kurds and Kurds in the region.”
@Zurdosh: @Kurdishblogger has just asked @quzzulqurtabout reporting in English more in North Kurdistan (turkey) #TwitterKurds#KSMG
@PerwinBerdizi: #KSMG#TwitterKurds it is our job, we kurds who can speak ceveral language to translate to the diasporan people
Participants elaborated more on reaching out to professional journalists during breaking news events.
@kurdishblogger: in order to attract the attention of international media, it is extremely important to have a photo, video or witness who can testify. Say, a BBC journalist needs at least 2 witnesses. They don't have that much time, you have to help them. You need to have a photo and you need to give context. People post photos on facebook without any explanation, I am Kurdish and I might know but you can't expect an international journalist to know (what the context is).
@PerwinBerdizi: #KSMG#TwitterKurds unfortunately today's journalism is about copy+paste therefore, do half of their job and contribute with throughout news!
@B9AcE: @AbsoIuteBanana Nowadays activists must basically write journos articles with pictures & quotes for them. Complete work. #KSMG#TwitterKurds
Tweeps deemed the gathering an overall success, with many people asking if there will be similar events in the future.
@apogeeculture1: We have now had participants from all parts of Kurdistan and Australia, Japan, Turkey, Israel! Kurds go International! #ksmg #twitterkurds
@kurdishblogger: “Tweets are more powerful than bullets” Quote of the day at first Kurdish Social Media gathering#Twitterkurds who said this? #Kurdistan
Further reading:
More reactions are available on this Storify compilation by Nigar Hacizade.

author: Nigar Hacizade


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Bangladesh: Protest Against Criminalization For Archiving A Banned Book · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hana at Unheard Voice highlights a petition by twenty human rights activists, academics and members of the Bangladeshi civil society in which they protest the arrest of a Head Teacher for having a copy of Taslima Nasreen’s ‘Lajja’ in the school’s library.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Rezwan


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Brazil: Sex Scandal on Big Brother Provokes Debate on Machismo · Global Voices
Yohana de Andrade

[All links lead to Portuguese language pages except when otherwise noted.]
In the early hours of the 14th of January, on Big Brother Brazil (BBB), the program with the largest audience in the country, there took place “a rape on live television, without anyone doing anything about it”. The comment comes from Alê, a feminist blogger who was disgusted by the passivity of the biggest television network in the country, TV Globo, when she witnessed the event. Alongside her, thousands of other internet users voiced their outrage.
After partying on Saturday night, BBB contestant Monique Amin, a 23-year-old student, went to her bedroom. Having consumed alcohol – as is encouraged by “Globo itself (…) in copious measures” – Monique got into bed, clearly drunk. Daniel Echaniz, a model aged 31, went with Monique and lay down next to her on the bed. Moments later, he appears to be making sexual movements towards her. However, as the program itself has admitted, Monique was not awake, and it was therefore impossible for her to consent to any sexual activity.
Blogger Leticia Fernandez shared the news stream that the premium version of BBB showed at the time:
Está rolando o clima entre Daniel e Monique debaixo do edredom. Ele se mexe, parece acariciar a sister, mas a loira não se move.
As you'd expect, the video of the event was not available on the internet for very long. Videos on YouTube were removed “for violating YouTube's policy on content involving nudity or sex”.
Love is a beautiful thing … machismo is not
The events didn't receive any immediate response on television, except for the comments of the program's presenter, Pedro Bial, who said – after viewers had been shown a video that, according to several Twitter users, had been edited to diminish the impact of the events  – that “love is a beautiful thing”. However, the size of the backlash on the internet was inversely proportional to the televised response. The topic was discussed on blogs, news sites, Twitter and Facebook.
On Twitter, many people suggested that “it might be a hoax to increase the ratings”, according to blogger Rosangela Basso.
Ana Marques, known as Morango, a former participant of the show, criticized the handling of the events, saying that she herself felt violated:
Esperei ouvir de Bial, jornalista e pai de uma filha que tem a idade de Monique, um manifesto de repúdio à atitude de Daniel que servisse de exemplo. Também esperei do “BBB” uma edição minimamente transparente e depois, um posicionamento. Mas foi o contrário.
Though opinions on sexual abuse in BBB were almost unanimous across the social networks, there were also internet users who saw the case from a different perspective.
"Machismo Kills", Slut Walk, Brasilia 2011. Photo by Bianca Cardoso on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Journalist Sara Martinez (@sarafcmartinez) complained of the spread of comments such as “she was drunk / she deserved it / she's a slut / the guy is black, so it was bound to happen”. While several people shared photos of the Slut Walk [en] protests in Brazil, journalist and writer Nina Lemos, shocked by Pedro Bial's statement, summarized the day's events as “cynicism and machismo”:
Chocante é (…) também o machismo que correu solto na internet o dia inteiro ao se falar do caso.  “Quem bebe além da conta não tem do que reclamar no dia seguinte. Se quer respeito, aprende a beber”, escreveu um blogueiro com milhares de seguidores.
More than just an incident on a reality show, what happened between Daniel and Monique also raises important questions related to sexual behaviour and education in Brazil.
Alex Castro, from the Papo de Homem (Men's Chat) blog, wrote an article based on “the following rule: if there's any doubt, don't rape”:
Estamos há séculos ensinando as meninas como se vestir e como agir – para a segurança delas, claro! Mas talvez fosse a hora de ensinar os meninos como não-estuprar. (…) entre esses pais que controlam as saias das filhas com tanta ênfase e afico, quantos já usaram a MESMA ênfase e o mesmo afinco para controlar os hormônios e os impulsos dos filhos? Para ter uma conversa franca e aberta sobre estupro e escolha?
In just a few hours his article gathered “3 thousand likes on Facebook, 850 RTs (retweets), 160 comments, and was read 80 thousand times”, as he reported on his private profile on Facebook.
In the same vein as “it's not women who need to learn to avoid and protect themselves against rape, it's men who need to learn that they must not rape”, the collective blog Biscate Social Club furthered the debate on rape, stating:
Estupro não é sexo. Estupro não é uma vontade incontrolável de dar prazer à outra pessoa mesmo que ela não saiba que quer muito isso. Estupro não é um favor, não é um acidente, não é uma empolgação. Estupro é uma violência que decorre de uma relação de poder. No estupro, aproveita-se da vulnerabilidade do outro.
Applying the law to a “reality show”
As journalist Natalia Mendes wrote in a special article for the Nota de Rodapé (Footer) blog, it was only “after the mobilization on the social networks and the #DanielExpulso (#EvictDaniel) hashtag reaching first place in Twitter's Trending Topics” that the program's producers took action.
It was only in the episode on Monday 16th January that Globo decided to make its move. Not specifically mentioning what happened, Pedro Bial said that Daniel had broken the show's rules and had therefore been evicted. Federal Public Defender Francisco had already stated on Twitter that it was Globo's duty to do so, reinforcing the use of article 215 of the Penal Code regarding rape of a vulnerable person,  explaining “that the instigation of the action does not depend on the victim”, as the action would be assumed.
Maíra Mano explains in her blog why the actions can be considered a crime:
Segundo o artigo 213 da lei 12.015, de 2009, é estupro “constranger alguém, mediante violência ou grave ameaça, a ter conjunção carnal ou a praticar ou permitir que com ele se pratique outro ato libidinoso”. (…) também é preciso mencionar o artigo 215, que fala sobre violação sexual mediante fraude e estupro de vulnerável na modalidade em que a vítima está impossibilitada, por outro meio, de oferecer resistência.
"You cannot touch without my consent". Photo by Bianca Cardoso on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
On Tuesday 17th January, the presenter spoke again on the program about the case, and confirmed TV Globo's statement that both Daniel and Monique were conscious on the Saturday night, even despite Monique “possibly suffering from alcoholic amnesia” having previously claimed that she didn't remember what had happened. Globo itself announced on the 17th that both of them had denied rape in statements to the police.
It would not be the first time that a case of sexual abuse has occurred in a Big Brother reality show. The website Operamundi details a similar case in South Africa, in which although “many people demanded that the student be held legally responsible for his actions”:
os dois seguiram no programa até o final. Após votação popular, Richard ganhou o BB da África do Sul e faturou o grande prêmio — Ofunneka ficou em segundo.
Ana flávia Ramos, from the Tab na Rede (Tab on the Net) blog, leaves us with a question:
O histórico de barbaridades no BBB já não é novo, mas quais serão os limites do programa após um suposto estupro em cadeia nacional? Como será interpretada pelas autoridades públicas e pelos telespectadores a omissão da Globo diante do caso?

author: Yohana de Andrade


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Brazil: Watchdog of 2016 Olympics Reports on Suspended Bid · Global Voices
Thiana Biondo

An injunction has suspended bid for 2016 Rio Olympic Park, reported the organization RioOnWatch. The court considered that the concerned Public-Private Partnership contract is not clear on whether or not the Olympic development to be constructed on the Vila Autódromo neighbourhood would imply the eviction of 900 families from the area.

author: Thiana Biondo


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Chile: Mapping Chile with OpenStreetMap · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In El Quinto Poder [es], Marcelo Aliaga writes about OpenStreetMap (OSM), “a free editable map of the whole world,” and the OSM community in Chile. He invites Chileans to participate and stay informed through the local blog. [es]

author: Silvia Viñas


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Cuba: No Political Reforms  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cuban bloggers discuss the national Communist Party conference, which took place this past weekend.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Cuba: Pope’s Visit & Human Rights  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In the wake of more repression against Las Damas de Blanco, Uncommon Sense thinks “that the pope should postpone his visit until human rights conditions improve in Cuba.”


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India: A Disastrous Tour Of Australia · Global Voices
Rezwan

In the context of the Indian cricket team's recent bad performance Amreekandeshi has some suggestions how to improve India's fortunes in Australia.


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India: Child Abuse In Mumbai · Global Voices
Rezwan

Debolina Raja Gupta blames Mumbai police for not being able to solve the recent child abuse cases and the trend is on the rise as a consequence.


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Iran: Asylum seeker committed suicide · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several bloggers reported  [fa] that Mohammad Rahsepar committed suicide in a refugee camp in Germany. The blogger says that “rich Iranians, politicians in exile,…should help these asylum seekers who live in terrible camps.”

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Police controls a Facebook group, arrests its administrators · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

A Facebook group called “Daaf and Paaf” (means hot persons) fell under control of Iran's cyber police. Iran's cyber police announced [fa] on the group's Facebook's wall that “the administrators of this group have confessed to promoting banality”. This group had an online competition for choosing hot Iranian men and women.

author: Hadi Nili


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Jamaica: Types of Racism  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Racists in Jamaica come in at least two varieties: upfront and down-low”: Jamaica Woman Tongue explains.


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Macedonia: “Conformism, Hypocrisy and Opportunism” · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

Human rights activist, journalist and artist Xhabir M. Deralla candidly expressed his view on the role of the civic sector in contemporary Macedonia: “The choir of indolent subjects stands mute. As media get quieter, the stench of the decay prevails. The civil society forgets that media are civil society, too. Civil society seems to forget that they themselves are civil society… I see high walls being elevated between people. I look at my county and wonder. When did it become so difficult to see the obvious? When did ability to speak become a handicap?”

author: Filip Stojanovski


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Pakistan: Moral Policing of Dating Couples Gets TV Show Axed · Global Voices
Faisal Kapadia

On January 17, 2012, a morning show was broadcast on Pakistani news network Samaa TV where its female host, Maya Khan, and a group of middle aged women were seen scouring the parks of Karachi. Their sole objective was to hold accountable couples visiting the parks in order to be on a date together without their guardians’ knowledge.
During this show the group was seen chasing the couples around the park, forcing many of them to flee, cornering one and then recording them without their consent. As they repeatedly asked for the camera to be switched off, they were told it was, but the Samaa Team continued to film discreetly with sound.
During this episode couples were also asked to prove they were married to one another and produce their marriage certificates for the host Maya Khan.
Screenshot from Youtube Video. Click on image to watch.
This episode prompted strong protests from social media users in Pakistan, and many reacted like Mehreen Kasana, who said:
See, girls fall in love pretty much every single day of the week and so do boys. Sometimes they make the right decision, sometimes they make mistakes. It’s called being human. But trust me, they don’t need a team of middle aged women hounding them down public places to enlighten them about their decisions. And trust me, their mothers will handle whatever happens. No one asked you or anyone else to take the responsibility of scrutinizing them.
The uproar following the airing of this episode was by this time apparent all over Twitter and Facebook in Pakistan. Bina Shah in her piece for the Tribune remarked:
Time and again the ethics of our media have been called into question, as channels embrace sensationalism in order to achieve the highest ratings. The television channel in question will find themselves open to legal action by victims of their harassment who are being portrayed on television without their consent. Airing this segment also appeals to the worst instincts in our hypocritical society by passing moral judgment in the name of family values upon two innocent people, which makes for some of the most irresponsible broadcast journalism found in Pakistan today.
A loosely knit group of civic society activists at this juncture uploaded and started an online petition against this show called ‘STOP “Subah Saverey Maya kay Sath” vigilantism like Lal Masjid‘. Dozens of people also complained to PEMRA (Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority) via this online feedback form.
On January 22, lawyer Osama Siddique drafted a brief letter expressing outrage at the highly intrusive, invasive and potentially irresponsible behavior on the part of the host. This letter and a followup letter were sent by a group of citizens to Zafar Siddiqi (President CNBC Pakistan, with which Samaa TV is affiliated).
Beena Sarwar, a civil society activist deeply involved in this protest remarked on her post ‘No to vigil aunties‘:
The first time I saw a link to this show was on Jan 22, shared on a Facebook group, on Jan 21, 2012. I, and many others, began sharing the Youtube links on Facebook and Twitter. As it spread, the outrage grew.
People were shocked at the level of intrusion and vigilantism on display. From India, came comments on twitter about the Saffron vigilante brigade that has been known to drag couples into temples and force them into instant marriage. Which reminded me that the mentality we are protesting is not limited to Pakistan.
Graphic courtesy Teeth Maestro
By 23 January the online petition mentioned earlier had 4,800 signatures on it, and several articles were being written on what was wrong with this kind of broadcast journalism; this combined pressure resulted in the removal of the Maya Khan Facebook page and subsequently the taking down of YouTube links to this show.
In her show on the 23 January, Maya Khan  apologized for this episode and mentioned time and again that this was not meant to hurt people. However by this time civil society activists were asking for a public and unconditional apology and the removal of this show from the airwaves. Efforts had also started to contact the sponsors of this network and more specifically this show.
Samaa TV responded to the letter sent to them by asking Maya Khan for an unconditional apology, which she refused, upon which on January 28, Zafar Siddiqi wrote back to inform that Maya Khan and her team have been terminated and her show will not longer air from the 30 January.
So today is the first day the show is off air. This is a watershed moment in Pakistan’s broadcast media history and social media as it comes to the realization that although it is allowed to push the limits set upon it, there are limits and they must be observed. In any case it is a good precedent for civil society to gear up and enforce rights like privacy and freewill to interact without public harassment in Pakistan.

author: Faisal Kapadia


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Peru: Terrorism, Youth and Social Networks · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

One of the strongest repercussions of the case of MOVADEF's (Movement for Amnesty and Fundamental Rights) application to register as a political party, besides allegations of being a cover for the terrorist group Shining Path (SP), is the amount of young activists and supporters the group has attracted. It is widely believed that most of the 350,000 signatures that the movement presented for its inscription were gathered by means of deception or forgery [es]. Nonetheless, even if this is true, there is no way to deny MOVADEF counts with support among certain young groups.
Most of the explanations are oriented towards the faults of the Peruvian education system that is said to have failed to teach [es] kids and young people about the terrorist era, and to the attitude of some politicians [es] who are against spreading the Final Report [es] of the  CVR (Commission for Truth and Reconciliation). There isn't much talk about the responsibility of the political parties for not confronting [es] the propaganda of this or any other anti-democratic group in spaces like universities or urban and rural bases.
There hasn't been much talk either about the strategies that MOVADEF is using to gain support. However, the alleged objective of at least one of them becomes evident as they increasingly use social networks to spread their message, given that these platforms are mainly used by the youth [es] in Peru. A simple search in Facebook [es] throws several results of profiles and pages of the different MOVADEF cells. The same search results in some pages against MOVADEF, so things get even in a certain way.
YouTube is another social network where MOVADEF is present and active. The group's channel [es] offers videos of their past activities and interviews with members like this one:
There's at least one YouTube user dedicated to uploading videos of activities and interviews against MOVADEF, as well as historic testimonies of the terrorism era: Hagamos Memoria Perú [es] (“Let's Remember Peru”) posts videos like this one:
We haven't found an official Twitter account for MOVADEF, but there is a user named @noalmovadef [es] (“no to MOVADEF”).
Even though the arguments posed by MOVADEF activists, like the ones shown in the previous video, can be despicable and rebuttable, TV stations have shown certain intolerance by not arguing or debating such arguments. This was evident in two (1, [es] 2 [es]) shows from channel Frecuencia Latina. Susana Frisancho posted in her blog [es] about another TV interview, and a commentator points out the attitude of the TV hosts:
fundamentalmente se dedica a interrumpir a sus entrevistados sin dejarlos terinar [sic] una frase completa y sin permitirles que expongan sus ideas con ninguna claridad. Eso no es disputar algo en el terreno político, sino querer silenciarlo, y también es producto de nuestro sistema educativo y de la asunción (en el fondo, irracional) de consensos que no por ser mayoritarios (quizás) son justos o beneficiosos. Por ejemplo, el consenso de que estos jóvenes no tienen derecho a hablar, o incluso el consenso de que Abimael Guzmán debe seguir en la cárcel, algo que debería justificarse en el diálogo y no simplemente decirse a voz en cuello por encima de los que creen que no es así.
Basically, they keep interrupting their guests without letting them finish a complete phrase and without letting them expose their ideas with clarity. This is not debating in a political arena, this is silencing, and it is also a product of our education system and the assumption that (irrationally) consensus that not because they are not coming from a majority (maybe) are fair or beneficial. For example, the consensus that these young men do not have the right to talk or even the consensus that Abimael Guzmán must stay in jail, something should be justified in the dialogue and not simply said on top of their lungs and over the people that don't believe so.
On Ideele Radio's blog there is a transcription [es] of an interview of Congressman Javier Diez Canseco, who pointed out the need for a political and ideological debate: “because their game [MOVADEF's] is not getting registered, but making themselves known and spreading their senderista [Shinning Path] ideas”:
“para cualquiera que tiene dos dedos de frente el colocar el tema de que adhieren al ‘pensamiento guía de Gonzalo’, tenía precisamente por objeto colocar por delante el hacer difusión de la lógica senderista más que el de lograr la inscripción” […] “Me parece claro que en ese sentido han jugado y juegan, y creo que esa es la lógica de negociación desde la cual están presionando al Gobierno y al país. Creo que efectivamente, tienen una presencia juvenil que revela un nivel de significación que hay que encarar en un debate político ideológico en el pedido que viene por delante”, acotó. Ratificó que el tema debe ser enfrentado con una batalla ideológica y el esfuerzo de gestar un liderazgo político que genere niveles de movilización, de acción, y levante banderas y campañas concretas que resuelvan los problemas que tiene la población.
“any rational mind can perceive that the issue of agreeing to ‘Gonzalo's thinking guide’, had the precise objective of spreading the Shinning Path's logic, not of achieving the inscription” […] “In that sense, I think it's clear they have played and still play and that's the negotiation logic with which they are pressing the government and the country. I think that they in fact have a lot of youth presence which raises the need to have a political ideological debate”, he said. He ratified that the issue must be faced with an ideological battle and the effort to impulse a political leadership that can bring the level of mobilization, flag raising and concrete campaigns that solve the peoples’ problems.
Many agree that against terrorism there should not be any contemplation [es]; but it is worth noting that such attitude of denying the adversary its humanity originated the attacks against human rights [es] during the anti-subversion struggle in the country. On the other hand, MOVADEF represents a certain change in Shining Path's strategy since during the terrorism era it never showed its face directly and turned away any sort of dialogue [es]. Now MOVADEF, even if it's only a tactic, shows itself “without a mask”, and has not pulled away from [es] the terrorist actions and ideology of SP.
The recent announcement [es] from the Executive saying that a bill will be presented before the National Election Jury (JNE) to prevent the registration of MOVADEF as a political party, arguing the group is a facade of the terrorist group Shining Path, represents the position of refusing to come up with a truce with terrorism. With this point in mind, Dante Castro of the blog The Fruit of the Alien Fence reflected [es]:
(MOVADEF) ha puesto a prueba la legitimidad del sistema democrático. MOVADEF quiso inscribirse como partido político en el Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE) pero fue rechazado por motivos ideológicos. Una organización que se declara “marxista-leninista-maoísta-pensamiento Gonzalo” obviamente es el PCP Sendero Luminoso con otro membrete. ¿Hasta qué punto la democracia liberal es tan sólida como para asumir un desafío de tal envergadura?
(MOVADEF) has tested the legitimacy of the democratic system. MOVADEF wanted to register as a political party before the National Election Jury (JNE) but was rejected because of ideological motives. An organization that declares itself “marxist-leninist-maoist-Gonzalo thinking” is obviously Shining Path with another letterhead. How solid is the liberal democracy to take on such a challenge?
Finally, journalist Maria Isabel Guerra brings up [es] an interesting point, and on which little has been said:
Lo que me preocupa, me reafirmo, es que el caldo de cultivo social y económico que dio origen y sustento a esta desquiciada ideología sigue vigente. En veinte años las cosas no han cambiado, seguimos teniendo vergonzosos porcentajes de peruanos viviendo en extrema miseria, y en lugar de cuestionarnos esa realidad y de hacer algo para cambiarla y crecer como sociedad integrada, lo que hacemos es temer que unos desquiciados los engañen con discursos extremistas. Me parece que eso es querer tapar el sol con un dedo. No se trata de acallar a la fuerza los discursos extremistas, que eso es como tratar de “proteger al pobrecito campesino” tapándole los oídos sino de mejorar sus condiciones de vida. Que exista un discurso extremista puede ser problemático, pero que NO sepamos cuáles son las condiciones para que éste prenda, que pretendamos ignorarlo y no hagamos nada, es vergonzoso.
What I'm worried about, and I repeat myself, is that the social and economic experiment that generated and sustained this crazy ideology is still alive. In twenty years, things haven't changed, we still have embarrassing percentages of Peruvians living in extreme poverty, and instead of questioning that reality and doing something to change it and grow up as an integrated society, what we do is fear some madmen will trick us with extremist speeches. I think it is like trying to cover the sun with a finger. It is not about silencing the strength of the extremists’ speeches, which would be like trying to “protect the poor peasant” by covering his ears, it is about trying to improve their living conditions. That there is an extremist speech could be problematic, but that we DON'T know which conditions are needed for it to blossom, that we try to ignore it and do nothing, is shameful.

author: Juan Arellano


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Philippines: Protest Against Removal of Trees by Shopping Mall · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

The plan of SM City Baguio shopping mall in north Philippines to remove more than 100 trees to make way for a new parking lot and entertainment site has been greeted by massive protests from concerned citizens and various cause-oriented groups. SM is owned by the Philippines’ richest businessman.
Thousands marched through the streets of Baguio City last January 20, to defend the trees and call on the public to boycott SM City Baguio. The hashtag #ProtectBaguiotrees became the top Twitter trend in the country that day.
Take Me to the Riot makes the Joni Mitchel song refrain “They paved paradise to put up a parking lot” the starting point of her musings on the issue:
Funnily, it feels like the entire history of that mountain is all about uprooting and displacement. Tribes – like the Kankanaey, Igorots, and Ifugao  – were uprooted from the heart of the city and were displaced to other places. Some had to move to other areas in Benguet.
These people, like those trees, have been around older than any SM Baguio, 7-11 or McDonald’s in Session rd. But commercialism, in this case parking lots, are always stronger–enough to uproot and displace those who have known the land longer and maybe even more intimately.
Protest in front of SM Baguio. Photo from @KrissyAngela
A Mommy Who Tries Living Life to the Fullest!, inspired by the pro-environment Wall-E 3D animation, points out the lack of significant difference between uprooting and transferring the trees and cutting them down.
These promises are good if you don't know what happened to the past trees that were being earth balled. Dr. Michael Bengwayan (executive director of Cordillera Ecological Center-PINE TREE) said that, for the 497 pine trees that were being earth-balled by Camp John Hay Development Corp. last 1994, only less than 20% survived and those not dead were showing signs of deteriorating. So, we should expect that out of the 187 Pine Trees that will be uprooted, more or less only 30 trees will survive.
Baguio City residents decry the lack of public consultations and are questioning the issuance of permit to the mall for the removal of the trees. Student writers hit the government's connivance with big business:
Worse, even the current administration sanctions this one-sided step and seems to refuse in protecting the interests of the larger population. President Aquino along with city officials themselves shows no disapproval of this plan and the DENR issued the permit for the implementation.
Stretching the Symbolic meanwhile concludes that the cause is ultimately against the “world capitalist system”:
This is not just a battle for the trees, or against SM corporations and their corporate greed; this is a battle for our people, of Baguio and the country, against the large system where tree-cutting projects like this are just one of the numerous evil manifestations. This is fight against a system where things are done for the benefit of a few and at the expense of the many.

author: Karlo Mongaya


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South Africa: Student Anti-Racism Poster Causes a Stir · Global Voices
Ismail Dhorat

The Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO) recently released a controversial poster as part of their anti-racism campaign. The “In OUR future, you wouldn't look twice” poster shows a naked mixed-race couple embracing.
The poster has caused a huge stir on Facebook, Twitter and blogs and even generated viral spoof posters. Here are some of online reactions on this.
Impendingboom says:
If you take the time to read through the Facebook comments, the way South Africans respond differently to the same image is quite interesting.
We can roughly divide the response into four categories:
1.	It’s cheesy and belongs in the 90s
2.	Its simplistic portrayal of race relations is offensive
3.	It’s beautiful, we need more of this
4.	It’s repulsive, you’ve lost my vote
Jacques Rousseau at synapses says:
That’s what this poster does. It simply highlights the fact that some people would look twice at an inter-racial couple, and reminds viewers of the poster that in the ideal DASO future, this wouldn’t happen.
Baas De Beer notes:
Such a campaign will never be without criticism. The majority being that it’s immoral, overtly sexual and sends out conflicting messages to the youth. To this I just have to say: Wake up, welcome to the year 2012. There are more risqué ads that promote tampons, chocolates and cameras. It does not in any way promote sexual promiscuity (who said these two aren’t married (The CDP complained about this)). The only message this one conflicts with, is the message of hate and separation that white and black adults who are still stuck in the stone-age preach to their kids.
Regarding the statement it made, I personally respect it and think it’s about time that someone said it. Wouldn’t this world be a better place to live in if people stopped finding fault in others’ lives simply because they are too scared to face their own demons? Wouldn’t this planet be more enjoyable if society didn’t exclude, but include? If race, culture, sex and religion were not used as weapons? You are allowed to have your own opinion, but that’s just it: YOUR opinion. If you don’t like interracial relationships, THEN DON’T BE IN ONE. Easy, neh?
Slicktiger takes a tongue in cheek approach:
Anyway, the DASO okes are on a whole OTHER LEVEL for putting this charna on their political poster and addressing a CRUCIAL ISSUE in South African society of NOT ENOUGH OKES WHO LIKE TO KLAP IT IN POLITICS.
Jaqamba takes a critical look at DASO:
In my opinion, the posters are an embarrassment to DASO and its membership. They are neither controversial, nor can they serve as a proper yardstick to judge SA’s racial relations. In any society, however integrated it may claim to be, there will be conservatives and fundamentalists. In a similar fashion, there are South Africans (black and white) who strongly hold on to their pre-democratic or apartheid-era views about race and racial morality. However, since there are no laws preventing racial integration or promoting racial purity, the issue is moot and debating it will serve no meaningful purpose to the South African society. For an allegedly progressive lot, DASO seems to be chewing on dry bubble-gum.
Rosealix at 10and5 says:
While some are staunchly for the idea, others are sure the DA is accusing today’s South Africans of being racist and while some conservatives are appalled at the nudity, others have been asking if there’ll be any gay loving in the next of the series. Some are calling it a stereotype and some are calling it irrelevant to the times and for all those aghast at the standard of creative work, others are wondering what all the fuss is about.
Mafedi Selepe observes:
With the sentiments of DASO probably been of Nobel intentions, we can’t see past the misconception from incorrect reasoning that is the poster. To me as I sat and disgruntled the poster and used the same method that I was taught at the bourgeois school, I safely came to the conclusion that DASO was trying to tell us that we can cohabit only if we are prepared to say the white man is superior than the black, thus perpetuating but carefully tweaking the architect of Hendrick Verwoerd of a neighborly society that knows and embraces its indifferences to allow the half baked rainbow nation that was only but a dream for the Mandelas, the Sisulus and the heroes and heroines et al.
AKanyangaafrica identifies what the controversial poster has achieved:
The Ads would, unfortunately, make you want to love South Africans even more, if you never did. Even social networks were buzzing, with many accusing the party of claiming to be non-racist when it in fact is. Although the views were diverse across racial line – but one could get a sense that many black people were angrier than whites as, to them, DA was far from being the non-racial opposition party it claimed to be.”
“DA may not have achieved one of the objectives it intended to (of portraying itself as a non-racial party) but it managed to get South Africans debating the thorny and controversial race issue, and at the same time exposing our racist tendencies. To Sarah Britten the posters meant we would find them unusual or offensive, thereby implying we are “excessively aware of race” which would then require our re-education “in the principles of non-racialism by the DA” (my emphasis).
Tsholo describes what people see when looking at the poster:
Focusing on someone race can never stamp out racism, I think. At the end of the day, because the poster is ABOUT race, when you look at the poster you see a BLACK girl and a WHITE guy, not just a couple.
However, SihleMthembu believes the campaign was a success:
Personally, I think all of u are getting emo (emotional)  about nothing, lol. Whether it was black guy and a white chick or not, it would have still sent the same message. I think this campaign is success in the sense that it has people talking. I think the idea is about crossing racial boundaries….and my guess is the ones finding it very hard to accept this campaign for what it is are individuals who are still not comfortable with inter-racial relationships.
Below are some of the responses on Twitter:
@wildebees: If a UK political party's youth wing got this amount of debate going on Twitter they'd be hailed as pure genius #DASO
@joshjordaan: I've just heard that yesterdays #DASO poster was on SkyNews this morning! International!
@ryguy_smith: How does one go about finding the man posing on the recent #DASO homosexual poster? Also, who has a wedding dress to lend me? :P
@simphiwedana: If you want to tackle race, address the issue of white privilege. Like the people of Duluth are doing #DASO
@thealexparker: Yawn. #DASO poster so very JCR. Does have the benefit of pissing off the right people, mind you.”
@OliverHermanus: As someone in an interracial relationship I don't look twice & folk don't look twice at me. Its relevant, but isn't the future bigger? #DASO
@scrookson: The DASO poster is obviously designed to be controversial. Attention seeking because the DA needs it?”
The poster also managed to generate viral spoof posters such as:

author: Ismail Dhorat


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Trinidad & Tobago: Abuse of Trust  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The TnT River says of an incident in which a teacher allegedly stuck a student's head in a toilet bowl: “This is another case of child abuse which comes in a different form and from an institution entrusted with the education and all-round development of this child.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Reviving Capital Punishment?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Plain Talk comments on the issue of capital punishment: “The sad reality is that this pantomime only continues because the people are starved for choice, so every now and then these tired discussions are pulled out, dusted off and begun again in ernest to no benefit to anybody.”


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US, Russia: The Flying Balalaika Brothers Bridge Cultural Gaps in Texas · Global Voices
Donna Welles

Like many of their compatriots, musicians Zhenya Kolykhanov and Sergey Vaschenko emigrated from Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. They have since established themselves in Texas, USA, and through the formation of a band called the Flying Balalaika Brothers and a non-profit called Musical Connections, they work to bridge cultural gaps by exposing Texans to international art.
Along with providing readers with a daily calendar of performances, music videos, and sound bites, the group's official website elaborates on how the Flying Balalaika Brothers got established in Austin, Texas:
The Original Flying Balalaika Brothers were formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Zhenya Kolykhanov (a.k.a. Z Rock), the former lead guitarist of the Russian surf/rockabilly group Red Elvises. The group started as a street band and later transformed into the group Red Elvises; which had a large history of performing for clubs, motion pictures, and tv shows in California.
After Zhenya set up shop in Austin TX, he reestablished The Flying Balalaika Brothers. The band represents a blend of traditional world music and original musical pieces. The group has found a home in the musically rich culture in Austin TX.
NowPlayingAustin Blog, an affiliate of a 35-year-old non-profit devoted to promoting the arts in Central Texas, assessed the Flying Balalaika Brothers’ style in an announcement of an upcoming performance:
Russian, Roma Gypsy, Ukrainian and foot stomping original songs get hands clapping and feet dancing in a crazy blend of rock, bluegrass and traditional folk music from around the world. Now front man for the Flying Balalaika Brothers, Zhenya Rock was a founding member of the Red Elvises and penned some of their biggest hits including “Red Lips Red Eyes Red Stockings,” the full soundtrack for Six String Samarai and the full album “Bedroom Boogie.” William Michael Smith recently wrote in the Houston Press, “Austin's Flying Balalaika Brothers are to Russian folk music what Béla Fleck is to bluegrass: Outside-the-box, no-boundaries, take-no-prisoners innovators. The FBBs combine jaw-dropping virtuosity with a masterful sense of mixing up genres ranging from rock to Russian folk to bluegrass; if that sounds weird, it's also cool as hell.”
In May 2011, The Flying Balalaika Brothers appeared on 90.5 FM KUT, an Austin-based radio station. The Daily Grackle Blog posted a video of their live performance:
Coastal Bend College Blog discussed Mr. Kolykhanov's and Mr. Vaschenko's educational and professional backgrounds, including Mr. Vaschenko's eligibility for Grammy Awards in 2003 and 2008:
Kolykhanov graduated from Tchaikovsky Music College in Vologda, Russia, in 1984. He later came to the United States to study critical thinking, reading and fine arts at the University of Delaware. In addition to the balalaika, Kolykhanov plays guitar, composes songs for television, and creates art for commercials.
Sergey Vaschenko earned a bachelor’s degree in conducting and balalaika from Lysenko State Music College in Poltava, Ukraine, in 1980 and a master’s in orchestral conducting, teaching and balalaika performance from the Mussorgsky Ural State Conservatory in Sverdlovsk, Russia, in 1985. Vaschenko’s experience includes: Dean of the Faculty of Arts for Perm State Institute of Culture in Perm, Russia; guest soloist for the Latvian Chamber Orchestra in 1989; music educator in Russia, Latvia, Spain, Dallas and Austin; and guest conductor for the Houston Balalaika Society. He won an international award at the music festival in Segovia, Spain, and was a contender for a 2003 and 2008 Grammy award in the world music category.
The post went on to elaborate on the group's outreach efforts in area schools:
In addition to touring and performing, they began successfully presenting educational programs in three languages (English, Spanish and Russian) to students of Texas public and private schools, celebrating the arts in all its diversity by providing a unique approach to studying both the profound similarities and distinctive differences of people throughout history and around the world.
Mr. Kolykhanov and Mr. Vaschenko have formed a non-profit organisation called Musical Connections in order to fund and facilitate educational opportunities for young people. Musical Connections and The Flying Balalaika Brothers have a symbiotic relationship in that the non-profit provides an administrative foundation for the band's artistic objectives, while the band personifies the non-profit. The non-profit's official website articulates its mission:
Musical Connections is a Texas domestic nonprofit corporation, organized to promote a greater understanding of the music of the world through performances, cultural exchanges, musical history and heritage, and by educating the public about the multitude of music produced by cultures around the world. The founders believe that many people in this country fail to appreciate the great variety of music produced in the world today principally because they have not been educated about that music, or have not had chance to hear it performed.
Russian pianist Valeri Grohovski performed in Austin on January 20, as part of a Musical Connections concert series, playing jazz interpretations of works by Bach and Mozart.
Russian pianist Valery Grohovski played jazz interpretations of Bach and Mozart in Austin, Texas, on January 20, 2012. Photo by Donna Welles.

author: Donna Welles


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Ukraine: The Story of Anna Boiko’s Life · Global Voices
Tetyana Bohdanova

I would like to tell you about my grandmother – Boiko Anna. She was born and lives in the village of Yaglush in Rogatyn district of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. She is a cheerful, talented, strong person. A person who has been through a lot, who is full of knowledge and memories.
This is how Anna Boiko’s granddaughter, Olya Suprun, starts [uk] her blog called “The Story of Anna Boiko's Life.”  Online, Olya shares her grandmother’s memories, including stories from the life of their family and other residents of Yaglush.
Her grandmother’s native village, Yaglush, is located in today’s Ivano-Frankivsk region of western Ukraine. This region belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire since 1772, to West Ukrainian People’s Republic for a short period after World War I, to interwar Poland between the 1920s and the late 1930s, to the Soviet and then Nazi forces during World War II, and then again to the Soviets from 1944 until Ukraine’s independence in 1991.
Anna Boiko with her husband Mykhailo. Photo scanned by Olya Suprun, used with permission.
Anna Boiko’s memories recorded by her granddaughter go back as early as 1939 and depict the experiences of Yaglush residents during the times of the region's transfer from the Polish to the Soviet rule, the World War II period, and the subsequent return of the Soviet power. They touch on such painful topics of Ukraine’s history as the Nazi occupation, repressions and deportations of the local population during the early years of communism, the fate of the partisans from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
This is how Anna describes [uk] the life of the village with World War II looming on the horizon:
The things in politics were tremulous, too, [people] were expecting better times than under Poland, but things did not turn for the better. The arrests and prosecutions began. Several families were deported to Siberia: Zakhariy Zliukovsky, Dutka and a few more families that were resettled here from Poland. The landowner’s land was divided up, and [my] mom got a few hundred [square meters].  But the land was of clay soil and inaccessible in the rain – there was no good road.
[…]
At that time the war with Germans was approaching. I remember it was a Sunday, a bright and sunny day. Grandma was chatting with a neighbor woman in the house. I went to the yard to let the chicken out […]. Suddenly [I heard] a loud roar of thunder – one, then another. I ran to the house and told grandmother, “Grandma, get the hen in, a rainstorm is coming!” Although the sky was clear, without a single cloud and no storm was in sight. Soon mom came home and said she heard in a village that there was a war! It was not thunder, but the sound of bombs falling. From that day on people became very cautious. It was the year of 1941.
Despite her grandmother's difficult childhood, Olya portrays her as a knowledgeable yet curious 75-year-old woman, who writes poetry and memoires, does beautiful embroidery, plays computer games and enjoys cooking. She frequently shares Anna’s poems, recipes and stories of everyday village life, while paying special attention to customs and traditions cherished by its residents.
Traditional dishes made by Anna Boiko for the 12-Dish Christmas Eve Dinner. Photo by Olya Suprun, used with permission.
In one of the posts, Olya admits [uk] to both being new to blogging and to realizing that her blog is rather unusual:
I know this blog is a bit weird and of an unusual format: strange, unknown house in the background, unpopular stories in which it is hard to find some meaning, and, in addition to this, their author – my grandma – is not the author of this blog… but it is neither [meant] for ratings, nor for profit; in order to understand its significance, one must read between the lines…
Anna Boiko reads a blog about herself together with her husband. Photo by Olya Suprun, used with permission.
It seems, however, that the popularity of The Story of Anna Boiko's Life has already exceeded its author’s expectations. In 2011, it was recognized as the best personal blog at Best Ukrainian Blog Awards [uk], and the number of its readers and fans continues to grow.

author: Tetyana Bohdanova


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Azerbaijan: #LightYourFire Eurovision Meme · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Baku in May, a new Internet Meme has appeared on Twitter. With Azerbaijan known as the Land of Fire, the hashtag for the international singing contest is the same as this year's official motto, #LightYourFire.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bermuda: “Constant Circus”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Premier is saying that she will pass more good governance laws.  That’s positive,” says Vexed Bermoothes.  But he still can't help but wonder: “You need laws to control the actions of your own inner circle?  Seriously?”


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Bolivia: Pro-Road March Reaches La Paz · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Marchers in favor of a project to build a road that would go through the TIPNIS indigenous territory reached La Paz. Mario R. Duran from the blog Palabras Libres [es] reports that residents of El Alto and La Paz received the march with indifference.


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China: A review of the new high-speed rail between Shenzhen and Guangzhou · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Cam from Nanfang writes a review on the newly built high-speed rail service between Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The two train stations locate at the out skirt of the cities but the train ride takesless than 35 minutes.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: The legacy of Wukan · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Bandurski from China Media Project blogs about the discussion among Chinese public intellectuals on the political implications of Wukan struggle against land acquisition in Guangdong.


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Costa Rica: Young Entrepreneurs Present Mobile Game · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Six young Costa Rican entrepreneurs have created a mobile game platform called TweetLand. In the blog Fusil de Chispas [es], Cristian Cambronero writes about the debut of Route 140, the first game in the collection.


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Cuba: Human Rights Double Standard  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Lilianne Ruíz, blogging at Translating Cuba, compares a television spot “that shows a series of watercolors of butterflies from one of the five officials of the Interior Ministry imprisoned in the United States…with the stories that are told of Cuban jails, especially for political prisoners who, ever since their detention, have been victims of socialist legality whose first act is to pretend to ignore human rights.”


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Cuba: Upwardly Mobile?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The latest Cuban media campaign “is directed against the [expensive] mobile vendors, those sellers of fruits and vegetables who transport their goods on a tricycle or other wheeled device” – Generation Y says: “Although this is a problem that hurts us all, I don’t think we will solve it with appeals to the vendors’ conscience.”


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Iran: Official launch of Cyber Police · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

Iran police has announced [fa] the official launch of Iran cyber police in Tehran, Iran capital. The deputy commander of this cyber police says that 40 percent of cyber crimes take place in Tehran.


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Iran:American Accent for Persian Speakers  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

This video shares insights for Persian first-language speakers who wish to improve their pronunciation, word stress, and intonation in American English.


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Jamaica: Bleached · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Annie Paul posts an article she wrote about Vybz Kartel and the skin bleaching phenomenon.


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Mexico: Discussing Nonviolence with Javier Sicilia · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Fred Rosen interviewed Javier Sicilia, founder of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity. Rosen will report on the conversation in upcoming posts in his blog at the NACLA (North American Congress on Latin America) website; in this first post he focuses on “some excerpts on the questions of nonviolence and the process of dialogue.”


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Moldova: Anti-Government Protests Receive Little Endorsement From Netizens · Global Voices
Diana Lungu

For the past two weeks Moldovans have been out in the streets, protesting. The organizers of the rallies – several politicians who have joined the Committee to Defend the Constitution and Democracy – are demanding the resignation of the government and early elections.
The rallies were triggered by the announced decision of the authorities to hold a referendum in mid-spring on amending the constitution in an attempt to make it possible to elect the Moldovan president by a simple parliamentary majority. The country has not had a president since 2009. Several previous attempts by the parliament to elect a leader have failed, resulting twice in early elections and an unsuccessful referendum.
While more protests have been announced to take place every weekend in the coming months and to be supported by the former ruling Communist party, and despite the overall dissatisfaction within the society with the ruling alliance and its inability to elect the head of state, the current anti-government protests have received very little endorsement from Moldova's online community.
The Facebook group ‘Down with the oligarchs’ government!,’ created by the protest organizers, hasn't managed to reach even 300 supporters, and several people have written on the wall with the request not to be invited to the protests.
The first day of the protests in Chisinau, Moldova – January 22, 2012. Photo by blogger Eugen Luchianiuc, http://luchianiuc.com/blog/, used with permission.
In a comment posted to Eugen Luchianiuc’s Facebook photo of the first protests, user Mircea Scinteianu writes [ro]:
The photo is very good! Congratulations to the author. The event, however, is not worth a second of attention. […]
The same appeal to ignore the organizers can be read in other online comments. While commenting on a news story about the protests held on Sunday, January 29, user Lupan posts:
DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING ANYMORE!
His arguments refer to the organizers of the protests, the Communist Party and the Christian Democratic People’s Party; according to him:
They do not mean anything to us, let’s demonstrate this to them by not commenting and by not paying attention to them anymore.
Netizens seem to have their well-grounded reasons to stay aside from the ongoing protests, and their arguments have nothing to do with the yellow-code alert of cold temperature of up to -20°C these days in Moldova’s capital.
User janaad.arc comments online:
Yes, in 2005 my entire family and I believed in Rosca [the leader of the Christian Democratic People’s Party, one of the main organizers of the protests], we voted for him at the elections, we thought he was honest and wanted to do something for this little country, but when I saw him create a coalition with Voronin [the former Communist president], I lost all my faith in this person, he became a political corpse, traitor of the nation and the country…
For blogger Radu Marian, too, the man behind the protests seems to be the reason for distrust. He writes [ro]:
Oh well, I have reached the end of my patience and the one to blame is: that bearded face which we have all seen these days on TV: Rosca – this hypocrite, for whom at the age of 12 I used to go out every day in the rain and wind to fight for a country without communism. Now, this man is disturbing my ears with his pathetic discourses in the main square about how well he licks the communists’ bottoms, at the masquerade someone called “big protests”!
He continues:
Yes! People have the right to be dissatisfied – things are going crazy in our politics and life! Yes! People are right to go out and protest!
But not at the appeal of a communist flatterer, without any verticality…  How would Rosca be able to gather 2,000 people in the streets (and those being Russian speakers)? This makes one doubt even gravitation on earth. Seriously, Rosca would not be able to convince even 3 giraffes to come to the protests!
Nonetheless, netizens seem to agree that the ruling coalition has to resign. User bunica90 writes:
The current government has long exceeded its legal mandate offered by the people, has parasitized all state institution and during three years, under the cover of the pro-European slogans, has controlled all fluxes of money entering the Republic of Moldova. These are the reasons for which the alliance has to leave the power.

author: Diana Lungu


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Panama: President Receives Draft for New Constitution  · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“President Martinelli received [es] a draft of a new constitution from a special commission working on the subject,” reports Bloggings by boz. Boz looks at two of the biggest issues regarding the reform: reelection and the creation of a Constitutional Court within the Supreme Court.


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Puerto Rico: The Art of Sound · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Julieta Muñoz interviews artist Carola Cintrón Moscoso for Revista Cruce [es] on the art of sound: “There was light, but something was missing: sound!,” says Carola who works with audio in her pieces. Please check out the video in which Carola talks about her art, and herself, in an interview as part of a recent presentation in Barcelona.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Puerto Rico: Waste of Money  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Dondequiera says of a US $20 million ad campaign to promote tourism: “If we could only use 1/4 of that money to police and clean our beaches, maintain the bathrooms…. I just thought you'd like to know how your hard earned tax dollars were being spent. The whole thing just disgusts me.”


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Russia, Syria: Anti- and Pro-Assad Facebook Comment Attack · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Facebook pages of some Russian media outlets (e.g., Afisha, Bolshoi Gorod, Esquire Russia, Channel 1, MTV Russia) were deluged with copy-pasted comments [ru, ar] from users who appeared to be supporters of the Syrian opposition earlier today. An excerpt from a typical comment [ru, ar]: “Syria's regime is killing people with the Russian weapons. If it hadn't been for the Russian veto, the killing of the people in Syria would have been stopped a few months ago. […]” On President Medvedev's and PM Putin's Facebook pages there are comments [en, ru, ar] from both the opponents and supporters of the Syrian regime (e.g., here and here).

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Spanish-Speaking Twittersphere Fumes Over Announcement · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Twitter's announcement, published on January 26, 2012, which revealed that due to its international growth it will restrict certain user content according to the laws of each individual country, caused an immediate and overwhelmingly negative reaction in the Spanish-speaking Twittersphere.
The hashtags #CensuramestaTwitter and #TwitterCensored were used on a massive scale by Twitter users to show their disagreement with the website's decision, and #CensuramestaTwitter became a trending topic  in various countries in the region as well as in other parts of the world.
Just as the hashtags indicate, the first reaction to Twitter's decision was to cry censorship. One of the first bloggers to argue the point was Colombian blogger Víctor Solano, who characterized the day as “one of the saddest days in the history of social networking freedom,” and among other things said [es]:
Image by Andreas Eldh, under Creative Commons Generic Attribution 2.0 license (CC BY 2.0)
Así las cosas, si esto hubiese ocurrido hace un año, no sabemos cómo habría sido el desarrollo de la ‘Primavera árabe’, el fenómeno que sacudió gobiernos como los de Túnez, gracias a la participación muy activa de los ciudadanos inconformes a través de las redes sociales. Con esta decisión, muchas de las ideas se convierten potencialmente en subversivas si llegan a incomodar a cualquier gobierno, sin que este tenga que ser necesariamente una dictadura.
Afterwards he reflected on how this new measure would be implemented:
Cuando un tweet alerte que hay una irregularidad en el día de las elecciones en un país que esté regentado por un gobierno que lleve, digamos, ocho años en el poder, ¿El gobierno podría solicitar que lo borre porque altera la tranquilidad y el orden? Casos como este y muchos más manipulan la puerta giratoria entre la libertad y la represión a la perseguida libertad de expresión.
From Spain, we hear from Rodaimos, who writes for the blog Mi mar conceptual, apart from aggregating other microblogging alternatives such as StatusNet [en] and the own well-known platform, identi.ca [en], speculated [es]:
No hace falta decir, que esto atenta no solo contra la libertad de expresión, sino también contra la libertad de prensa. Además, nos deja ante una inquietante pregunta: Si Twitter es capaz de hacer esto públicamente, ¿Qué es lo que hará a escondidas? ¿Pasará Twitter un listado de infractores a las autoridades de cada país?
On the Spanish technology website Bitelia, JJ Velasco commented [es] along the same lines:
Creo que la nota de Twitter es muy desafortunada ya que intentar vestir la censura como una herramienta para cumplir la legislación francesa o alemana es una excusa muy pobre que apenas se sostiene pero, por muchas vueltas que se le de, la censura seguirá siendo censura y, con este anuncio, Twitter le brinda a muchos gobiernos la posibilidad de ejercer dicha censura a nivel local. Un movimiento bastante triste.
From Mexico, Sophiegadget of SweetieGeeks.com  gave [es] a practical example of what could potentially happen with Twitter's actions:
En México, ¿Qué pasa si al gobierno se le ocurre que este es un país seguro, que no hay balaceras ni narcotráfico? ¿Twitter censuraría todos los tweets con este tipo de contenido? Si así fuera, comenzaríamos a vivir en la mentira, y no solo en un país de mentiras, en un mundo de mentiras
Twitter, for its part, has declared [es] through a spokesperson that “our announcement has nothing to do with censorship,” adding that the announcement “absolutely does not imply any type of change” in its policy or philosophy on freedom of expression. Eduardo Arcos of Ecuador agreed with Twitter's declarations, and said on ALT1040 that “Twitter will not censor” [es]:
Twitter ha eliminado contenido y hasta eliminado cuentas desde hace años. No es nada nuevo. Es normal, y además ¡es necesario! ¿Les parece bien que si un gobierno hace una demanda formal a Twitter para que se retire contenido publicado por una persona a páginas de pornografía infantil, estas no se eliminen? La libertad de expresión no solo es un derecho, es una responsabilidad y Twitter como plataforma tiene que mantener esos principios, tanto ofreciendo el servicio sin costo a cualquier persona que desee usarla para expresarse como también ejerciendo control hacia aquellos que intentan aprovecharse para cometer delitos.
To this he added later:
Por último Twitter busca hacer todo esto de la forma más transparente posible y junto a Chilling Effects ha creado una sección donde detallará cada caso en que un gobierno pida que se censure un contenido particular. De tal forma que nosotros sepamos exactamente quien y por qué pide que un contenido no se muestre. […] Entonces tranquilos, nadie los está censurando y el poder de publicar en esta plataforma no está en peligro.
Claudio Ruiz, of Chile, on FayerWayer agreed with this opinion, reflecting that [es]:
Antes de hablar de censura y abuso en los nuevos términos de uso hay que tomar en cuenta que hoy se bajan contenidos de redes sociales. Todos los días. Y todos lo hacen, algunos con mayor transparencia (Twitter, Google), otros con menos (Facebook). Y esto, por lo demás, es razonable que ocurra. Es un derecho vinculado a la protección de la privacidad poder solicitar la bajada de ciertos contenido bajo las circunstancias que la ley local establezca para la protección de cierta información personal. Esto no va a cambiar con las nuevas políticas. La diferencia entre lo que sucede hoy y las nuevas políticas es que ahora dicho bloqueo sólo tendrá efectos locales. De censura poco puede haber si las bajadas de contenido se hacen 1) Localmente; y 2) bajo las reglas establecidas en las leyes locales y no de manera arbitraria.
However, this is not the opinion of the majority and a TwitterBlackout was organized on Jan. 28, in which users stayed away from the platform for the entire day. The Twitter activity under the hashtags #TwitterBlackout and #j28 were going strong, and #TwitterBlackout became a Trending Topic worldwide. Manuel Moreno on Trecebits pointed out: [es]
Twitter ha conseguido enfadar a sus usuarios. A lo grande. Su anuncio de que ha desarrollado un sistema que permitirá eliminar los mensajes de los usuarios que no cumplan con la legalidad en algunos países ha sido considerado por muchos como censura. […] Veremos si mañana desciende el número de tweets en protesta por la medida… y si Twitter escucha a sus usuarios esta vez.
Finally, Enzo Abbagliati, on El Quinto Poder in Childe, reflected [es] on the motivations for protest:
Los ciudadanos debemos exigirles a nuestros estados una defensa sin ambigüedades del estándar democrático. Y ese estándar incluye en su base la libertad de expresión. Pero en el mundo en red, ese estándar también debemos exigírselo a las empresas de la red, a esas que bajo las lógicas de la Sociedad de la Información, hacen de nosotros y nuestros contenidos, la fuente de su prosperidad. Twitter debe cumplir las leyes que rigen en todos los países donde opera o espera funcionar. Eso está fuera de toda duda, pero si para aumentar su penetración mundial cierra los ojos a las restricciones de libertad de expresión que en muchos casos existen, en lo personal no me gusta. Si lo aceptamos, estaríamos dando por perdida la batalla que entre libertad y control está teniendo lugar por estos días en las redes.
Other articles on the topic:
Technosociology – Why Twitter’s new policy is helpful for free-speech advocates
Global Voices Advocacy – What Does Twitter’s Country-by-Country Takedown System Mean for Freedom of Expression?
Mashable – Relax: Twitter’s New Censorship Policy Is Actually Good for Activists
Thenextweb – Worried about possible restrictions on Twitter? Here’s how to get around them.
HuffingtonPost – Twitter Censorship Policy Ignites Global Outrage


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Bahamas: Freedom of Information Debate  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Once passed, the legislation will be brought into effect by the middle of this year, binding any future government. So we are late again, but potentially a big step closer to delivering more openness and accountability in public affairs”: The country is getting ready to debate its Freedom of Information Bill; Bahama Pundit's Larry Smith reports.


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Bahamas: Same Old Election Game  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blogworld “regard[s] the incoherencies that pass for election rhetoric with a sense of disgust” and explains why.


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Bolivia: Chiquitano Indigenous Create Twitter Account to Promote Their Language · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Members of the Chiquitano indigenous community in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, have created the Twitter account @monkoxbesiro [es] to promote the use of the Chiquitano (Bésiro) language in Bolivia.


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Cambodia: Number of Families Involved in Land Disputes · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

According to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, there are 47,000 families which have been embroiled in 223 land disputes in Cambodia.

author: Mong Palatino


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Cambodia: Photos of Senate Elections · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Lauren Crothers posts pictures of the recent senate elections in Cambodia. The pictures were taken at Boeng Trabek high school in Phnom Penh.


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Chile: NGO Report Reveals Increase in Sex Crimes · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

author: Silvia Viñas


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China: Several Tibetan Language Blog Sites Shut Down · Global Voices
Dechen Pemba

This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.
Against the backdrop of a stream of self-immolations in Tibet in protest against Chinese rule, unrest in eastern Tibet with protestors shot by police and a severely increased military presence, several of the most popular independently-run Tibetan language blog sites hosted in China have gone offline as of today.
The blog section of the website AmdoTibet has been closed (the rest of the site is functioning) and the following notice can be seen:
The notice in Chinese reads: “Due to some of the blog users not publishing in accordance with the goal of this site, the blog has temporarily been shut down, we hope that blog users will have understanding!”
Another very popular blog site Sangdhor.com is also offline, without any explanation. In October 2011, Sangdhor boldly published a poem titled “Mourning” that was about the self-immolations in Tibet. The poem was quickly taken offline. An English translation of the poem was published on High Peaks Pure Earth.
Below are two screenshots of Sangdhor.com, the top screenshot shows Sangdhor in its functioning state and the bottom screenshot was taken earlier today:
Finally the blog site Rangdrol.net is also offline and contains an interesting notice in Tibetan. In October 2011, Rangdrol published a poem titled “The Truth of Flames on the Thorny Path” which carried many references to fire and flames; the poem was taken offline (read the English translation on High Peaks Pure Earth).
Below is a screenshot of Rangdrol taken earlier, the English text “Site off-line” suggests that the administrators have removed the site, and the Tibetan text underneath reads: “For the sake of life, we are mourning and crying”.
This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.

author: Dechen Pemba


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Common Language in Southeast Asia · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

What should be the common language in the Southeast Asian region? Thai, Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa Melayu? Kaewmala discusses this issue.


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Cuba: What’s on President Rousseff’s Agenda? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Brazil's first female president is in Cuba on a visit intended “to strengthen bilateral ties especially in the economic and commercial spheres”, according to the Cuban press. Bloggers are very interested in her agenda.
The Cuban Triangle, who trusts that the focus of the trip will remain economic, raises the issue of the Mariel port project and says of the possibility of Brazilian companies investing in ethanol production in Cuba:
Let’s hope that’s the case. Brazilian investment in Cuban ethanol production would bring world-class technology and know-how to Cuba, generate jobs, enable Cuba to cut oil imports and foreign exchange expenditures, and provide sorely needed revival to an economically and culturally important sector of the Cuban countryside.
babalu is more interested in the statement by the President's special advisor, which suggests that her foreign policy “will emphasize human rights”. The post goes on to highlight a contradictory statement by Rousseff's foreign minister, which said that “there doesn’t appear to be a (Human Rights) emergency in Cuba” – to which the blogger quips:
Absolutely-Un-‘Freakin-Real
Capitol Hill Cubans, meanwhile, posts a reminder of what it calls the President's “convenient memory lapse”:
In 1970, now Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was arrested and tried for her armed opposition to that country's military dictatorship (1964-1985).
Yet, today, she's unwilling to meet or show solidarity with peaceful opponents of Cuba's military dictatorship during her visit to Havana.
In response to the foreign minister's statement, the blog writes:
We'd like to remind the Rousseff Administration that the International Committee of the Red Cross and the U.N.'s Special Rapporteur on Torture have unfettered access to the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo.
Meanwhile, the Castro regime has not allowed either of these international observers into Cuban prisons in its 52-year rule.
Moreover, it's fascinating how Rousseff sensed the emergency regarding human rights in Brazil during its military junta, which inexcusably imprisoned, executed and exiled tens of thousands of Brazilians — numbers stymied by the brutal Castro dictatorship in Cuba.
Finally, Yoani Sanchez (who incidentally is still waiting on permission from the Cuban authorities to travel to Brazil for the presentation of “Cuba-Honduras Connection”, a documentary in which she appears) weighs in, saying of the presidential visit:
Everything seemed neatly tied up: a fast timeframe, efficient, protocol, focused on economic themes, ending with her boarding her flight to Haiti. But something complicated it.
Several days before the Brazilian economist and politician landed at Jose Marti Airport, a young Cuban died after a prolonged hunger strike. The official media threw itself into presenting him as a common criminal…the radicalized discourse of power and the political temperature reached those levels where our rulers perform so well. In that context, the recently concluded Conference of the Cuban Communist Party became more an act of reaffirmation than of change, a statement of unity rather than an opening. Many who were waiting for an announcement of political transformations of great significance, realized that the event was, instead, the ultimate lost opportunity for the generation in power. One day after its closure, Raul Castro — General Secretary of the only permitted party — received Dilma Rousseff, the former guerrilla who today leads a country with diverse political forces and a highly critical press.
Brazil is our second largest trading partner in Latin America, but it’s not just a question of resources. The Raul regime also has the urge, at this time, to be legitimized by other presidents in the region. So there will be smiles, handshakes, commitments to ‘eternal friendship’ and photos, lots of photos. The civic activists, for their part, will attempt a meeting with the woman who was tortured and imprisoned during a military government, though there is little chance that she will receive them. Dilma Rousseff will converse with Raul Castro, she will be very close to him at exactly this delicate juncture in which chance has placed her. We hope she will not miss the opportunity and will comport herself consistent with the clamor for democracy, instead of opting for a complicit silence before a dictatorship.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Cuba: U.S. Citizen Held During Trip “Home”  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Capitol Hill Cubans reports on an incident in which a “Cuban-American and family man is wrongly accused and detained” while on a visit to Cuba.


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Ethiopia: Freedom of Expression in Jeopardy · Global Voices
Endalkachew Chala

More than ten journalists have been imprisoned in Ethiopia since June 2011 and according to the Committee to Protect Journalists about 25% of exiled journalists in Africa are from Ethiopia, making the country the world's main enemy of the major driving forces of free expression: journalists, bloggers and political dissidents.
Two of those in jail, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson are Swedish journalists who have been labeled by Prime Minster Meles Zenawi as terror accomplices. They are serving 11 year sentences for “helping” and “promoting” the outlawed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebel group and entering the country illegally.
Three other local journalists received 14-16 year sentences and heavy fines recently for “terrorism-related” offenses. Exiled blogger Elias Kifle was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment. One other journalist and blogger, Eskinder Nega, who is indicted with six different terrorism charges is facing the death penalty.
Jailed in Ethiopia: left, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson. Photo courtesy of freejohanandmartin.org
Nicholas Kristof draws attention to Ethiopia’s worsening situation of journalists with his wounding criticisms of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government:
In countries like Ethiopia, there are no reliable institutions to look after human rights and create checks and balances. There isn’t a free election system, independent court system, opposite party structure or all the other mechanisms that keep a regime honest. So one of the few ways to provide accountability is through journalists, local and international. And when Meles or another dictator arrests these journalists or drives them into exile, the losers are all the citizens of the country.
Human rights and free press advocacy organizations are incessantly campaigning for the release of imprisoned journalists. The New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Sans Frontières, Index on Censorship and the International Federation of Journalists are all protesting the government’s treatment of journalists.
Facebook image calling for the release of all political prisoners. Image courtesy of Ethiopia Mitmita Facebook page.
Endalk summarises the global press outcry and highlights the context in which the Swedish journalists were being tried in Ethiopian court. He adds:
My reporting has included analyses of how the Ethiopian media both private and government media is covering court proceedings; how David Isaac, Eritrean-Swedish, was reported in Ethiopia’s media and the state of freedom of expression in Ethiopia such as continues brandish of arrests and accusations of journalists and opposition leaders. These malaises are most visible in Ethiopian media landscape since the ratification of the contentious anti-terrorism proclamation in 2009 which lead to the closure of independent newspapers, accusations, detentions and kicking out of journalists and bloggers out of their country.
Netizens’ opposition to Meles Zenawi's government gained new momentum after Kristof asked his Twitter followers to report Meles sightings in Davos, Switzerland. Kristof wanted to ask Meles why he has driven more journalists into exile over the last decade than any other leader in the world. He wrote:
I’m in Davos, Switzerland, for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, and so is Meles I’ve been pursuing him for the last few days, trying to confront him and ask him about his worsening pattern of brutality. He has refused to see me, so I enlisted (https://twitter.com/nickkristof )my Twitter followers to report Meles sightings. I want to ask him why he has driven more journalists into exile over the last decade than any other leader in the world, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York City.
Ethiopian blogger and journalist, Eskinder Nega, is facing the death penalty. Photo courtesy of FreeEskinderNega.com
One anonymous reader responded to Kistof’s opinion piece:
Meles has hoodwinked or scared many Western journalists from writing the plight of the Ethiopian people. Kristof is the exception to lay it out there. Meles is the most sophisticated dictator who cornered the market in PR or deception by buying senators, congressional representatives, columnists and professors with money and lies, thus piling up himself as a leader. At the same time, he is running Ethiopia as his fiefdom by confiscating land and industries, by denying access to technology and property rights, while applying the severest punishment to journalists and civil society members who oppose his policies. To stave off any Arab Springs type revolt, he has crafted an anti-terrorism law, where he stands as the most dangerous terrorist of all as far as the Ethiopian people are concerned.
Addis Neger’s Facebook page shared a link of a petition demanding the release of Swedish journalists in Ethiopia. Over 1300 people have signed Kelsey Crows petition and the number of petitioners are growing quickly about a pace of 100 signatures/hour. However, netizens wonder why the petition does not take into account the Ethiopian journalists who are suffering with Swedish journalists.
Ethiopia Mitmita comments on Addis Neger's page:
Where is the petition for our journalist????
Another Facebook user asks:
Why is the petition only for the Swedish journalists? It is really very depressive.
Habtom Gabreegziabher says:
Ethiopia has done nothing that any other country cannot do if it faces with the same situation.
every body has to know the reason behind the arrest was not because the Swedish were Journalist, they were arrested because they crossed sovereign border of a country called Ethiopia.
let me ask you a question,
How many peoples are arrested in the united states because of crossing the border from south America regardless their occupation??
The Americans has the right to protect their border.
the difference in our case is, the criminals who cross our border are Swedish and Europeans and we are Ethiopians and Africans.
JUST BECAUSE SOME BODY IS RICH HE DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO COME INTO MY BACK YARD AS HE WISH. HE HAS TO ASK ME POLITELY TO DO THAT.
A highly politicized trial of a blogger Eskinder Nega will continue in March in the midst of a global outcry for his release.

author: Endalkachew Chala


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Global Voices Podcast: Occupy This! · Global Voices
Jamillah Knowles

This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.
Hello World!
Welcome to another edition of the Global Voices podcast. In this episode we talk through some of the ideas and issues surrounding the global Occupy movement and protests, as we listen to recordings from our team in different parts of the world.
My Greek Co-Host
In this edition, I “occupy” the podcast with Asteris Masouras, Global Voices author and Global Voices in Greek editor.
Asteris has been monitoring the global #Occupy movement online since it all began. Who better to accompany us through this edition of the podcast?
We got together on Skype and discussed Greece, Europe, and the Occupy world, especially in regards to how the movement communicates with itself and others.
Occupy Denmark
Global Voices in Danish co-editor, Maria Grabowski Kjær in Denmark, visits the Occupation there to find out what their methods and messages are. Though many seem to think the protesters are hippies, Thomas, who helped organise the movement in Denmark, aims to prove that this stereotype is not true at all.
Thomas of Occupy Denmark talked to Maria Grabowski Kjier about the movement
London papers
Here in London, the Occupy movement at St Paul’s Cathedral is presented with a newspaper called The Occupied Times of London. I met with Steve Maclean, the editor of the paper, to find out how it works.
Occupy London, Steve Maclean, editor of The Occupied Times
A Camp in Maine
Frances Harlow is an independent radio producer, and friend of Global Voices. In Portland, Maine in the United States, she recorded at a local Occupy camp during her studies at the Salt Institute, after graduating from Brown University.
Frances’ report shows that it’s not always easy to consolidate a message among such passionate people. You can listen to more of Frances’ brilliant audio work here.
What do you make of the global Occupy movement? Is there a camp near you or do you participate?
It’s not easy to fit the entire movement into a short podcast but it has been interesting to highlight the similarities and differences across borders. There’s a whole lot more you can read up on at the special coverage page about the global Occupy movement on Global Voices.
Music Credits
In the podcast you can hear lots of lovely Creative Commons music. Thanks to Mark Cotton for his fantastic creations and thanks also to all of the wonderful voice over performances and clips that help to glue the podcast together.
The Global Voices Podcast, the world is talking, we hope you’re listening!
This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

author: Jamillah Knowles


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Iran: A surprsing Maquette to remember Khomeini · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iran remembered the Islamic Revolution Leader,Ruhollah Khomeini‘s return to Tehran in 1979 by creating a maquette .You can see the photos. A user in Balatarin writes it is a ridiculous show and a kind of idolatry.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Blogger under pressure to give TV confession · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Iranian blogger Hossein Ronaghi Malki is under pressure to give TV confession according to his mother. He is serving a 15 year prison sentence in Tehran.


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Iran: “Using Twitter and Facebook for supreme goal” · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance says [fa]: “As long as global powers are using Facebook and Twitter for their purposes, people of the region should use them to develop their supreme goals”. However, social networks including Facebook and Twitter are blocked inside Iran.

author: Hadi Nili


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Malaysia: Biofuels and Deforestation · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Shreeya Sinha of Asia Society interviews James Whitlow Delano who has been documenting the impact of bio-fuels and deforestation in Malaysia


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Peruvian Blogger Adds to List of Universal Truths and Questions · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Peruvian blogger Cyrano, from Columna 17, has updated his blog with a new list of universal truths and questions. This time [es], he says -among other things- that, “with this whole Internet thing, a letter is more valuable than a treasure.”


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Puerto Rico: Corruption & Lethal Force   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Gil the Jenius takes on the issues of political corruption and the authority of the police to use lethal force in this post.


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Russia: “For Fair Elections” Protest Coordination Portal Launches · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

RosMiting.ru (Russian meeting), a community portal of protest actions, had launched. The portal accumulates information about protest events in various cities of Russia. It was created by the same team which started other interactive portals such as RosYama, RosPil, RosAgit, and RosVybory, politically-engaged crowdsourced communities and interactive portals developed in 2010-2012.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Russia: Ulyanovsk Blogger Wins Libel Case Against Governor · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Ulyanovsk-based blogger Oleg Sofyin (LJ-user lis73) won a court case against Ulyanovsk governor Svetlana Openysheva, lenta.ru reports [ru]. Openysheva tried to sue Sofyin for publishing a post where he described a phone call during which someone named Azat threatened him if he will continue to post critical articles about Openysheva. Despite winning the case, blogger writes [ru] that people fear to support him because they're afraid of possible consequences.


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Russia: Vladimir Putin Ignites a Pre-Election Debate on Nationalism  · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Following Vladimir Putin's article [ru] on ‘nationality question,’ Dmitry Rogozin, vice-premier and former leader of semi-nationalist party “Rodina,” had published [ru] an op-ed in which he calls nationalists who participate in post-election protests to join pro-government ranks. Oleg Kashin, Kommersant reporter, analyses [ru] it as a scary perspective for non-Russians who considered Putin a some sort of defence from radical nationalists. Publicpost.ru, multiblog, summarizes [ru] nationalists’ opinions despising both Putin and Rogozin for forgetting about ethnic Russians.


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Ukraine: Authorities Shut Down File-Sharing Site Ex.ua · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On Jan. 31, the Ukrainian authorities shut down Ex.ua, a popular file-sharing site. A selection of relevant tweets [en, uk, ru] is here: e.g., @sinplotnika [ru]: “The state has deprived you of bread, now it's also decided to take the show [entertainment] away.”; @Urshulia [uk]: “For me, the loss of Ex.ua is the loss of the alternative to TV. […]”; @rlasuria [ru]: “Is Ex.ua [shutdown] #SOPA tricks?)”. More details and comments – at TorrentFreak; reader Taras writes: “In Ukraine movie on BlueRay costs $40 when minimal salary is $120.” Following Ex.ua's shutdown, the Interior Ministry's site has been down for hours; @kotusenko wrote: “[…] is this some sort of hacker retaliation 4 ex.ua?”


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Ukraine: Government Sites Under Attack; “Freedom to Ex.ua” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The official websites of the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Internal Affairs Ministry, and the Party of Regions are either completely down or work with interruptions today. Some of the coordination of the collective effort to take down governmental sites, apparently in response to yesterday's shutdown of Ex.ua, seems to be taking place on the “Freedom to Ex.ua” Vkontakte page [uk, ru], which, according to Serhiy Pishkovtsiy [uk] of Watcher.com.ua blog, “gathered nearly 7,000 followers in just a few hours” today; right now, there are 19,604 followers, and this number continues to grow every minute [update: 42,126 followers on Feb. 3].


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United States: The Art of the Occupy Movement · Global Voices
Gina Cardenas

This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.
The creative cadre of the Occupy Wall Street movement envisions a world where people are free to express their ideas of freedom, equality, and outrage at the system of greed interlocking corporate interests and government. Actors, artists, writers and musicians pay homage to the #Occupy muse and are calling for an international day of creative action on February 12, 2012.
Occupy Visual Arts
The Los Angeles Occupy movement erected a mural depicting a monstrous octopus representing the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States with tentacles reaching into people's lives and homes. The tentacles are so long, they reach across global borders. No one's home can escape its grasp.
'Fed Monster Mural' in Los Angeles. Photo by Mikey Wally on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND)
While the actual encampment has met its end and is prohibited from occupying public space, the mural has gained the protection of Los Angeles city officials, including the mayor, who have designated the mural as a historical artifact. There is currently a bidding process to find a new public viewing space for the mural through the sponsorship of a cultural organization.
Feeding of the 320 Million: The Revolution Will Not be Privatized by Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung.
Occuprint.org is archiving posters created for the different occupy camps across the nation and the world.Artist Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung’s interpretation of the movement (see right) includes “Feeding of the 320 Million: The Revolution Will Not Be Privatized” and is available for download from his website.
The vivid language of the poster is a chaotic amalgamation of American icons. Lady Liberty walks forward ready to face any challenge. The systems of all-consuming power do not hold her back. She is thankfully wearing comfortable shoes, since it may be a long journey!
Artist Paul-Felix Montez is campaigning online to build a 40-foot monument in New York's Zucotti Park based on his own Occupyface design that he has reproduced in posters, masks, sculptures and paintings.
Occupy Literature
The People’s Library is a collective, public, open library coordinated by OWS. They posted an online poetry anthology (PDF) which contains written impressions by the movement’s supporters in no particular hierarchy or arrangement. Among the works in their most recent anthology is Lost Highway by author Masha Tupytsin. The author speaks about the movement in a more subtle and nuanced tone: two lovers in a world where it's OK to express emotion without fear of judgement.
In sleep, in love, we dozed in and out of each other, in and out of the world, lanes criss-crossing, like characters in Lost Highway, except I wasn’t the dark playing off the light, or the the dark playing off the blonde (you). And for the last forty minutes, after the coast was clear, when all the bullies were finally gone, we cruised along the asphalt and held hands under the music. The astral road was stripped of cars, lit up and silver, like the path in the Redwood forests of E.T. or the moon over Elliott’s levitating bike, and it was just us, a punk-rock version of Adam and Eve, us against everything, us there first, or last, except I didn’t come from you or any garden.
Occupy Music
A compilation of musicians supporting Occupy Wall Street is available through the Music for Occupy site. One of the bands, Aeroplane Pageant, sings about greed symbolized as the “Little Bad Wolf.” The band My Pet Dragon sings a “Love Anthem” as an antidote to class warfare. They also feature the work of singer songwriter Jackson Browne who performed in Washington, D.C. last December. His interpretation of the song  “I Am a Patriot” is featured on YouTube.
Occupy tunes browsing is also available on the @OccupyMusic Twitter feed where independent musicians post links to their edgy lyrics and recordings on an ongoing basis.
Occupy Theater
Independent theater groups and performance artists staged a 24-hour demonstration on Friday, December 2, 2011 in New York City’s Paramount Plaza (a.k.a. the “People’s Performance Plaza”) located in the Broadway theater district. The video Occupy Broadway by GammaBlog, a blog on New York politics, architecture and street art, offers a glimpse of the thespian dissent.
This post is part of our special coverage #Occupy Worldwide.

author: Gina Cardenas


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USA: Koreans in L.A. Protesting for Leading Critic of President  · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

South Koreans in Los Angeles, United States, held a protest (video) for the immediate release of Chung Bong-ju, popular on-line critic of South Korean President Mr. Chung was thrown into prison after being convicted of spreading rumors/information connecting Mr. Lee to allegations of stock fraud.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Barbados: Voting Strategy  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Politics is on the Barbadian blogging agenda, here and here, as bloggers consider “the viability of a third political party” and the need to “send many independents to Parliament…to disrupt the circle of corruption.”