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Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Border Shooting Prompts Theories, But No Answers · Global Voices
Aliaskar Adylov

Last week, two Uzbek border guards were killed on the tense and poorly demarcated boundary dividing Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Kyrgyz and Uzbek media have covered the event very differently, leaving little room for objective interpretations of what actually happened.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Fergana Valley, the fertile and densely populated heartland on which Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan converge, has hosted water conflicts, land disputes and inter-ethnic clashes. About 90 kilometers [ru] of the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border has still not been delimited, creating headaches for herders in the region and increasing poverty on both sides. The Uzbek government is reported to have mined [ru] their side of both the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border and the Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border. A difficult situation is further complicated by the existence of geographical enclaves and exclaves that have proved hotbeds of conflicts since the republics gained independence in 1991.
The Fergana Valley and the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Picture is taken from Google Earth 2011.
Usually, more Kyrgyz die on the border than Uzbeks. On June 20, for instance, Uzbek border guards killed a Kyrgyz citizen in circumstances that were never clarified. Despite the fact that the two sides regularly meet [ru] to discuss border issues and work together to demarcate unmarked sections of the border, shootings keep occurring.
According to Kyrgyz mass media, the blood of two Uzbek border guards was found on Kyrgyz territory – local Kyrgyz authorities claim two Uzbek border guards illegally entered the Jetizagar district of Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad region on July 23. Kyrgyz border troops subsequently demanded that the impostors retreat, the narrative runs, before their Uzbek counterparts opened fire, leading to a skirmish in which two of the offending Uzbek contingent were fatally wounded.
Coverage from Uzbek news sites 12news.uz and podrobno.uz meanwhile, left Kyrgyz netizens bemused. Several articles on those two sites and one on uzmetron.com claimed [ru] that drunk Kyrgyz border guards had drifted [ru] into Uzbek territory and simply opened fire on the Uzbeks [ru]. The author Неъматжон Мадаминов [Nematzhon Madaminov] published [ru] the following on podrobno.uz:
Сегодня на территории Наманганской области произошел очередной кровавый инцидент, виновником которого, как всегда, стали пьяные кыргызские пограничники.
Вооруженные до зубов кыргызские военные вторглись на территорию Узбекистана и открыли ничем не спровоцированный огонь по узбекскому пограничному наряду.
Today yet another bloody incident happened on the territory of [Uzbekistan's] Namangan region, and, as usual, drunk Kyrgyz border guards are to blame. Armed to the teeth, Kyrgyz soldiers invaded the territory of Uzbekistan and without any reason opened fire upon the Uzbek border guards.
Podrobno.uz also mentioned the following day that Kyrgyz authorities had apologized [ru] for the murders, although Kyrgyz officials immediately denied [ru] this information. Other Uzbek news portals did not cover the incident at all.
With Uzbekistan's internet tightly restricted, and Kygyzstan's free, the majority of online reactions to the border shooting came from the Kyrgyz side of the cyber divide. Kyrgyz netizens were generally supportive of their border guards, although some called for more peace and unity with neighbors. Others were simply surprised by the Uzbek version of the incident.
One interesting discussion emerged on Akipress, a Kyrgyz media outlet. A user of the service KG.Liga said [ru]:
Молодцы наши Пограничники!!! но как ниже написано “не здоровая фигня”
Good for our border guards!!! Still, as was mentioned earlier [this] “crap isn't healthy”
Suer claimed [ru] to know some real Uzbek border guards:
У нас получается обяснимая ситуация, скорее всего правильно поступили наши пограничники. Только непонятно как узбеки наших безоружных убиваеют и ничего не обьясняют. Лично сталкивался с узбекскими пограничниками, не дай бог кому нибудь такие унижения, ведут себя хамски, вседозволенность, одним словом “животное”!
Our story makes more sense, so our border guards probably did everything correctly. Less understandable is how the Uzbeks kill our unarmed [people] and don't explain anything. I have personally met with Uzbek border guards. I hope no one will feel the humiliation [I felt] – they act with boorishness and a lack of restraint, like “animals”!
Frunze17 tried to bring [ru] some objectivity to the discussion:
Ничего хорошего, что вы пишете – “молодцы, наградить, месть”. Мы же не в состоянии войны с Узбекистаном находимся, чтобы радоваться – вот расстреляли врагов-оккупантов. На нашу территорию (если она наша, не спорная) зашли представители пограничной службы соседнего государства, необходимо было их задержать и разбираться в установленном порядке.
It's not good that you [commenters] write – “good for them, give awards to the border guards, revenge.” We are not even at war with Uzbekistan so as to be happy that we have killed enemy-invaders. If the border representatives of a neighboring country entered our territory (and it really was our [territory], rather than contested territory), we should have arrested them and investigated the incident properly.
Pessimist answered:
frunze17, когда люди с оружием в руках конфликтуют, кто быстрее среагирует тот и выживет. Награждать предлагают не за то что убил – за это не награждают, а за проявленное мужество и четкое выполнение устава. Кстати, при нападении на караул или пост, по уставу открывают огонь на поражение
frunze17, when people with guns start a conflict, the fastest to react will survive. And we want to award them not for killing – no one should be awarded for this – but for brave actions and the proper implementation of our border codes. By the way, if someone attacks a sentry or a checkpoint, those codes say: shoot to kill.
Bek2 wrote:
Давайте без эмоций. Кто такие узбекские пограничники? Во-первых, это сыны нашего тюркского братского народа. Во-вторых, это представители власти дружественного нам государства. На счет инцидента – по каждому случаю надо разбираться отдельно. Не сформировавшиеся молодые люди (и те и другие), у них в руках оружие, такие инциденты могут происходить по-молодости. Главное чтобы принимающие решения зрелые взрослые люди не поддавались эмоциям.
Let's remove the emotions. Who are the Uzbek border guards? First of all, they are the sons of a fraternal Turkic people. Second of all, [the guards] are representatives of a friendly state. Regarding the incident, every case should be investigated separately. Guys that are too young (both [from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan]) holding lethal weapons in their hands… such incidents will happen again and again because of their age. The most important thing here is to have mature and wise decision-makers who can react without emotions.
Over the course of a long series of interchanges on Akipress, an old Russian idiom was reiterated [ru] several times:
Худой мир лучше “доброй” войны.
Better a bad peace than a “good” war.
Adding a strange subplot to the event, eurasianet.org reported on July 26 that uzmetronom.com, a controversial news outlet in Uzbekistan, had been moved to shut itself down over “hysteria” from Uzbek government officials when it ran the “drunk Kyrgyz border guards” version of the incident “without receiving accurate information on this incident from relevant bodies.” Whether this is just an excuse to shut down a site that has irritated power-brokers within the Uzbek state in the past, or a sign that the repressive Uzbek government doesn't agree with the drunk shooting theory is unclear. Podrobno.uz, which also held to this version of events, is still in operation.

author: Aliaskar Adylov


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Macedonia: Ohrid’s Hidden Medieval Masks · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

A traveling blogger and communications specialist in the tourism industry, Tricia A. Mitchell, tells of her curious find in Macedonia's UNESCO registered Ohrid old town.
A member of the Marinov artisanal family; photo by Tricia A. Mitchell, used with permission.
In Ohrid, Macedonia, the Marinov family has been fashioning utilitarian and decorative objects out of copper and brass for one hundred years.
We happened upon the third and fourth-generation artists’ small studio one afternoon, while exploring Ohrid’s UNESCO-registered old town, which is replete with hundreds of Eastern Orthodox churches. The Marinov shop is filled with handmade gladiator masks and shields – said to be designed with motifs from the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia, as well as jewelry, and home accessories.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Danica Radisic


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Outspoken Chinese Singer Detained Over Online Bomb Threat · Global Voices
Abby Liu

Chinese police have detained an activist singer after she wrote online that she wanted to blow up government buildings.
Shortly after a man set off a bomb at Beijing's airport on July 20, 2013, Wu Hongfei, a former journalist and now a singer based in Beijing, posted on China’s most popular microblogging site Sina Weibo that she wanted to blow up two local government departments. She was detained two days later by Beijing police on the charge of “causing trouble”.
Beijing police confirmed on July 26 that Wu is detained for falsifying a terrorist threat, a crime that may result in five years in prison.
Many thought the threat was not serious, but they suspected that Wu's detention was political retribution for her past criticisms of the government and that the police will want to make an example of her to deter others.
The detention of Wu has triggered discussions on Sina Weibo over whether Wu's post should be considered as a terrorist threat.
Singer Wuzhongfei(pic from Sina Weibo)
Global Times reported that a Sina Weibo vote with more than 27,000 participants showed that nearly 82 percent of those polled said Wu should not receive a criminal sentence, even though her words were inappropriate.
Many lawyers and intellectuals argue that Wu committed a crime that does not exist, and others call for freedom of speech to ensure a healthy society.
A Shanghai-based Lawyer wrote [zh]:
不是是否同意的问题，根本不成立犯罪。
It’s not a question of whether or not Wu should be sent to prison, the fact is that the crime doesn’t exist.
Professor Wang Quanjie uploaded [zh] evidence of similar violent speeches in the past by other bloggers:
吴虹飞如果要被判刑，那么下图这些公开威胁杀人的微博主该怎么处理呢？
If Wu Hongfei is to be sentenced, how about those bloggers who threatened in public to kill people?
Writer Tianyou wrote [zh]:
女歌手吴虹飞被刑拘，给人的感觉就是他们现在特别恐惧，有种草木皆兵的感觉。联想起在一系列刑事案件和群体事件中他们的处理方法，给人的感觉他们是完全没有智慧，进退失据，手段简单粗暴。这种情况不改变，恐怕会使得官民对立更加严重。
Singer Wu Hongfei’s detention makes people feel [the government] is so scared that they see everyone as their enemy. It also reminds me of how they deal with other criminal cases. They have no wisdom, and are totally clueless and brutal. If the situations don’t change, the tension between the government and the ordinary citizens will be more intensified.
Professor Kan Hongguo from Northwest University of Politics maintained [zh] that freedom of speech is key to a healthy society:
没有言论自由，就不足以形成健康的公民社会土壤，就会导致病态的政府。事实上，政府并不能从滥用的严刑峻法中得到任何实际的好处。言论的自由开放与权力的节制审慎之间所形成的良性互动，才是政府和公民的最大福音。
Freedom of speech is essential to a healthy civil society. Lacking in freedom of speech will lead to morbid government. In fact, the government does not benefit from the abuse of law. The positive interaction between freedom of speech and restraint power is the greatest gospel for the government and citizens.
Law Professor of Beijing University Zhang Qianfan quoted [zh] famous Chinese politician and intellectual Luo Longji:
“压迫言论自由的危险，比言论自由的危险更危险。”公民言论可能是理性平和的，也可能是激进极端的，甚至带有暴力恐吓的迹象，但是只要还有讨论和说服的空间，就不能动用国家机器压制言论，即便是以法律的名义。
“The oppression of freedom of speech is more dangerous than freedom of expression.” Citizens’ comments can be calm and rational, or extreme and radical, even with signs of violent threat, but as long as there is room for discussion and persuasion, you can not use the state apparatus to suppress freedom of speech, even if it is in the name of law.

author: Abby Liu


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Serbia, Turkey, Slovenia and Brazil on Winning Streak at Girls’ U18 Volleyball World Championship · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

As the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) blog reports, the Serbian, Turkish, Slovenian and Brazilian under-18 girls’ national volleyball teams showed outstanding results on the weekend of July 27-28, some with a perfect win-loss ratio. Full stats and results are available and regularly updated on the Federation's website.
Within the teams having the perfect win- loss ratio 2-0, Serbia have became the only team in the tournament who didn't drop a set to lead pool A. Poland leads pool B but with 5 points as they had a tiebreak win yesterday. Brazil and Slovenia conduct pool C and Turkey Pool D.
[…] Again Pool C was the only pool having two leaders with 6 points each after both Brazil and Slovenia securing the second win against Algeria and USA respectively.


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Slim Majority for Ruling Party in Cambodian Polls · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Cambodia's Opposition party may have gained more seats in this year's National Assembly elections but the ruling party, which has been in power in almost three decades, continued to dominate the overall results.
Election fever is over, the results are out and nothing changes afterall, despite massive gains by the opposition.
— Andy Brouwer (@AndyBrouwer) July 29, 2013
The Opposition is questioning the credibility of the voting process and the tabulation of election results.

author: Mong Palatino


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Student Movement in Taiwan · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

“The Far Eastern Sweet Potatoes” has written a review and analysis of the development of student movement in Taiwan in reaction to issues such as media monopoly and land justice against the background of cross-strait relation.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Top Ten Eateries In Dhaka Town · Global Voices
Rezwan

Expat Mikkela Thompson completed her goal of trying 100 eateries in Dhaka in 18 months. She compiles a list of top ten restaurants in the Bangladesh capital in her blog M's Adventures.

author: Rezwan


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Ugandans Take Digs at Kenya’s Bestiality Trend on Twitter · Global Voices
Kofi Yeboah

A recent news report that claimed bestiality is increasing among Kenyans has unleashed a volley of mockery from neighboring Ugandans on Twitter.
IQ4News, an online journalism organisation that produces news and analysis on Africa, reported on 25 July, 2013, the story of the supposed emerging trend in Kenya. The report said:
First it was at the port city of Mombasa, famed for tourism, where eleven women, including two university students were found having sex with dogs. Then a famous businessman in Tigania was nabbed by police for raping a cow.
It did not end there. Hardly a day passes without a Kenyan man found in a steamy moment with an animal, with the latest being the Nyeri saga where a man has been charged in court for sleeping with a hen and Murang’a where four men were caught having sex with a donkey in turns on Wednesday.
The man in the hen saga was caught by his 10-year old son who alerted his brother, the owner of the hen, who later reported him to the police. Police said they are seeking the services of the veterinarians to establish the cause the hens’ death.
Following the reports, some Ugandans used the hashtag #KenyansAndAnimals to make fun of Kenyans. Other non-Ugandan tweeters have also joined the discussion.
Helen Hasyanut (@hasyanut) remarked:
lonely hearts column in kenya a tall handsome 42yr is looking for a broiler chicken. #KenyansAndAnimals
— helen asyanut (@hasyanut) July 28, 2013
Swittie Hanks (@SwittieHanks) noted:
Kenya will produce more veterinary doctor this year, they hav had enough practicals in this #kenyansAndAnimals project,
— Swittie Hanks (@SwittieHanks) July 28, 2013
He is not allowed (@HeIsNotAllowed) pointed out that:
My boyfriend isn't allowed to watch animal planet. He might see his ex on there.
— He is not allowed (@HeIsNotAllowed) July 29, 2013
Edgar (@EdgarKW) wrote:
I bet the most prestigious job in Kenya is that of a Zoo Keeper….. #KenyansAndAnimals
— Edgar (@EdgarKW) July 26, 2013
Replying to Allan Ssenyonga's tweet (@ssojo81Andima), Jeff (@andsjeff), a Ugandan computer scientist, wrote:
@ssojo81 hahaa i tell you am waiting for another kenyan to sue jesus for casting demons into pigs. You know #KenyansAndAnimals
— Andima Jeff (@andsjeff) July 27, 2013
A Ugandan architect student Marvin EL Smull (@smull_El) joked:
Somewhere in Kenya, a goat is looking for its husband. #KenyansAndAnimals pic.twitter.com/98OAg2Xy3i
— Marvin EL Smull (@smull_EL) July 24, 2013
SonOfFate (@katsiotho) made a humorous reference to Noah's ark:
#KenyansAndanimals Now we know who kept the animals happy on Noah's Ark.
— SonOfFate (@katsiotho) July 24, 2013
Chronicles of Uchiha (@arnold_cle) wrote:
Kenyan girl commits suicide after boyfriend leaves her for a cow. #KenyansAndAnimals
— Chronicles of Uchiha (@arnold_cle) July 24, 2013
Silver Eyakoowa (@silwaxxy) made a religious comment:
my prayers go to the penguins of madagascar when they arrive in kenya #KenyansAndAnimals
— Silver Eyakoowa (@silwaxxy) July 24, 2013
Kenyans replied with their tweets to the Ugandans:
Kenyan investigative journalist Dennis Okari (@DennisOkari)
So, Ugandans are trending with this hash tag #KenyansAndAnimals
— Dennis Okari (@DennisOkari) July 24, 2013
Lely Netso (@LNetso) advised Ugandans:
Ugandans pliz jipeni shughuli… We will get u back ur animals #KenyansAndanimals
— Lely Netso (@LNetso) July 27, 2013
Louse Wanjiru (@Loiseshish) tweeted:
Hahaha #somewhereinuganda someone is singing u're sweeter than kuku n here they're tweefin us on #kenyansandanimals
— Loise Wanjiru (@LoiseShish) July 26, 2013
Freelance journalist Maxon airo (@Maxonairo) said that Ugandans have finally learnt how to tweet:
Ugandans have finally learnt how to tweet…been trending with #KenyansAndAnimals for several days now.
— Maxon airo (@Maxonairo) July 25, 2013
*Thumbnail image released under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Wikipedia user Jjron (John O'Neill).

author: Kofi Yeboah


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Why Contribute to GV in Arabic ? · Global Voices
محمد الجوهري

Ahlam Safi from Saudi Arabia explains [ar] what motivated her to translate for Global Voices in Arabic and what she has gained from her contribution.
She blogs:
وفرّ لي موقع الاصوات العالمية فرصة نادرة لاكتساب خبرة في الترجمة ما كنت لأجدها في أي مكان آخر، وتعرفت عن طريقه على مجموعة من الشباب المدّون في مختلف الدول، واستطعت انهاء ساعات التطوع المطلوبة مني في الجامعة لخدمة المجتمع بسهولة ويسر
Global Voices provided me with a unique opportunity to gain experience in translation I wouldn't have found anywhere else. I got introduced to bloggers from different countries and managed to complete the number of volunteer hours required from me to complete my community service project which was part of my university studies with ease.

author: محمد الجوهري


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A Sustainable Ecovillage in Sidi Amor, Tunisia  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Nolwein Weiler and Sophie Chapelle reports on the remarkable development of an ecovillage in Sidi Amor, Tunisia [fr]. The project aims to protect the environment while providing a site for economic and social growth for local workers as explained in this video [fr].

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Abre Latam, an Open Conference for an Open Region · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

[All links lead to Spanish language websites unless otherwise noted]
Gather civil service activists, entrepreneurs, researchers, communicators, (unofficial) governmental representatives, and of course, hackers or developers of different ages and backgrounds for a few days. Give them a theme to discuss and let them organise themselves. The result will be a couple of days with great creativity, an outpouring of knowledge, passion for what is being done and a lot of camaraderie.
With that recipe, also known as an ‘unconference‘, Abre Latam, an event about Open Data and transparency in Latin American governments, took place in Montevideo, Uruguay, from June 24 to 25, with D.A.T.A. and Ciudadano Inteligente as the organisations that devised and successfully coordinated the event.
And although one might think that the topic is a bit dry, it's enough to have a look at the number (30) and variety of sessions held (from one about ‘Cultura de Datos Abiertos’ [Culture of Open Data] to ‘Tecnología de la accesibilidad’ [Technology of Accessibility], to others with wider themes like ‘Brecha digital’ [Digital divide] or very specific ones such as ‘Scraping’) to realise that there wasn't actually enough time to continue bringing up topics, analysing them and generating solutions, alternatives and work plans. Which doesn't mean that the participants didn't feel satisfied with the meeting.
Photo from the Facebook page ABRE LATAM
For example, Fernando Briano of Picando Código finds it very pleasant to meet people in the same field as him and discusses how Abre Latam turned out to be a new experience for him:
El formato es genial, y espero hayan más eventos inspirados en él por estos lados. La idea es hacer una ‘conferencia’, pero completamente horizontal. Acá no hay ‘oradores’ y ‘público’ – sin escenarios – en la desconferencia todos somos participantes. Opiné, facilité alguna charla y pude presentar mi proyecto MNAV API en una lightning talk.
The format is brilliant and I hope that there are more events inspired by it in these parts. The idea is to have a ‘conference’, but completely horizontal. Here there are no ‘speakers’ or ‘public’ – without stages – in the deconference we are all participants. I thought that it facilitated conversation and I was able to present my project, MNAV API, in a lightning talk.
Salvadorian Iris Palma, apart from hoping for a second edition of Abre Latam, sums up the spirit of the event very well in this post:
Lejos de ser una reunión para enseñar, creo que todos fuimos a aprender; no hubo nadie que no indicara un aprendizaje nuevo, una iniciativa aún desconocida o mejor aún una idea o contacto con el que trabajar al regreso de nuestros países. Me dio gusto ver gente de Centroamérica (considerando que yo era la única salvadoreña en la Des-Conferencia); de Guatemala, Congreso Transparente y de Costa Rica, de Grupo Inco. Interesante fue conocer en vivo y a todo color a personas de quienes había leído algunos artículos y/o blogs, y confirmar que es gente que sabe lo que hace, pero más aún ama lo que hace. Nos sentamos en el suelo, hicimos chistes, discutimos puntos de vista, nos contradecimos, nos volvimos a reconciliar y al final conclusiones y expresiones de interés para actuar en conjunto fueron el resultado de estos dos intensos días de actividad.
Far from being a meeting to teach, I think that we all went to learn; there was no one who didn't indicate having learnt something new, a still unknown initiative, or better still, an idea or contact to work with on returning to our countries. I enjoyed seeing people from Central America (considering that I was the only Salvadorian in the deconference); from Guatemala, Congreso Transparente and from Costa Rica, from Grupo Inco. It was interesting to meet people in the flesh, whose articles and/or blogs I had read, and to confirm that they are people who know what they are doing, but love what they're doing even more. We sat down on the floor, we made jokes, we discussed points of view, we contradicted each other, we made up again and eventually conclusions and expressions of interest to take joint action were the result of these two intense days of activity.
Photo from the Facebook page ABRE LATAM
The Argentinian organisation Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia [Civil Association for Equality and Justice], ACIJ, deems ‘that it was a unique chance to promote bringing programmers and social organisations together’ and adds:
…se presentaron iniciativas producidas a partir del aprovechamiento de datos abiertos, entre ellas dos proyectos de ACIJ – uno sobre transparencia en los procesos de selección de jueces y otro, desarrollado con Wingu, sobre empoderamiento digital y participación ciudadana en villas – lo cual permitió conocer las opiniones y recomendaciones de especialistas en temas de uso de software libre para el procesamiento de datos.
…initiatives produced since the use of open data were present, among them two projects from ACIJ – one about openness in the processes for selecting judges and the other, developed with Wingu, about digital empowerment and citizen participation in urban slums (villas) – which allowed us to get to know the opinions and recommendations of specialists regarding issues with the use of free software for the processing of data.
For his part, Rodolfo Wilhelmy from the iniciative Codeando México was left ‘excited and inspired by the regional community’, and concludes the following:
Es imperativo que transformemos estas buenas intenciones en valor para la sociedad, de lo contrario nunca se entenderá el beneficio de nuestra postura. La mejora de servicios públicos, por ejemplo, podría ser un área de oportunidad para validar el gasto de recursos en la apertura y mostrar al menos, beneficios tangibles a nuestros gobernantes. Se tiene que pensar más allá de la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas. Los datos abiertos tienen el potencial de rediseñar nuestras sociedades, y es tiempo de que comencemos a generar mayor valor para propiciar esta coapertura.
It's imperative that we transform these good intentions into value for society, otherwise the benefit of our stance will never be understood. The improvement of public services, for example, could be an area of opportunity to validate the spending of resources in openness and show tangible benefits to our rulers at the very least. One has to think beyond transparency and accountability. Open data has the potential to redesign our societies, and it's time that we start to generate greater value to bring about this co-opening.
Photo from the Facebook page ABRE LATAM.
As for more specific topics, Manuel Portela, in a post that summarises her points of interest in Abre Latam, tries to define the impact of the participatory initiatives and open data from the question: ‘What is a correct indicator to measure the participation and policies of open data?’ and highlights three factors that determine whether a participatory tool is more successful than others:
A que generan historias que realmente interpelan a las personas a través de la emoción, ideales, etc.
A que manejan correctamente y emprolijan la información, con lo cual se vuelve una herramienta útil para generar mapas de información.
A que generan confianza ya que se valen de otros medios que los validen, como los medios de comunicación u organizaciones del tercer sector.
Those that generate stories that really question people through emotion, ideals, etc.
Those that manage correctly and polish information, with which it becomes a useful tool to generate maps of information.
Those that generate trust, as they make use of other means that validate them, such as means of communication or third-sector organisations.
Gastón Roitberg of La Nación Data, a journalism data project of the Argentinian daily La Nación, published two articles in the project's blog, summarising the two days of Abre Latam. The first reveals some of the sessions held, like for example:
Cómo mejorar las habilidades en el uso de los datos. Desarrollar más capacidades en la ciudadania para entenderlos. Reducir la brecha entre máquinas y gente, y entre la publicacion de los datos y las apps finales. Por otro lado, se sugiere definir las audiencias: quiénes procesan y quiénes consumen. Se requieren más sectores involucrados: gobiernos publicando datos de calidad y programadores desarrollando apps útiles.
How to improve skills in the use of data. Develop a greater capacity in citizens to understand them. Reduce the gap between machines and people, and between the publication of data and the final apps. On the other hand, it is suggested that the audiences are defined: those who process and those who consume. More committed sectors are required: governments publishing quality data and programmers developing useful apps.
In the second article, Roitberg briefly reviews fifteen open data projects presented on the second day of Abre Latam, like these two:
Lima IO, la ciudad que habla: Desarrollaron un hardware y una plataforma en Internet que contiene información ambiental capturada a través de unos sensores especiales. Antonio Cucho, uno de sus responsables, dice que lo armaron para que el gobierno pueda tomar decisiones más precisas.
La politica del Open Data. Ciudadano Inteligente.org: Felipe Heusser, uno de sus responsables, invitó a reflexionar sobre lo que hay de política en el movimiento de datos abiertos. Para el activista ‘la agenda de los datos abiertos no es neutral, dado que como afirma el sociólogo español Manuel Castells la información es poder’. Juan José Soto, de la misma organización explica en video los alcances del proyecto.
Lima IO, the city that talks: They developed hardware and an online platform that contains environmental information captured across special sensors información. Antonio Cucho, one of the people in charge, says that they assembled it so that  the government could take more accurate decisions.
The Open Data policy. Ciudadano Inteligente.org: Felipe Heusser, one of the people responsible, called for us to reflect upon what stands for policy in the movement of open data. For the activist ‘the open data agenda is not neutral, given that, as Spanish sociologist Manuel Castells states, information is power’. Juan José Soto, from the same organisation, explains the scope of the project in a video.
Photo from the Facebook page ABRE LATAM
Abre Latam also provided a stage for the Open Knowledge Foundation to launch the Spanish-language version of School of Data [en], or Escuela de Datos. Through different courses and other tools, this project aims to ‘empower civil organisations, journalists and citizens in such a way that they are capable of using data effectively and efficiently.’ In their blog they write:
To read more about Abre Latam you can also view a post on SocialTIC, which covers the initiatives that most caught their attention, the special from the magazine Espacios Políticos about Open Data, or the article from la diaria in Uruguay.

author: Juan Arellano


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Asylum Seekers in Germany: Integration or Slavery? · Global Voices
Katrin Zinoun

The Gmünder Tagespost [de] in Germany describes a new local integration project: Asylum seekers would help passengers carry luggage at a train station under construction. By doing this they would earn €1.05 an hour – the statutory maximum wage for asylum seekers.
While the politicians behind the proposal present it as an integration project, many netizens are of another opinion.
Immediately, reactions on social networks were seen. In Fefe's Blog it's explained:
First World Problem: Mit dem Gepäck ist das immer so schwierig am Bahnhof die Treppen hoch und runter, weil man wegen der Baustelle jetzt über diese Brücke muss, um den Bahnsteig zu wechseln.
First World Solution: Man zieht Flüchtlinge heran, die dann für den gesetzlichen Maximallohn von 1,05 € pro Stunde (nein, wirklich!) Koffer schleppen. Ein Euro und fünf Cent.
First World Problem: With luggage it's increasingly difficult to climb up and over the stairs at the train station, because of the construction work you've got to cross a temporary bridge, just to change platforms.
First World Solution: Refugees are brought in who can haul suitcases for the statutory maximum wage of €1.05 an hour (no really!). Carrying suitcases. One Euro and five cents.
Twitter users, such as Walid Malik, are reminded of colonial times:
#Asylbewerber im Dunst ihres weißen CDU-Herrschers (vgl. Britisch-Indien): 1,05€ für Taschen-tragen am Bahnhof http://t.co/D4S65UyQoA
— Walid Malik (@WalidVanMalik) July 23, 2013
#Asylbewerber [#Asylumseekers] are in the haze of the of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union party) rulers (just like the British-India colony): €1.05 for carrying luggage at the train station http://t.co/D4S65UyQoA
Mathias Richel points out that that the article isn't out of a satire magazine.
Oh Django, guck mal, Sklaven kommen wieder ganz groß raus. In Gmünd. Nein, auch nicht vom Postillon. http://t.co/aqP6Wvifdz #keinwitz
— Mathias Richel (@mathiasrichel) July 23, 2013
Oh Django, look, slaves still make it big. In Gmünd. No, not from Postillon [German satire magazine]. http://t.co/aqP6Wvifdz #keinwitz [#nojoke]

author: Katrin Zinoun


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Brazil’s Vinegar Revolt Renews Police Demilitarization Debate · Global Voices
Fernanda Canofre

This post is part of our special coverage Vinegar Revolt
[All links lead to Portuguese-language pages unless otherwise noted.]
The merits of having a militarized police force is under scrutiny in Brazil in response to accusations of blatant police violence against journalists and civilians during protests last month's massive protests throughout the country.
The debate on the demilitarization of the military police in the country is not new. Part of the legacy of Brazil's dictatorship from 1964 to 1985, the military police emerged as a solution through the extinction of the Public Force and Civil Guard. After the 1964 coup, the new government abandoned the idea of creating a single, civilian police and implemented a military model.
Today, almost all urban policing in Brazil is done by military police attached to the governments of each state, and the country remains the only one in the world to have a police force that operates out of the military barracks.
Photo by Calé Merege on Facebook (used with permission).
The recent protests have resurrected the question for debate. On July 1, 2013, during public class organized in the hall of Museum of Art of São Paulo (MASP) by the group Occupy Sampa, guest lecturer Tulio Vianna, a professor of Criminal Law at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), argued that the design of military training is what triggers excessively violent actions by police. For Vianna:
A polícia não pode ser concebida para aniquilar o inimigo. O cidadão que está andando na rua, que está se manifestando, ou mesmo o cidadão que eventualmente está cometendo um crime, não é um inimigo. É um cidadão que tem direitos e esses direitos tem de ser respeitados.
Comparing the Brazilian case with other police forces of the world, the professor also noted:
Quando a sociedade opta por uma polícia militar, o que essa sociedade quer é uma polícia que cumpra ordens sem refletir. É claro que quando se dá um treinamento onde o próprio policial é violentado, como vou exigir que esse indivíduo não violente os direitos de um suspeito?
A line in the protest at Paulista Avenue on June 10 commemorates the Carandiru massacre in São Paulo, and Candelaria in Rio de Janeiro. Both incidents were orchestrated by command of the military police of each state. Photo: Caio Castor via Facebook (used with permission).
A history of violence
The “Revolt of the Ratchet,” which took place in Santa Catarina in 2005, was the first major demonstration linked to the issue of public transport in the country to have an impact. The episode also ended with reports of protesters injured and arrested in the midst of a peaceful protest, as shown in this video posted by Vinicius (Moscão):
Though homicides and violent acts committed by military police agents in the suburbs, “where the bullets are not rubber“, do not draw media attention every day, they show some of the problems of police militarization reported by Brazil Global Justice organization in a June 24, 2013 note.
Among the episodes of military police violence reported by Global Voices are the repossession of the rectory of the University of São Paulo in 2011, after students protested against the increase in the actual effect of military police on campus; vacating the Pinheirinho settlement [en] in the city of São José dos Campos in São Paulo, with more than 6,000 people displaced from their homes; and clashes with demonstrators protesting against the privatization of public space [en] due to World Cup preparation in Porto Alegre.
Against the system
While revealing the violent face of the military police, the recent protests also showed that within the military police there are soldiers who disagree with the system.
During the first days of protest in São Paulo in June 2013, a soldier replaced the pepper spray he had with water, disagreeing with orders to attack the demonstrators. Using social networks to justify his action in a post with more than 3,000 shares, deleted shortly after, Ronaldo Silva said:
O spray de pimenta é uma agressão violenta utilizada sem necessidade na maioria das situações e a corporação não pode fechar os olhos para isso. Além do mais, os protestos são pacíficos e totalmente legítimos
Internationally, groups such as Amnesty International, the UN Human Rights Council and the US Department of State have spoken out, requesting that Brazil ends the death squads where police officers are believed to be involved – “engaged in social cleansing, extortion, as well as in trafficking in arms and drugs”, as Amnesty International reported in 2012 [en] – and go forward with the process of complete police demilitarization.
The importance of the cause has also grown within Brazil's police companies. Among the 40 approved guidelines within the First National Conference on Public Security [pdf], held in Brasilia in 2009, two pointed to the need for demilitarization. In a survey released by the National Secretariat of Public Security, of the 64,000 security officers interviewed, 40,000 supported the cause. Among the military officers, membership was even higher at 77 percent.
Photo of protesters carrying the flag of the PEC 102 in Maranhão on July 3, 2013. Photo: Blog do Caxorrao via Facebook
#PEC102
The country's senate is considering a constitutional amendment that would authorizes states to demilitarize and unify their military police. By senator Blairo Maggi, the PEC 102 was one of the issues under debate on the strikes by military police and firefighters across the country in early 2012. The proposal would give police strike and union rights, which are now banned by the constitution, since they are subject to military code of conduct and discipline.
On Twitter, users defended the proposal under the hashtag # PEC102. @willcjc wrote:
Desmilitarizar e Unificar as polícias é fulminar as estruturas repressoras de uma entidade adestrada pela ditadura. Sim à #PEC102!
— WILL ⓟ (@willcjc) June 28, 2013
The proposal, however, is not supported unanimously. For the National Association of Prosecutors of the Republic [PDF] it is “unconstitutional”. Contesting in a statement the creation of the National Security Council, included in the PEC, the association says:
(..) a Polícia não tem autonomia funcional, não se amoldando, portanto, à forma de controle por meio de Conselho. Supor a criação de uma polícia independente atenta contra o princípio da separação de poderes.
Anyway, the debate has already started. As Antônio Carlos stated, executive director of the Group for the Defense of Human Rights Rio de Paz, told the Jornal do Brasil:
Estamos vivendo um momento histórico e é hora de aproveitá-lo para lutar. O país precisa dessa mudança, mas, devido a um espírito corporativista, não há avanços significativos.

author: Fernanda Canofre


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Caribbean: E-waste Ethics · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

ICT Pulse blogs about e-waste in the Caribbean.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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#FreeSafy – Bahrain Arrests Blogger in Dawn Raid  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Mohammed Hassan was arrested from his home in an early morning raid today [July 31]. According to reports, police raided his Sitra home and arrested him, confiscating his telephone and computer in the process. Reports also claim they had an arrest warrant.
The arrest of Mohammed, known as Safy, and who is a Global Voices Online author who has covered Bahrain, drew criticism from netizens. UAE commentator Sultan Al Qassemi tweets:
Sorry to hear that Bahraini blogger @safybh has been arrested. I met him in December, he hasn't written or tweeted in months.
— שחררו את פלסטין (@SultanAlQassemi) July 31, 2013
In a follow up comment, he says the arrest of bloggers was a sign of the times in the region:
@alaashehabi @JustAmira @Redbelt I tweeted in the 2011 that we were entering a dark decade in the Gulf. I'm sorry to say I was right.
— שחררו את פלסטין (@SultanAlQassemi) July 31, 2013
And activist Alaa Al Shehabi replies:
@SultanAlQassemi @justamira @redbelt Just the Gulf? Feels like the dark ages. I am very worried about him. We all r probably next.
— آلاء الشهابي (@alaashehabi) July 31, 2013
This sentiment of an impending crackdown on netizens is a recurring theme this morning. Mohammed Al Maskati, who was previously arrested at the beginning of protests in Bahrain in March 2011, asks:
Shall we pack our bags? Who is next? #FreeSafy
— Mohammed AlMaskati (@emoodz) July 31, 2013
Like many, Maskati does not believe there needs to be a reason for people to be arrested in restive Bahrain:
.@safybh is unlikely arrested for his online activities, he didn't tweet nor update his blog in over 3 months.. Then again this is #Bahrain
— Mohammed AlMaskati (@emoodz) July 31, 2013
Jalal Al Jazeeri salutes Safy for his stance:
To take a stand knowing that in all likelihoods you'll be persecuted, penalized, and punished for it,.. that's incredibly bold. #FreeSafy
— Jalal Aljazeeri (@j_theislander) July 31, 2013
Mohammed Al Daaysi says:
This is the kind of sham security they boast about #FreeSafy
— Mohammed Al Daaysi (@MDaaysi) July 31, 2013
And Salma can't find a reason why a blogger like Safy would be arrested:
I don’t get it. He’s a pacifist, a writer. What possible security risk can he pose? except to the security of the ignorant mind.. #FreeSafy
— salma (@salmasays) July 31, 2013
In April, Safy announced the closure of his blog:
All good things come to an end.
Though my message might have not ended I think my points were delivered, I think it is time now to put a period, close this notebook and start a new one
He has also stopped tweeting since then.
Thousands of people have been arrested since protests calling for political and economic reforms started in Bahrain on February 14, 2011. The witch hunt continues.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Germany: Security Above the Constitution · Global Voices
Katrin Zinoun

The debate about the surveillance scandal brought to light by Edward Snowden's revelations is getting more intense in Germany. Remarks by various politicians contribute significantly to the debate, especially those of the German minister of the interior, Hans-Peter Friedrich, who recently labelled security as a “Super Fundamental Right” and thus placed it above other basic rights.
Udo Vetter brings the observance of fundamental rights to mind in his Law Blog:
Über Epochen haben Menschen darunter gelitten, dass “gut” und “böse” willkürlich definiert werden konnten – zumeist von den Falschen. Es wäre ein unumkehrbarer Fehler, den nunmehr Verantwortlichen ihre Abkehr von den Grundwerten, die sie in Sonntagsreden doch so gerne feiern, durchgehen zu lassen.
For years people have been subjected to arbitrary definitions of “good” and “evil” – most of them from the wrong people. It would be an irreversible mistake to let the people currently responsible get away with a rejection of basic values, which are otherwise so fervently celebrated in soap box oratories.
Julia Dombrowski sees that the German constitution is endangered by the conduct of the government. In her blog she writes:
Auch wenn Menschen mit Entscheidungsbefugnis Fehler machen, selbstsüchtig, machtbesessen, intolerant oder schlicht Arschlöcher sind – nie habe ich geglaubt, dass die Verfassung infrage stand. Selbst dann nicht, wenn Dinge geschahen, die nicht verfassungskonform waren.
Das ist jetzt anders. Regierende Politikerinnen und Politiker, allem voran unsere erste Frau im Staate und ihr Handlanger, der Innenminister, haben unverblümt Sicherheit über andere Rechte gestellt, die uns laut Verfassung zustehen.
Even when people with authority make mistakes, those who are selfish, power-hungry, intolerant or just plain old idiots – never would I have imagined that the constitution would come into question. Especially not when things have happened which aren't even constitutional.
It's different now. Governing politicians, above all our first female leader [Chancellor Angela Merkel] and her sidekick, the minister of the interior, have bluntly placed security above other rights that are protected by the constitution.


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India Sees Dolphins as “Non-human Persons” · Global Voices
Marie Bohner

Bottlenose dolphin credit Peter Asprey on Flickr CC license -BY-NC
The eco-friendly blog Treehugger salutes the Indian law that now sees dolphins as “non-human persons”. This law shows India's leading role in many rights-based arguments:
(…) India became the largest of four countries to ban the practice — which includes Costa Rica, Hungary, and Chile. (…) [The] (…) thoughtful reasoning [of the Ministry] behind the ban seems squarely aimed at the dozens of countries across the globe, like in Europe and the United States, where dolphin shows are big business. (…) “The Indian government [has] spoken out against cruelty, they have contributed to an emerging and vital dialogue about the ways we think about dolphins – as thinking, feeling beings rather than pieces of property to make money off of.”says Ric O’Barry of the Earth Island Institute’s Dolphin Project.”

author: Marie Bohner


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INTERVIEW: How TEDx Talks Are Putting São Tomé On the Map · Global Voices
Mário Lopes

[Editor's note: The author of this interview is also a team member of TEDxSão Tomé]
TEDx, the local, self-organized version of TED talks, has already passed through Portuguese-speaking countries such as Portugal, Angola and Brazil. Last month, the talks arrived in São Tomé, an island of São Tomé and Principe, in Africa. With 18-minute long presentations that are published on the Internet, TEDx brings together creative people to “share ideas worth spreading”.
Global Voices recently caught up with TEDxSão Tomé curator Katya Aragão about the team behind the talks, the impact of the talks on the small country, and more.
Katya Aragão (KA): It was more than an idea, bringing TEDx to São Tomé and Principe was a necessity, given the country is still such a well-kept secret. On one hand, we are a destination for luxury tourism and we are protected from tourism for the masses. But on the other hand, being an “unknown” to the outside world, is yet another barrier in the development of São Tomé and Principe, that more than just being a small market, suffers from isolation.
Having in mind that the general aim of the NGO Galo Cantá, which is organising TEDxSãoTomé, is the promotion of São Tomé and Principe, we thought the best way was to put the country on the map of a brand and a global event.
KA:  From the moment we are living in the country: opening of the telecommunications market, a local revolution in IT with the arrival of the fiberoptic cable and 3G internet. We decided to bet on the connection between the two islands that make up the Archipelago, São Tomé and Principe, and the connection between the country and the African continent, as well as the connection of Santomeans to the world.
So we called our theme “Islands Connected: São Tomé and Principe = Africa connected to the World!” and our slogan “Connect to the World”!
Katya Aragão/TEDxSão Tomé/Published with permission
KA: The central focus is projects and ideas with local impact. TEDxSãoTomé was baptized with the name of the capital of the country which hosts it – São Tomé – symbolizing the centrality, the sense of broad sharing and necessity to “think globally and act locally”, keeping in mind the concept of amplitude which connects the islands. So, the focus is intrinsically linked to the theme chosen for this year: Islands Connected.
The NGO Galo Cantá intends for TEDxSãoTomé to be a platform to disseminate ideas and projects with a local impact, contributing to their visibility, acting still as a bridge between entrepreneurs and doers. That is, the meeting of those with good ideas and of those with the means to put them in practice.
To the people of São Tomé TEDx is still a new concept and an unknown, but São Tomeans understand that it has something to do with innovation, it's the word most used in reference to TEDxSãoTomé. There is still a great deal of awareness raising for people to really realize the dimensions of the events. We have worked on this, but given it is an annual event, we hope to gradually reach all minds in São Tomé and Principe.
We're actually 12 people, and the communication has been incredible. I consider myself lucky to being working with people who never give up. We are united by something, that is unfortunately almost extinct among young people: hope! We believe in ourselves, we believe in the power of young people and we believe in São Tomé and Principe.
The common thread is São Tomé and Príncipe. Mark Shuttleworth as well as Bob Drewes have a great love of the country. Mark is one of the greatest investors in the country, with a special interest in Principe Island. Bob has been coming to do brilliant work in the two islands on biodiversity. He's been coming here for almost 13 years.
KA: Given that our stage will feature young entrepreneurs, in the short term networking between those invited and speakers, and between those in attendance. Partnerships for interesting development projects, people who just needed to hear an interesting story to discover their own potential, etc. In the long term, the impact will be even greater, as the window is open for great ideas and concepts will continue to spread through various platforms, so they can be discussed and become important to people. And of course, another impact in the long term will be an increase in the number of visits (both by investors and tourists) to São Tomé and Principe and even an increased demand for information on the country.
The videos of the talks will soon be available online in the website and Facebook page of TEDx São Tomé.

author: Mário Lopes


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Last Day for Submitting Applications for Highway Africa New Media Awards · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Today, July 31, 2013 (16:30, Pretoria Time) is the closing date for submitting applications for the Telkom- Highway African New Media Awards.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Racist Slur As A Brand Name · Global Voices
Rezwan

Abdul Halik writes about reactions to a brand of dates marketed in Sri Lanka which sounds like a well-known and highly derogatory term referring to Muslims. The blogger analyses the situation in the context of the recent rise of racism and hate speech against Muslims in Sri Lanka from a small but loud minority of extremists/jingoists.


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Back from Germany, Workers Demand Promised Wages in Mozambique · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Every Wednesday, dozens of Mozambican citizens march in the main streets of the capital city, Maputo, wearing German flags or raising them in their hands. They are called ‘Magermans’, meaning those who returned from Germany. For more than 20 years they have been protesting for outstanding wage claims from the post-independence period when the socialist government sent about 18,000 Mozambicans to former East Germany.
When they left their country, following the declaration of independence in 1975, they were sent “for training, for jobs, and to learn skills to rebuild “, a video by Adam Thomas explains:
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, many returned. They didn't find what they expected and have been protesting ever since.
An article by Louise Sherwood on IPS News points that “the workers received 40 percent of their salaries in cash while the other 60 percent was sent back to Mozambique”:
A [2002] document, in possession of the Magermans, released by the German Federal Ministry of Finance, shows that 74.4-million dollars in salaries and 18.6-million dollars in social security were paid by the former GDR, figures which equate to approximately 5,000 dollars per worker. The Mozambican government accepted that a much smaller amount was owed and began to make payments of 10,000 t0 15,000 Meticais (or between 370 to 550 dollars) to some of the workers.

author: Sara Moreira


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An Undeniably Racist Song, ‘Asian Girlz’ Sparks Controversy · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Packed with Asian stereotypes and fetishes, song ‘Asian Girlz’ by ‘Day Above Ground’ has invited controversy and angry comments. Blogger Angry Asian Man typed down the entire lyrics to comment [if they have not] ‘run out of stereotypical Oriental stuff to list off, the song would have gone on for another ten minutes”. The band defended itself on Youtube but it somehow fueled criticism even more.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Transgender Teen’s Murder Raises Spectre of Jamaican Homophobia · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

After the recent mob murder of a cross-dressing gay youth, Jamaica, which has an international reputation for being one of the most homophobic countries in the Caribbean, has once again found itself having to confront its attitude towards gay and transgender people.
Active Voice published two posts about the murder.  In the first, she provided some background into the circumstances that prompted the attack:
I’ve been very disturbed by the wanton slaying of the young wo/man in these photographs, Dwayne Jones. S/he was killed on Monday night in St. James, not far from Montego Bay, the tourism capital of Jamaica.  Dwayne was killed after a woman recognized him and irresponsibly outed him at a party he attended cross-dressed in female clothes.
The blogger, Annie Paul, continued:
I think this woman should be identified and made an example of, don’t you? She must be sanctioned for needlessly endangering the life of a Jamaican citizen. And the media should treat this as the front page story it really is. Had Dwayne Jones come from Cherry Gardens or Norbrook, there wouldn’t have been another news item in Jamaica since Monday. But poor Dwayne was just a Gully person, worse he was an effeminate trans gendered Gully person…no space for him, no place, no grace, only jungle justice.
Minority-Insight also blogged about the murder, citing a news report which stated:
The 17-year-old was dressed as a female and was dancing with a male, when a woman at the party recognized him and told other patrons that he was not a woman, but a male. One of the men at the party accosted the teen and conducted a search where he discovered that the teen was not a female. A mob then descended on the teen and chopped and stabbed him to death, before dumping his body in bushes along the Orange main road.
No arrest has been made, prompting the blog to comment:
The brutal killings and public execution of gay, lesbian and trans-gender Jamaicans is a disheartening reality for many who live in the open and shadows. In December 2010, the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) called for a thorough investigation of a case in which the body of a reported cross dresser was found with stab wounds in St Andrew. However, the murder remains unsolved due to a lack of interest demonstrated by the investigation team and police authorities due to the victims’ sexuality and lifestyle (gay).
The lack of respect and protection for the life of gays living in Jamaica demonstrates a systematic and cultural prejudice and hatred for homosexuals and the air they breathe. The government and its leader Prime Minister Portia Simpson continue to disregard the interest, safety and the right to life of gay, lesbian, and trans-gender Jamaicans.
The post also called into question the country's buggery laws, which are still in existence:
The punitive laws of Jamaica, such as the Offences Against the Person Act (Buggery law) which criminalizes the act of consensual anal sex between gay men, and public demonstration of homosexuality up to 10 years in prison with hard labor, along with the moral concept of normality, empower and motive anti-gay civilians and mobs to attack, beat and kill gays, as well as rape lesbians.
Minority-Insight saw it as a human rights issue:
Clearly, over the past years, we have seen the abuse of the rights and dignity of gays living in Jamaica. In January 2011, (J-FLAG) recorded fifty-one incidents of attacks against LGBT including, home invasions, physical assaults and mob attacks.  In June 2012, members of the Jamaican LGBT community reported that eight gay men had been murdered in the prior three months.
The organization has also emphas[ized] the lack of report[s] being made by victims of homophobic attacks due to fear of future attacks or abuses,  especially from the police officers, who often refuse to take or document self-identified gay victims incidents.
When will our gay brothers and sisters be free from bondage and persecution? How much more innocent blood will be shed before the government step in and protect the lives of GAY Jamaicans?
On Twitter, Sally Porteous echoed this sentiment in response to a press release about the murder tweeted by Jamaicans For Justice:
@JAForJustice #Dwayne Jones, a young Jamaican, murdered because he was different.
— Sally Porteous (@SallyPorteous) July 26, 2013
Kamal Fizazi asked:
What kind of #gender trouble do these killers suffer that moves them to homicide? http://t.co/U6OKpmKh11 #Jamaica #LGBT
— Kamal Fizazi (@kamalfizazi) July 28, 2013
In her follow-up post, Annie Paul shared some reflections on the teen's death.  She began by pointing out how many Jamaicans were outraged by the acquittal of George Zimmerman in Trayvon Martin's murder and explaining that part of the reason why people become so invested in U.S.-based news stories is because of the skill of American mainstream media in personalising its subjects:
Not many countries have the sheer heft of media muscle that the USA can lay claim to. Our media in small places like Jamaica lack the infrastructure, the traction and the reach of American media. We also have far more deaths, murders and killings per capita than the media can possibly keep up with even if they had the will and the ability to do so.
Alexis Goffe,  a spokesperson for the human rights group Jamaicans for Justice, recently observed that another reason there is little or no outrage about the legion of local Trayvons is that in these situations most educated Jamaicans identify with Zimmerman rather than Trayvon.  After all Trayvon’s profile fits that of the ‘idle youth’ most gated and residential communities in Jamaica remain wary of. They want the Jamaican equivalents of Trayvon Martin to be kept in their place, on pain of severe punishment and even death. Since the start of the year Jamaican Police have killed 114 citizens, yet it’s business as usual in this tourist paradise.
She then made a connection between the overriding Jamaican attitude towards those ‘idle youth’ and Dwayne Jones’ death:
For most Jamaicans such deaths when they happen are non-stories–like the slaying of young Dwayne Jones aka Gully Queen…Details are sketchy but early reports said that Jones was killed by a mob that stabbed and shot him to death, flinging his body into nearby bushes.
In most countries a lynching such as this would be front-page news but not in Jamaica, known far and wide for its hostility towards homosexuals. The police have said that they can’t prove that there is a link between Dwayne’s cross-dressing and his murder and the media has barely taken note of the gruesome slaying. Judging by comments made on social media most Jamaicans think Dwayne Jones brought his death on himself for wearing a dress and dancing in a society that has made it abundantly clear that homosexuals are neither to be seen nor heard.
Paul ended by laying the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Jamaican public:
Attempts to portray the mob killing as a hate crime have also been futile. ‘Dwayne Jones chose to tempt fate’ seems to be the popular feeling, ‘and he got what was coming to him.’ Which is like saying Trayvon Martin tempted fate by lingering in the wrong neighbourhood; he got what was coming to him. Dwayne Jones decided to wear a dress and dance and for that he was put to death by a motley crowd. Most Jamaicans seem to think there is nothing at all wrong with this judging by the lack of outrage, scant media attention and silence from the political directorate.
This tweet by Simone Harris said it all:
I AM #DWAYNEJONES the silence is deafening #hatecrime #jamaica
— Simone Harris (@SimoneKHarris) July 29, 2013


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What Does a “Green Party” Win Mean for Trinidad & Tobago Politics?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad and Tobago‘s hotly contested Chaguanas West by-election ended with a resounding victory on Monday night for Jack Warner, who reclaimed his seat with a convincing win over his nearest competitor.  Warner's newly formed Independent Liberal Party received 12,631 votes; the United National Congress (the party of the current Prime Minister), the ILP's closest rival and the party which Warner formerly chaired, garnered just 5,126 votes.  The People's National Movement, which at present occupies the opposition bench in Parliament, managed to secure only 422 votes.
On voting day, prior to the ballots being counted, aka_lol published a post with some “random thoughts” on the by-election:
Random Thought 1
A vote for Jack is really a vote against Kamla.
Random Thought 4
For the many Green supporters in Trinidad and Tobago Jack, despite his reputed international affairs with money, is seen as more honest than the Kamla cabal. Before the Peoples Partnership got into power Jack was the moral and financial backbone of the party. Now that many contracts have been awarded and many of the select contractors paid, Jack’s money is now frowned upon by those who once were in love with it and slept with it nightly.
To the majority of supporters of the PP [the current People's Partnership coalition government], Kamla and company, after the unexpected big election victory, gave the spoils of the land to a small handful of financiers, completely forgetting why the country voted against the Manning [former Prime Minister and leader of the People's National Movement, which lost the last general election and is now in opposition] regime. Despite the outcome of the Chaguanas West by-election Kamla and Company must understand that a large section of their supporters are extremely dissatisfied with their performance and they are seen as vindictive, greedy, dishonest, and self-serving. The Kamla-led UNC cabal is seen as no different to Manning and his madness and probably are even worse.
The outcome certainly signals that people wanted a change.  Once the results were confirmed, the same blogger published a follow-up post quoting from unidentified “newspapers”:
Article 1:
Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars from the usual sources pumped into the by-election campaign, the ruling party lost  by a margin that makes huge look small.  As the results started to come in just after eight last night, loud screams of pleasure could be heard throughout the country as it became apparent that Mr. Warner was beating the U.N.C along with their arrogance, vindictiveness and dignitaries to a proverbial pulp. Though the majority of citizens were not entitled to vote in the by-election they were satisfied that the people in power (PIP) was being taught the lesson they refused to learn over the last few years.
Article 2:
A very embarrassed…P.M. has blamed her election loss on the the abundance of those flashing blue lights on her dignitaries’ Prados. She theorized that those blue lights had a negative effect on voters in the Chaguanas West constituency causing them to see green instead of yellow at the polling stations.
Plain Talk took a more serious view of developments:
The results of the polls in Chaguanas West does not auger well for the future of Trinidad & Tobago…what happened in that election could well spell the beginning of a new grab for power among the elite, where candidates are bankrolled and placed in the House of Representatives as bargaining chips to negotiate directly on their behalf and in their interests.
He questioned the authenticity of the Warner campaign…
Does anyone really think that Jack did any of this on his own? Please, the man can barely speak, but what he represents is something far more sinister than we dared imagine, the enemy within.
In this land of lazy advocates and irresponsible citizens our desire for a fix-all messiah to solve all our problems has delivered us to our ending riding high on the promise of a box drain and a pavement, and a little way farther down the road we will arrive upon it, courtesy of our own selfish immaturity.
…then took a broader view of the situation:
We have had ample time to fix things, but for fifty one years we've been content to hobble from public drunken holiday to public drunken holiday as we slowly circled the drain. Now all we have left is hope, as in hope we don't end up in a public hospital needing treatment or God forbid hope we don't end up the victim of a crime. We the people of Trinidad & Tobago have failed our nation and our children by this action, and history will call for an accounting as to what drove us to this apparent madness.
Think I am wrong? Read the international news, see what the rest of the world thinks of our foolishness and understand how the world views us now. Sure, they will stick around long enough to know where we are on a map, until our petrochemical value runs out, but after that we're on our own, left to our own devices like the children of the other failed states who, having had their moment in the sun, chose to use it to burn their own civilization down instead.
Demokrissy, meanwhile, suggested that the winds of political change were blowing, comparing them to “the breezes of the Arab Spring”:
Wherever these breezes have passed, they have left in their wake wide ranging social and political changes: Such additional demands on governments and public and private institutions for greater transparency, accountability, responsibility, fairness, balance and equity, performance and delivery of goods and services are pressuring not only so called anti democracies but also well established democracies of Americas, Europe and Asia. But in other parts there is a backlash and the breezes have been met with counter reprisals of oppressive curbs to civil liberties, human rights and freedoms.
So do you feel it? Here I mean, in the Caribbean. Or is it that we are in that time lag – between being informed and accepting the information?
Information – at least about the outcome of the by-election – was flowing freely on Twitter.  Some Twitter users thought the results signaled a departure from tribal voting:
It is inspiring that #chaguanaswest did not vote for race…let's see what #jackWarner does next…don't disappoint the ppl!
— ♡SexyDougla♡ (@sheenajadon) July 30, 2013
Crystal Dawn Jagdeo felt that it boiled down to performance:
Performance beats old talk every damn time! #JackWarner #ChaguanasWest #CHAGWEST #trinidad
— Crystal Dawn Jagdeo (@Crysslebee) July 30, 2013
Plain Talk remained unconvinced, saying:
The people of Trinidad & Tobago supported, rallied behind and elected to Parliament a man of international ignominy and with many, many questions of serious impropriety hanging over his head. We did this sober and with full control of our faculties, unforced and without coercion or duress. The obvious question then that begs to be asked is, what does that say about us as a people?


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Zimbabweans Vote as President Mugabe Seeks Seventh Term · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Zimbabweans voted today in critical elections that will determine if longtime leader Robert Mugabe will remain at the helm of the African country or if one of his four challengers, including current Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, will take over.
The peaceful elections were the first since the formation of a coalition government between Mugabe's Zanu PF party and Tsvangirai's The Movement for Democratic Change. The coalition was formed following the last disputed and bloody elections in 2008.
Mugabe, who is 89 years old and has been in power for 33 years, has promised to give up power if he loses. Coming to rule in 1980, he is the only president the country has had since its independence from Britain.
President Robert Mugabe is the oldest leader in Africa. Photo released to the public domain by the U.S. federal government.
Mugabe ignored protests from his coalition partners and Zimbabwean citizens after he unilaterally declared 31 July, 2013 as the date the country will hold elections. The Constitutional Court ordered Robert Mugabe to hold elections by 31 July following a successful application by Jealousy Mawarire, director of the Centre for Elections and Democracy in Southern Africa (CEDSA).
Zimbabwe election reports are trending on Twitter under the hashtags #ZimElections, #ZimbabweDecides, #ZimDecides and #ZimbabweElections.
Social entrepreneur Sir Nigel (@SirNige), emphasised the importance of traditional media during the elections:
Social media will play a role with #ZimElections but ultimately we'll use traditional media to get our election info – @ChiefKMasimba
— Sir Nigel (@SirNige) July 23, 2013
Realist Diva (@Da4RealDiva) in Bulawayo wrote:
So far,so good. Bulawayo is quiet….ppl r voting n going home. No riots no drama peaceful #zimelections #zimbabwe
— RealistDiva (@Da4RealDiva) July 31, 2013
Bonny K'ochieng (@orengbony) wrote that free and fair voting is the most important:
As an African i would welcome Mugabe's victory if its free n fair!!bt he shld accept defeat if Tsvangirai defeats him #ZimbabweDecides
— Bonny K'ochieng (@orengbonny) July 31, 2013
Southern Eye (@SoutherneyeZim), a local newspaper, reported:
Quite a sizeable number at Stanley Square, queue is trudging away slowly @Welshman_Ncube expected to vote here shortly #ZimbabweDecides
— Southern Eye (@SoutherneyeZim) July 31, 2013
Crisis Coalition, a conglomeration of more than 350 civic society organisations in Zimbabwe, asked voters to dispel the myth that votes do not count:
#ZimbabweDecides today.Hoping all registered voters will come out in their numbers. Dispell the myth that your vote doesnt count – it does!
— Crisis Coalition (@crisiscoalition) July 31, 2013
Idriss Ali Nassah (@mynassah) shared a touching story of a dedicated voter:
In Glen View, Harare, one man claimed he came at 3am to be first in line to vote #ZimDecides
— Idriss Ali Nassah (@mynassah) July 31, 2013
Gideon S.F. Moyo (@Giddo90), a student, noted that committed voters were prepared to queue as long as it takes:
People taking out their buttered bread in the queue… Even hunger will not deter them today #ZimElections #ZimDecides
— Gideon S. F. Moyo (@Giddo90) July 31, 2013
However, Mike Madoda (@mikemadoda) wrote the following about one polling station in the capital, Harare:
so far, less than 100 people have voted at Mt Pleasant High Sch- one may be inclined to believe the conspiracy theories are true #ZimDecides
— Mike Madoda (@mikemadoda) July 31, 2013
African Election (@Africanelection), a project that empowers reporters and citizen with new media tools for election coverage and monitoring, expressed fear that voters in some areas will be frustrated by a shortage of polling stations:
@ZimRights1 local observer says Chivhu has a popn [population] of 35 to 40000 with only 3 polling st. & this will frustrate voters #ZimElections
— African Elections (@Africanelection) July 31, 2013
Hopewell C (@hopewellc) complained about the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation:
While all news channels in world n First TV are showing live updates ….ZBC showing concerts and past galas #ZimElections ..smh
— Hopewell C (@hopewellc) July 31, 2013
Zweli on the Cusp (@Zwellibanzy) explained the fear that drives some voters to want to use their own pens:
‘Voters in Borrowdale bring their own pens amid rumours that the government pens use disappearing ink’ ZanuPF are technicians #ZimElections
— Zweli on the Cusp (@Zwellibanzy) July 31, 2013
Joseph Madondo (@jmad263) advised voters:
Before u vote know this the average Zimbabwean is living at under $1.14 a day.this has to CHANGE #ZimElections
— Joseph Madondo (@jmad263) July 31, 2013
Zimbabwean journalist Jessie Dendere (@jessiedendere) was critical of Tsvangirai's faction MDCT:
#MDCT is a confused party, why participate in an ‘illegal, illegitimate, unfree and fair election’ #ZimDecides #zimelections
— jessie dendere (@jessiedendere) July 31, 2013
Fore more coverage, please visit Vote Watch 263, a Ushahidi-based citizen platform for election analysis.


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Six Years in a Russian Prison for Sharing Porn? · Global Voices
Daniel Alan Kennedy

While the Internet's affinity for pornography is an established meme of the blogosphere, Omsk resident Anton Ilyushchenko, known on LiveJournal as snaf-omsk [ru], is learning as a sudden criminal suspect that Russian law enforcement isn't always willing to embrace the Web's seedy underbelly.
In April 2013, browsing the social networking page of a local nightclub called “Everest,” Ilyushchenko discovered photo albums of heavily inebriated and half-naked patrons engaged in what appeared to be amateur striptease contests and public sex acts. Writing on his LiveJournal, Ilyushchenko posted 20 of the pictures from a particularly tawdry, bacchanalian evening at Everest, which he described as “one of the seediest places in our city.” The post went viral, generating thousands of comments, hundreds of shares, and as many reposts accross various social media platforms. The post even crossed over into English-speaking media, appearing on Reddit and in translated English [NSFW] on russiaSlam, a site that specializes in popular stories from the RuNet.
One of the photos found on Everest Cafe's website. Screenshot from YouTube.
While the post generated massive publicity for Ilyushchenko's blog, it also attracted the attention of the local Omsk authorities. As Ilyushchenko explained [ru] on April 10.
Вчера вечером поступил звонок от представителей полиции с просьбой явиться в ленинское отделение г. Омска. Предлогом послужило распространение наркотических веществ в сети Интернет от моего имени. Естественно ничем подобным я никогда не занимался. Когда я явился на допрос, дознаватель задавала вопросы только про нашумевшую историю об “Эвересте”. Про тему с наркотиками они впервые слышат и развели руками.
Last night I got a call from the police with a request to present myself at Omsk's Lenin Police Station. The pretext was the distribution of narcotic substances online. Naturally I've never done anything like this. When I appeared at the request, the investigator only asked me questions about the tumultuous story of “Everest.” As for the drugs issue, this was the first they'd heard of it and they simply shrugged.
One of the photos found on Everest Cafe's website. Screenshot from YouTube.
Five days later, on April 15, Ilyushchenko again posted [ru] about the investigation, explaining himself and asking for his readers’ support.
В определениях слова порнография, которые приводятся в авторитетных источниках, говорится об извращенно-похотливых желаниях. Лично у меня, при просмотре подобных фотографий, таких желаний не возникает. И уж тем более я не хотел вызвать таких желаний у своих читателей. Я вижу здесь только грязь и быдлоту.…
Я разместил в своем блоге ссылки на уже имеющиеся фотографии в интернете. Почему наши правоохранительные органы не хотят заняться поиском автора этих фотографий и организаторов мероприятия? А хотят обвинить человека, который показал пальцем на беспредел, творящийся в течение двух лет у них под носом.
Я считаю, что это абсолютно неприкрытый произвол и провокация со стороны властей.
In definitions of the word “pornography,” which exist in authoritative sources, they talk about the arousal of lustful desires. Personally, while viewing these sort of photos, I experience no such desires. And I didn't want to cause such desires in my readers. I see in these only filth and trashiness.
I posted on my blog only links to photos that already exist online. Why don't our authorities want to bother looking for the author of these photographs or the organizers of these events? Rather they want to accuse the person who pointed a finger at the lawlessness taking place over two years right under their noses.
I think this is absolutely judicial arbitrariness and a provocation on the part of the authorities.
Ilyushchenko went on to delete the orginal post (though copies of it and its controversial pictures abound elsewhere online), explaining that the investigation was ongoing. Though Ilyushchenko didn't draw attention to the fact, other bloggers and commenters were quick to point out that the owner of the Everest cafe is a former police officer.
Following Ilyushchenko's deletion of the post, the furore surrounding it died down. On July 23 however, the Omsk branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a press-release [ru], announcing a criminal case against Ilyushchenko under Article 242 of the Russian criminal code—for “Illegal distribution [and] public demonstration of pornographic materials made with the use of information-communicational Internet sites.” The MVD explained that the pictures had been sent to an expert in Yekaterinburg:
Согласно заключению эксперта, все изображения полуодетых и обнаженных молодых людей мужского и женского пола являются вульгарными и сверхвульгарными. Три фотографии признаны порнографической продукцией.
According to the conclusion of an expert, all representations of half-clothed and naked young people of male and female genders are vulgar and highly vulgar. Three photos were declared a pornographic production.
There is no exact definition of pornography in the Russian criminal code, and in this case it appears the Ministry's expert went with US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stuart's famous definition. The charges against Ilyushchenko threaten a prison term of 2-6 years. Many netizens rushed to Ilyushchenko's defense, such as fellow Omsk blogger Vasiliy Neverov, who argued [ru] that it is unjust to single out Ilyushchenko for what happened at Everest.
Интересно, специалисты МВД понимают, что такие Эвересты есть в каждом городе? Думаю, да. Но, как правило, нужно найти виноватого. Одного человека. Хотя в собственных пресс-релизах УВД указано: снимки сделаны участниками вечиринки три года назад на мобильные телефоны и фотоаппараты. Причем тут Антон Илющенко? В чем его обвиняют? Он распространял… Ну конечно! В 21 веке есть кнопочка “репоста”… Есть свободно открытые открытые группы ВКонтакте, где лежат разные фотки и видео.
Do the specialists from the Ministry of Internal Affairs understand that there are “Everests” in every city? I think yes. But, as a rule, you need to find a guilty party. A single individual. Even though in their own press-releases, the police say that the pictures were taken by participants at a party three years ago on mobile telephones and cameras. So why Anton Ilyushchenko? What's his crime? He distributed… Well of course he did! In the 21st century, there's a “repost” button… There are freely open groups on [the popular Russian social network] VKontakte, where there are various [highly explicit] photos and videos.
Support wasn't isolated to Omsk's netizens. St. Petersburg-based blogger Corpuscula [ru] complained that the authorities were railroading Ilyushchenko for uncovering a nasty truth about life in the city.
Что по идее должна была сделать администрация? По обычной логике, притон к черту закрыть, в городе открыть какие-нибудь молодежные центры… а жж-юзеру сказать спасибо за то, что обратил внимание на проблему…
Но Россия – страна победившей социопатии… Юзера Снафа стали таскать в милицию под разными предлогами. Снимки “проверяют на порнографию”, чтобы выяснить, не распространял ли её Снаф. Пресса винит его в том, что он “выставил Омск в дурном свете”
What should the authorities have done? According to normal logic: close the den of inequity, open new youth centres… and thank the blogger for drawing attention to this problem…
But Russia is a country of rampant psychopathy… The user Snaf [Ilyushchenko] was dragged off to the police on various pretexts. The pictures were “checked for pornography” to see if Snaf had distributed any. The press blames him for “putting Omsk in a bad light.”
One of the photos found on Everest Cafe's website. Screenshot from YouTube.
Though RuNet support for Ilyushchenko appears to be the norm, there are of course some Internet users who have little sympathy for him. One commenter on the omskinform [ru] newsportal accused Ilyushchenko of attempting to reinvent himself as a “truth-teller,” when the actual motive for the original post was a cynical effort to increase his own blog's traffic.
Никакого отношения к “борьбе с быдлотой” это не имеет. Паренёк лукавит и это он теперь выработал такую позицию. А изначально это было просто выпендрёжное желание нагнать трафик в своём ЖЖ любыми путями… Распространение – оно и есть распространение. Думать надо было головой сначала хоть немножко-то. Органы настроены решительно, солидным людям уже порядком поднадоела вся эта идиотская вакханалия в омском интернете.
This isn't any sort of “fight against trashiness.” The lad is being disingenuous and now trying to take this position. But this started as a simple attention-seeking wish to attract traffic to his blog by any means… Distribution is still distribution. He should have used his brain a bit at the start. The authorities are inclined to act decisively as decent people are already sick of all this idiotic bacchanalia on Omsk's Internet.
Ilyushechnko's legal difficulties show the problems that arise when laws developed for the pre-Internet age are applied to the online world. Arresting and prosecuting everyone who reposted or linked to Ilyushchenko's pictures (or finding the original photographer) would be nearly impossible, leading to arbitrary accusations against only the most prominent offenders. Unfortunately for Ilyushchenko, the courts are unlikely to show him much sympathy, given the Russian legal system's growing hostility for upstart netizen activity [GV]. Ilyushchenko is currently visiting Kazakhstan, where he might remain, if it becomes his only way to stay out of prison.

author: Daniel Alan Kennedy


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Brazilians Ask ‘Where is Amarildo?’, Favela Resident Missing After Arrest · Global Voices
Mariana Parra

[All links lead to Portuguese-language pages unless otherwise noted.]
A campaign questioning the whereabouts of Amarindo Dias de Souza, a missing 47-year-old resident of Rio de Janeiro's Favela da Rocinha [en] who was last seen in the slum as he was arrested by military police assigned to the neighborhood, is spreading throughout Brazilian social media.
Dias de Souza was arrested on July 14, 2013 in Rocinha, known as the largest slum in the world, by agents of the Pacifying Police Unit [en] (UPP). The agents claim he was released shortly after, but Dias de Souza hasn't been seen since.
“Where is Amarildo?”, led by movements and leaders who fight against police violence in Brazil, has been sounding the call about the man's disappearance. Dias de Souza is father of six children and lives with them and his wife in a shed with just one room, subsisting on just 300 Brazilian reais (about 133 US dollars) a month. Since he was allegedly kidnapped by military police in Rio in that Sunday night, his family is starving.
The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Cabral, met with Amarildo’s family on July 24 and promised to “mobilize all the government” to find him. Dias de Souza's wife, Elisabeth Gomes da Silva, said that she left the meeting frustrated with the governor, and that no concrete solution has been shown to find her Amarildo.
On the same day, the governor said that Dias de Souza’s family may enter the government program for protection of witnesses. The measure was criticized by state representative Marcelo Freixo on his Facebook account because of the long waiting line to be admitted on this program.
Picture of Amarildo’s family in Rocinha that became viral on Facebook and has been shared hundred times with the hashtag #OndeEstáAmarildo? (#WhereisAmarildo?)
Jorge Antonio Barros, a blogger who specialized in security issues, highlighted to campaign:
Como trata-se de um morador pobre de uma favela do Rio, esse caso tem tudo para cair no esquecimento. Felizmente a onda de protestos mantém a comunidade mobilizada.
Since he is a resident of a poor ‘favela’ in Rio, this case will probably be forgotten. Fortunately the wave of demonstrations keep the community mobilized.
An in another post he added:
O que é preciso de fato é que seja estabelecido o estado de direito democrático na favela pacificada. A polícia tem que agir por lá como age em áreas nobres da cidade
In fact what is necessary is for the democratic rule of law to be established in the pacified favela. Police must act there as they act in rich areas of the city
Profiles of social movements that fight against police violence, such as Mães de Maio (Mothers of May) and Rede de Comunidades e Movimentos contra a Violência (Network of Communities and Movements Against Violence), have promoted the campaign constantly, with strong echoes on Facebook. With images, calls for justice, and solidarity demonstrations around Brazil, Dias de Souza has been widespread in the last weeks of July.
Banner on the Facebook page of Mães de Maio: “The world wants to know- Where is Amarildo?”
Residents of Favela do Moinho demonstrating their solidarity. Photo by Caio Castor. Used with permission.
The residents of Favela do Moinho in São Paulo, who suffer property speculation in the city and are organized in an important resistance movement, also demonstrated their solidarity.
On Facebook, translations of the phrase “Where is Amarildo” have been spread in many languages, with the aim to get international support and pressure for this case.
Solidarity came from many places such as Uruguay, England, Palestine, USA, France and Spain. A Brazilian man who lives in Berlin created a meme to spread awareness about the campaign in Germany.
On July 18, well-known rapper MV Bill commented on his Twitter:
A familia do AMARILDO mesmo afirmando o NAO envolvimento do mesmo com o trafico,ja fala em “apenas ter o corpo p um enterro digno”
— MV Bill (@mvbill) July 18, 2013
Amarildo’s family, while affirming that he is not involved with any drug trafficking, says that they want “just a body for a dignified burial”.
Among the demonstrations in the streets and also on social media, a large protest on Twitter was called for the afternoon of July 24 with the hashtag #CadêOAmarildo (WhereIsAmarildo), which became a trending topic of Twitter.
Taking advantage of pope’s visit to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day, a group of activists projected a message for the pontiff in a building in downtown city. During the Pope visit to a favela of Rio on July 25, journalist Bolívar Torres (@inner_island) wrote on Twitter:
reporter disse que papa “fez discurso político forte”. nao tem como ser forte nem político se nao se manifestar sobre #cadeoamarildo
— Bolívar Torres (@inner_island) July 25, 2013
A journalist said that the Pope “made a strong political speech”. It’s impossible to be strong and political without mentioning #cadeoamarildo
Gianlluca Simi, writing for the magazine O Viés, said:
Não há novidades sobre o paradeiro de Amarildo. O seu caso é frequentemente divulgado em redes sociais e a pressão para esclarecê-lo tem aumentado por todo o Brasil. Sabemos, pela dedilhar do dia-a-dia, que as providências prometidas pelas autoridades não vão necessariamente se tornar realidade. Isso, no entanto, pouco tem a ver com o descrédito às instituições do país em si. Tem muito mais a ver com a mentalidade que cerca o desaparecimento de um negro, pobre e favelado. São dois cenários que, infelizmente, já não nos assustam mais: a polícia que aterroriza e o favelado (suposto criminoso) que desaparece.
There is no news of the whereabouts of Amarildo. His case is frequently spread on social media and the pressure to solve it is increasing throughout all of Brazil. We know, as is usual on daily basis, that measures promised by authorities would not necessarily become true. However, this is not related to the discredit of the country's institutions. This is much more related to the mentality that surrounds the disappearance of a black, poor resident of a favela. There are two scenarios that, unfortunately, no longer scare us: The police that terrify and the resident of favelas (alleged criminal) who disappears.

author: Mariana Parra


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China’s ‘Foreign Forces’ Propaganda, Redefined  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

“Foreign forces” is a term frequently used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its mouthpieces to describe the political motivation behind opposition voices and groups in China. Once an individual or a group is labelled as being controlled by foreign forces, political prosecution becomes justified.
Now, some Chinese Web users are turning the term back on the Communist Party.
In recent years, as more and more scandals have come to light involving party leaders and government officials who smuggle money out of the country to support the luxury lifestyle of their overseas family members, netizens are actively redefining the meaning of “foreign forces” to mock the corrupt ruling class.
A recent political cartoon by microblogger “Speaking genuinely” is one of the best examples in appropriating the party's political label for describing domestic corruption:
Political cartoon uploaded by microblogger “Speaking genuinely” to Sina Weibo. The official said: Now that my family is overseas, I can take whatever I like.
Below is an explanation note attached to the cartoon:
【何为“境外势力”】妻子在海外主要从事家庭财产转移洗白工作，儿女在国外各大名校来回炫耀，多处房产在全球自由分散，世界各大银行均有存款…而父亲则是一个始终在国内担任人民公仆并一直致力于把人民币变成美元的苦力，大会小会上慷慨激昂的痛斥腐败，这就叫做境外势力！
[What is “foreign forces”?] The wife, who has settled overseas, is responsible for money laundering the family property. The children are showing off the family wealth in top universities overseas. Their properties are spreading all across the world. Their money has been deposited in all major banks around the world. While the father is a public servant responsible for the hard duty of turning yuan into US dollars, delivering speeches on every occasion against corruption. That is called foreign forces!
Many microbloggers joined in to define “foreign forces” in the post's comment section:
章立凡: 这种势力才是“正能量”￼，骂他们的人是不爱祖国的“人渣”￼…
Zhang Lifang: Such forces are the so-called “positive energy”. Those who criticize them are the “scumbag” who do not love their motherland.
大圣2004：身在天朝心在外的“爱国者”！
“Holy 2004″: They are the “patriots” whose bodies are in the Empire but their hearts are all settled overseas.
“Script writer Xiaohua” twisted “a handful of the minority”, another official propaganda term used to describe those who are controlled by foreign forces, to fit the redefinition of “foreign forces”:
编剧少华：境外势力不假，可他们并不是一小撮人。
“Script writer Xiaohua”: They are the real foreign forces, but they are not “a handful of the minority.”
Some commented on the lack of democracy behind the problem of foreign forces:
杨济诚：百姓手中无选票，任凭党棍横行时。
“engine888″: While ordinary people don't have the vote, party bullies can do whatever they want.
薇菡儿：“境外势力”还骂民主，骂普世价值呢。
“Rose bud”: “Foreign forces” also like to criticize democracy and universal value.
道非无道：经济“全球化”，利益“私有化”，子女“西洋化”，政治“牌坊化”，人民“奴仆化”
“Daofeiwudao”: Economy “globalized”, interest “privatized”, offspring “westernized”, politics “sloganized”, people “enslaved”.
“infantry soldier” looked to Russia for ideas how to solve the foreign forces issue:
步兵都尉：期望能象普京一样拿出铁腕来，凡国外有存款的，一律不得担任公职。
“infantry soldier”: I hope to have an iron-clad policy similar to Vladimir Putin‘s and ban those who have foreign bank accounts from becoming government officials.
Others fleshed out the reimagining of the term “foreign forces” even more:
我是老纪：只要风吹草动，他们立刻会回到自己的祖国–美国，与家人团聚。星条旗下他们热泪盈眶，发誓要用生命保卫自己的祖国。
“I am Laoji”: When they spot anything against their interests, they would return back to their motherland — the U.S. — to reunite with their family. Under the U.S. national flag, they have tears in their eyes and swear to protect their motherland.
阳光_珠珠：写的深刻真实可信！不要说上层的高官！我们的身边不也有这样的典范！
“Sunbeam pearl”: So vividly depicts the real situation. This group of people occupy not only the top position. We see so many examples around us.
殷成刚的微博：辛苦这些贪官了，国内做贼一样，贪钱不敢花；国外的老婆寂寞难耐，找男人打发无聊时间；孩子满世界炫富，不时整点事出来！贪官的境界，其实挺高的！
“Yan Chenggang's blog”: These corrupt officials are so poor. They act like thieves and dare not spend any money. Their wives overseas feel lonely and spend time with other men. Their children keep showing off money and creating trouble. It takes a certain character and skill to become a corrupt official.
“Superspeed” (@-劲速-) explained the impact of corruption on the domestic economy:
截止2012年，我国流至境外的资产高达3万亿，已经影响我国的M2总量了，可见我们的“正能量”是多么的“任劳任怨”啊。
“Superspeed”: By the end of 2012, the out flow of cash to overseas is as high as 3,000 billion yuan (500 billion US dollars). It has an impact on our domestic currency flow already. The “positive energy” is working so hard.