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Tennis Superstars Venus and Serena Williams Visit Nigeria · Global Voices
Nwachukwu Egbunike

The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, were in Nigeria from October 30 to November 2, 2012. Their visit was at the behest of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club’s Breaking The Mould Initiative (BTM). This gender-driven intervention aims at inspiring Nigerian women to reach greater heights, and the Williams sisters are a personification of the fact that success does not depend so much on gender but on industry.
Babatunde Fashola (Governor of Lagos) with Venus and Serena Williams (Photo Credit: Osun Defender)
While in Lagos their schedule included a meeting with Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Governor of Lagos State, a tennis clinic at the Ikoyi Club, a visit to a puberty education class for girls and an exhibition match.
Naturally, their arrival stirred debate in the Nigerian blogosphere. Emotan is not a sports blogger but could not ignore this unique visit:
Fresh off her season-ending victory at the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Championship, Serena is in Nigeria with her older sister, Venus who preceded her in the Grand Slam winners’ collectors. No sports personalities have graced my essays – here or before – than the two sisters.
Eko oni ba je! (This literally means: Lagos would not spoil!)
Nigerians are revered for their hospitality. The Williams sisters got a first-hand feel of this from Lagos, the pulse of the country. The reception for the two tennis queens could be described as a hero’s welcome. InformationNigeria reports:
The two most recognizable names in women tennis, Venus and Serena Williams literally grinded Lagos state to a halt yesterday, Wednesday. On their first official day out in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, the sisters practically stopped the free flow of traffic along the Ahmadu Bello Way, Osborne Road and some parts of Ikoyi.
Surrounded by stern-looking security details, who went about their job professionally, the Williams sisters, who were accompanied by their mother, Oracene, got a rousing ovation reserved only for royalty at the Federal Palace Hotel and the Ikoyi Club 1938, where all the adjoining streets to the exclusive club, were closed to traffic because of them. At the club, where chants of their names resonated at intervals, the sisters conducted a tennis clinic for about 700 kids who were thrilled by this once in a lifetime opportunity of knocking around tennis balls with the famed duo.
The igniting welcome was infectious and mutually shared as Serena comments:
We are excited to be in Nigeria. My first time was a brief stopover when I travelled to an African country a few years back. It was disappointing that I could not interact with Nigerians back then, that’s why I'm going to cherish every minute I have to spend here now.
It also makes me crazy to know that we have many fans in Nigeria, in fact, I receive thousands of messages everyday on Twitter from Nigerians who were asking if I would come here. Well here I am and it will be an honour to play against my sister for Nigerians and we will give you a good show… I hope that our presence and what we do would help to change Nigerian tennis. I hope that these players will be inspired to become the best.
Sorry, We Are Not Nigerians!
The Williams sisters debunked the claim that they are Nigerians in the most sensational part of their visit. Austin Naija asserts:
The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena Wednesday put an end to insinuations that they were from Nigeria, when they said that they were proud to be American citizens. Speaking at the Federal Palace Hotel, Venus, in a response to a question on their true origin, said that while they love Nigeria, the fact was that they were from the United States of America.
“This is another country that we would love to come from but we are from the United States and are proud to be from there as well”, said Venus. On their mother’s decision to name their late sister, Yetunde, after a Nigerian, Venus said that it was because of the mum’s love for Africa.
“My mum named my late sister after an Africa name because she loves Africa and that is all to it”, she said.
Naija! una too dey form familiarity sef [Nigerians! You always like to pretend to be on familiar terms].
This got netizens on Nairaland Forum talking. Ileke-IdI writes:
Nigerians are very silly people. When will you embarrassing ppl [people] stop trying to claim people who don't want to be claimed or trying to claim another heritage? How did some ppl arrived [sic] at the assumption that they're Nigerians? My goodness!
Royalty says Nigerians are not trying to claim the two sisters:
We are not trying to claim them. Journalists only asked the obvious question. Their mum used a popular Yoruba name which means she was trying to associate with Nigeria. Too bad the sisters are claiming contrary. Who cares anyway? Not like they will help reducing the price of fuel or anything. Abeg! [Please!] Naija [Nigeria] has enough stars in the making. Fingers crossed joor [an exclamation used to plead; most commonly to be left alone]. They should just keep up with their good game.
Mr. Globe said the question was merely a sign of poverty:
Smh, what a disgrace. Who even asked them the question? I remember people saying they were from Badagry. lmao. It’s just the poverty in Nigeria, rather than creating your own to a standard level, you wish every successful black man is Nigerian.
Cashmentor wonders why their mother chose a Nigerian name for their late sister:
Well, I love this earth, I’d have love to be here forever, but I'm from Mars! Rubbbbish…. Who'd want to be identified with the roots of terrorists, thieves, scammers and drug lords after all? No one wants to be related to a mad man…. We don hear una [we've heard you], ok, take your money and go back to the land of milk and hard knocks! Why didn't your mum name your late sis (may her soul rest in peace) a South African or Ghanaian name, of all countries, she choose a Nigerian name and u telling me about loving Africa, I don't know your roots, but, with your own excuse, something tells me you gals are lying and hiding something! I still love you girls though, keep making me proud!
Afam4eva writes:
It's good they cleared the air just like NAS did when he came to Nigeria. I don't know what it is with Nigerians and claiming people. How can a nation with over 150 million people are looking for more citizens when it has not taken care of the people it has.
Abujafood asks:
How are they supposed to be Nigerians? Just because they “Williams Sisters Visit Lagos”. Even Barrack Obama doesn't accept his Kenyan! Them too like better thing!
50caliber wants to know if every black person is a Nigerian:
When Naija go stop to dry fall my hand? Every black person is Nigerian, Nas is Nigerian, chamillionaire is Nigerian, Lil Wayne is Nigerian, Wale is Nigerian even people who don't wish to be associated with Nigeria?  We need to build our own and stop looking for ready-mades. Although these girls forgot that every black person has roots in Africa.
But it does not really matter. Emotan explains using a proverb:
Wherever on the continent is their roots, they are ours, Omowale - children return home – as the Yoruba would say, and we all welcome them. Welcome to Lagos, one of the most vibrant cities in the world though not my fave among Nigerian cities – and welcome to Nigeria.  I'm sure this will not be your first and last visit as it happens with all “returnees”.  You will find Nigeria, especially Lagos, additive!! [sic]
The two sisters ended their Nigerian tour with a friendly match on Friday, October 20 in the Nigerian commercial capital, Lagos.

author: Nwachukwu Egbunike


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Portugal: An Open Letter to Germany · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Portuguese economist and researcher José Maria Castro Caldas published an open letter to the citizens of Germany on the website of the Initiative for a Citizen Audit of the public debt. The Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel will be on an official visit to Portugal on November 12, 2012.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Sara Moreira


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Protest in Trinidad & Tobago over Section 34 Scandal · Global Voices
Matthew Hunte

On Friday, various sectors of the Trinidad and Tobago public participated in a protest march calling for the resignations of Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Minister of National Security, Jack Warner. Various groups involved in the march included the opposition People's National Movement, the Movement for Social Justice (which recently pulled its support from the government), the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union and the non-governmental organisation Fixin’ T&T, among others.
Jack Warner dismissed the protest, claiming that fewer people attended the march than voted for him in the last election. He also claimed that the march was almost completely Afro-Trinidadian. (The opposition People's National Movement is predominantly supported by Afro-Trinidadians; the United National Congress, which is the dominant party of the ruling People's Partnership government, draws most of its support from the Indo-Trinidadian community. Warner himself is Afro-Trinidadian.)
Four days before the march, activist Philip Edward Alexander laid out his reasons for participating in the protest, comparing the Section 34 situation to the 1990 Coup:
I put to you that the assault on decency and our democratic, law abiding way of life that was the surreptitious proclamation of Section 34 with clear designed intent ought to be considered one of the most evil of acts committed against this state and its people, and I am reminded again (although I forget who first said it) that the only difference between this terrible affront to justice and what occurred in those terrible days beginning July 27th 1990 was that this assault against the Parliament came from the inside.
According to Alexander, the government has shown that it cannot be trusted:
The denials upon denials in the face of mounting and glaring evidence to the contrary, the rewriting of history and all the other tried and proven articles of misdirection will continue on in earnest, but like all other examples of the guilty caught trying to hide the stolen cookie, crumbs have never been properly able to lie.
He felt that the only way to send a message to the government was to take to the streets:
It is pellucidly clear that this government needs to be sent a message as to the wishes of the public and on Friday November 2nd such an opportunity will become manifest as civil society, regardless of race, creed, class, gender and political persuasion come together to do just that. Sometimes it comes down to us. Our legislature, our House of Representatives and all that they represent need to be put right again, and as the fastest way to get to there is to punish the guilty in sure assembly, to remove from office all those who act against it then surely that is why we must march.
On Friday, Rhoda Bharath explained why the march was destined to have a large turnout:
Today, as more and more details of the section 34 issue [have] been revealed and more and more people realise the extent of the conspiracy perpetrated against the country, all of a sudden marching has become the fashionable thing. The people who wanted to make this about Keith Rowley and the PNM a few weeks ago are going to be out on the street en masse today because that’s how bandwagonists function. They diss an action that they are not in favour of in its early phases and then when they see the direction the wind shifts in all of a sudden their intellect kicks in and they find a plausible reason for joining and become even louder and more vociferous than the original members of a movement. It’s all good, once they pulling their weight. I guess the Lemmings have company today.
Bharath also addressed those who have accused the protesters of seeking to destabilize the government:
Another argument is that this March today is about causing political destabilisation…uhhh…YES…we don’t trust the Government. No electorate should have to be saddled with a Government it doesn’t trust, and to argue that we must put up with an untrustworthy government for five years is to play smart with foolishness. That’s why it’s called a democracy…we have the right to show our displeasure and I am going to show it.
Police Guarding The Office of Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan
Wired868 felt that the Section 34 controversy showed that regardless of whether the Attorney General was corrupt or simply inept, he had to go:
Going forward, here is my question: do we really want an Attorney General who doesn’t have a clue about the legal bills passing through Parliament? Isn’t the AG the protector of the people regarding all things legal? Isn’t it his job to ensure that sound laws are passed? Isn’t that why we pay him generous amounts of taxpayers’ money every month?
According to Wired868, if the government wants to remain in office, it will have to clean house:
By his own admission, he has failed spectacularly. By his own admission, the Justice Minister duped him. Herbert Volney, that wily old ex-judge plotted and schemed behind Ramlogan’s back and put one over the ever vigilant AG. Obviously distracted by some business far more important than the law of the land, over a period of some eight months, the poor Attorney General never once had the opportunity to study the Bill closely in the Parliament, the Senate, the Cabinet.
We have still not been told the reasons for the declaration of the state of emergency. Why? What goes on behind the closed doors of the Cabinet? If the People’s Partnership is to have any chance of survival, any chance of securing a second term, they must begin now to clean house, they must keep their election promises of integrity and transparency and they must spend the next two years rebuilding trust.
On Twitter, Vernon O'Reilly-Ramesar compared the crowd to a popular Carnival band:
When the march is bigger than Tribe you know that is a lotta people. At least they are staying in their section. #PoSMarch
David Abdullah of the MSJ, Opposition Leader Keith Rowley of the PNM, Ancil Roget of the OWTU, former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj
Pradeep Latchman felt that serious reform was needed:
Trinidad & Tobago Govt. operating as if the world has not changed; urgent reforms needed, new inspired leadership willing to work. #PoSmarch
Lasana Liburd responded to Jack Warner's claims about the ethnic composition of the crowd:
Jack Warner says S34 march was done by old, black, racially motivated people. Can't confirm he will now absorb post of racial integration
Rachel Rampersad noted the contradiction of the Congress of the People participating in the march against the government they are part of:
They repped in the govt too. #contradictionRT @samnanton: The Congress of the People is represented in this march. #posmarch
After the march, Rhoda Bharath responded to critics of the protest, including those who claimed the number of participants was overstated:
Long before the crowd started marching along the route there were estimates being given out online. Allan Karim, a known UNC blogger claimed 800. At around that time the crowd was easily double that and I was standing in Woodford square with a group of like minded and right thinking citizens discussing how this government for all its new politics talk, was using the usual racist propaganda scare tactics to corral it’s (sic) voter base.
Bharath felt that the attempts to downplay the protest were the sign of a desperate government:
Let’s face it. UNC/COP has squandered all of its political currency. As soon as any one of their ministers speak the electorate starts looking for the lie. The PNM faithful have returned home, it’s the swing voters or fence sitters that The Keith has to reach out to. The MSJ will now have to consider its voter base and reach out to undecideds in PNM and UNC/COP seats. If you ask me, short of a massive rigging that eclipses S34 or Prakash Ramadhar and the rest of the Section 34 Gang of Thieves managing to hoodwink the population into Proportional Representation (and that campaign coming, watch and see), the UNC has corrupted its way out of a chance at election 2015.
Reform T&T felt the march was a wasted opportunity. In response to this livetweet of a statment from MSJ leader David Abdulah…
“Never again must we believe a change in party means good governance. We must change the system.” – MSJ leader Abdulah #PosMarch
…Reform T&T chided the leaders for making the protest about personalities:
@CNC3TV So where did the march call for a change to the system. The focus was on personalities – Warner & Ramlogan.#POSMarch #fail
Yeshua's Dad replied that personalities must be changed before the system:
@reformtt @CNC3TV #POSMarch #fail 1st change personalities then system!
Reform T&T responded that going after personalities indicated a political agenda:
@Kre82devast8 @cnc3tv Change personalities = political agenda. #fail in 2010#fail now. Change system = country agenda. T&T must be 1st.
Protesters in Port-of-Spain
Peter North thought the protest was just opposition politics as usual:
“@reformtt: @tv6tnt Now is time to fete.#POSMarch” this was the the pnm Friday evening after work lime.Nothing more … Poncheon was water.

author: Matthew Hunte


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Refugees on Hunger Strike in Germany against Politics of Deterrence · Global Voices
Gabriele Zöttl

On October 24, 2012 twenty-five asylum-seekers went on hunger strike in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. The protest in the highly symbolic location, which stands for the once violent division of a people by politics, is the latest in a chain reaction that began in February with the suicide of the Iranian Mohammad Rahsepar in a refugee camp in Würzburg.
Protest camp in Berlin in front of Brandenburg Gate (Photo: Metronaut.de, CC-BY-SA)
Suicides are not rare in German asylum-seeker housing. In many places refugees are housed in isolated, prison-like camps, social services are doled out in the form of vouchers, they are not permitted to work, and there aren’t enough language classes. While asylum-seekers- spatially and socially excluded, forced into unbearably tight quarters- wait for years for their application for asylum to be processed, they are not permitted to leave the district of the immigration authority responsible for them (called Residenzpflicht, or mandatory residence, in German). Despite consistent pressure from Germans and denunciations by human rights organizations, politics has thus far held fast to these inhumane living conditions in order to deter refugees, as Kay Wendel in the blog no-racism [de] describes:
Konsens unter den etablierten Parteien von SPD bis CDU/CSU war, »Dämme gegen die Fluten« zu errichten und weitere Flüchtlinge abzuschrecken, indem ihre Lebensbedingungen so unattraktiv wie möglich gemacht wurden. Ein »Bündel flankierender Maßnahmen« wurde verabschiedet: Lagerpflicht, Residenzpflicht, Arbeitsverbot, Gutscheine statt Bargeld, Essenspakete, gültig bis heute.
Refugee protest in Würzburg (Foto: Blog of Striking Iranian Refugees Würzburg, gustreik.blogsport.eu, CC BY-NC-SA)
After Mohammad Rahsepar hanged himself in February, spontaneous protests began in Würzburg [de]. Entirely ignored by politicians, several refugees went on hunger strike and erected a semi-permanent protest camp. First they had to fight a legal battle with the city of Würzburg for their right to demonstrate and to go on hunger strike. Even then, a political reaction failed to materialize.
Asylum-seekers from other cities were prohibited from joining the protests, pointing to the mandatory residence provision (Residenzpflicht). Subsequently, refugees built protest camps in eight other cities over the summer under the name “Refugee Tent Action.” Then, on September 8, about 70 refugees and supporters set out in a refugee caravan [de] on the almost 600-km stretch from Würzburg to Berlin, where they – after a confrontation with Neonazis- arrived on October 6. They are determined to stay until their demands are met: abrogation of mandatory residence, mandatory camp residency, and deportation.
Supporter of the protest camp in Berlin (Photo by Flickr user @handverbrennung Enno Lenze, CC BY 2.0)
The protest is led mostly by Iranian refugees, young people that were forced to leave their homeland after the Green Revolution. In addition to their willingness to fight for their rights, they have also brought along an appreciation or the possibilities of the internet and of social media, which they are now using for their protest against German asylum conditions. The protest camps in the individual cities and the main camp in Berlin set up blogs and Facebook groups, and their actions have had a major echo on Twitter. By doing so, they managed to organize the largest demonstration to date against the living conditions of asylum-seekers, with 6,000 protesters on October 13, despite the determined lack of attention in among mainstream politics and their media.
On October 15, refugee and activist protesters took over the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin to demonstrate against the cooperation of embassies, without which deportation from Germany would not be possible. Multiple asylum-seekers were arrested in the process and according to the police’s own statement, mistreated, which they report on in this video from YouTube user leftvision clips:
Eventually, around two dozen refugees went on hunger strike. On the last weekend in October, they were shocked with a sudden onset of winter by a temperature drop of 20 degrees. The numerous supporters have been taking care of the demonstrators with blankets, warm clothing, sleeping mats and rain tents, which are repeatedly confiscated by police. The justification: this constitutes camping equipment, and camping is not allowed in front of Brandenburg Gate.
If at the start the refugees found wide support from citizen media journalists and social media, now the web has exploded in outrage over the police measures. Canan Bayram (@friedhainerin) writes:
@friedhainerin 4 Flüchtlinge im Polizeiauto,brutale Festnahme einer Unterstützerin, in der Nacht werden die Polizisten extrem – kaltes Berlin #refugeecamp
Others, for example, Marina Weisband, called for material support of the freezing protesters:
@Afelia Berliner! Könntet ihr euch etwas Honig, Jacken und Decken unter den Arm klemmen und am Pariser Platz vorbei schauen? #refugeecamp
There’s also consideration of political and legal consequences. Anne Roth tweeted:
@annalist Versucht, die Polizeigewalt detailliert zu dokumentieren, insb. Gesichter. Die einzige Möglichkeit, sie zu identifizieren. #refugeecamp
Events were captured via Live-Streams and documented on blogs. Enno Lenze writes on his blog:
Wieso man mitten in der Nacht mit einem so martialischen Aufgebot Leuten ihre Wärmflaschen abnehmen muss, verstehe ich weiterhin nicht. Sie protestieren friedlich, provozieren nicht, beschimpfen nicht und stellen sicher keine Gefahr da. Bitte lest euch mal durch, was Leute dazu bringt, ihre Heimat zu verlassen und woanders um Asyl zu betteln.
For months the mainstream media ignored the refugee protest, with the exception of a few lines in the local press. Only the enormous echo on the internet, especially since the police have gone after the protesters with increasing severity, has forced them in the past few days to address the issue. The cynicism of the traditional media was commented on by Twitter user Fluechtlingsstreik:
@FluchtundAsyl Die deutschen Medien berichten gerne, wenn in anderen Laendern gegen Menschenrechte verstossen wird, aber wo sind sie jetzt? #refugeecamp
Perhaps this support on the internet has contributed to giving the refugees the confidence to take legal steps: after the takeover of the Nigerian Embassy, complaints of assault were made  against multiple police officers  [de]. According to Metronaut.de, criminal complaints have also been made against the district mayor Hanke and the city's Interior Minister Henkel for violation of the freedom of assembly and failure to act.
Update on 11.02.
After a discussion with the Federal Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, Maria Böhmer, the refugees ended their hunger strike on Friday, November 2. Böhmer seemed ready to comply on the questions of refugee camps and mandatory residence, but maintained the official government line with regards to deportation. On Monday, Berliner Platz at Brandenburg Gate must be cleared for a registered demonstration. Where and how the protest camp will be continued is still unknown.

author: Gabriele Zöttl


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Review of the North Korean Airline’s New Online Booking · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

North Korea's Air Koryo, infamous for being the world's only one star airline, launched an online booking service late-October. North Korean Tech blogger posted a review of its new service, enlisting problems he bumped into when booking a flight.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Bangladesh’s ‘Journalist Couple’ Murder Investigation Turns to Farce · Global Voices
Arif Hossain Sayeed

On February 11, 2012 news editor of Maasranga TV Sagar Sarwar and his wife Senior reporter of ATN Bangla Meherun Runi were brutally murdered in a rented house in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka (See Global Voices report)। On that day the then Home Minister Sahara Khatun declared that [bn] their murderers will be caught within 48 hours. When the deadline passed a lot of protests were initiated by bloggers and journalists. But there was no headway in the investigation. Recently there was a change in the Home Minister's position and Dr. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir took charge of the post.
Sagar & Runi, the murdered couple. Image courtesy: The Facebook Page”We demand justice for Sagar-Runi”
More than eight months have passed since the murder but there has not been any acceptable progress in the investigation. Under pressure, the incumbent home minister declared on 25 September, 2012 that the investigation will be completed and the mystery would be revealed by October 10, 2012. According to his promise just one day before the deadline he announced the arrest of seven suspects [bn]. The suspects have criminal records and have been arrested previously on charges like murder. A bounty of 1 million Bangladesh taka (USD 12500) was declared for the absconding caretaker. He was initially detained for questioning by the police. But the family members of victims claim that three persons have taken him somewhere.
Many journalists have not accepted the statements of the Home Minister. They claimed that the statement is unclear and confusing [bn]. According to them this does not reveal the mystery and the real motive of the killers.
After the murder Runi's younger brother Nowsher Roman filed a case in the Sher-e-Bangla police station. He wrote in Facebook last october 10:
The Facebook Status Of Nowsher Roman
Looking at myself I am wondering how helpless can a man be!!!! Me, my family is very unfortunate… feeling pity for myself. And Megh (the surviving son of the couple), my family, and those people who are being framed – my heart aches for them, their helpless parents, spouses… Is there no God???? Is there no God????(Quoted with permission)
Nowsher Roman was present in the bloggers protest in front of the home ministry on 15 May, 2012
The mother of the slain journalist Sagar Sarwar thinks that the arrests are a setup [bn] and she said “We just want to know the truth, want to see the real murderer behind bars.”
On 28 April 2012 bloggers arranged a road painting protest against the killings of the couple. Source: BDNews20.com blog
Asif Nazrul, a professor of the law department of the Dhaka Univerisity says in the Facebook page We demand justice for Sagar-Runi
 that [bn]:
There are two conspiracy theories about this murder. First: They exposed a grave corruption of the government, so they were killed. Another theory is the murderers were connented with the ruling parties. Their Godfather is someone close to the government, who got assurance form the authorities that they will be exempted. If there is no acceptable investigation done these theories will seem more legitimate.”
After the murder, the police said that it is the work of amateurs. However, the current Home Minister said that among the arrested five are contract killers. Arafatul Islam, a diaspora journalist mentions in Facebook about this:
If contract killers were engaged then why family friend Tanvir was arrested? Who paid the killers? Who worked in the background? What was the motive of the murder? How the eight suspects are related to this case and how they were identified, I want to know answers to these questions. (published with permission)
Journalist Shawkat Mahmud wrote on September 26, 2012  in Facebook:
Since 1971 29 journalists have been killed (in this country). Out of this 17 people have died during this tenure of the government. many journalists were injured on duty. They are threatened regularly. The government created a cloud about the Sagar-Runi murder investigation. The Home Minister said after the murder that the killers will be caught within 48 hours. The IGP said that there is a significant progress in the investigation. But the detective branch officers said that the evidences have been destroyed. And we are continuing our protests.

author: Arif Hossain Sayeed


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Turkish Police Use Tear-Gas Against Protesting Mothers · Global Voices
Ruwayda Mustafah

Kurdish political prisoners have reached their 55th day of hunger strike. There are hundreds of political prisoners on hunger strike in Turkey, and this has led to solidarity protests throughout Europe, and in particular within Turkey. Earlier yesterday [November 4, 2012], the mothers of some of the political prisoners staged a sit-in, and were met with tear-gas, as well as water canisters was sprayed directly on them. Turkish mainstream media and governmental ministers remain oblivious to unfolding anger by Kurdish people, and their disregard for a political settlement of Turkey's Kurdish question has made the situation worse.
In much of Kurdistan, there has been solidarity protests but despite the attention the hunger strikes have received within Kurdish regions, there are few mainstream media outlets reporting on the hunger strike. The lack of media coverage has angered many Kurds, who are being vocal on social networking sites. Hulya, from Liverpool, says:
@hulyaulas: The biggest political hunger strike in history by Kurdish political prisoners is being ignored in world's media.
Dirman adds:
@dirman95: It is so hard to eat knowing that the hunger strike has been going on for over 51 days and the world is doing nothing about it… disgusting.
Al Jazeera’s The Stream has been the only internationally acknowledged mainstream outlet that has highlighted the gravity of the hunger strike. They have used their social media outlets to raise awareness. For example they recently tweeted:
@ajstream: Why has the government and Media in Turkey ignored the hunger strikes of 715 Kurdish political prisoners?
An online petition has been launched, with 3,451 supporters so far, that asks the Turkish government to engage in constructive dialogue with the prisoners. Judith Butler from Berkeley comments:
The Turkish government must enter into serious dialogue with these prisoners who now risk their lives to expose the injustice under which they live.
KurdishBlogger.com posted the following picture on Facebook.
Kurds in Slemani, South Kurdistan show solidarity with their Kurdish sisters and brothers (at least 682 inmates) who are on hunger strike in 67 prisons across Turkey.
And Tara Fatehi, a Kurdish activist in Australia, expressed her anger at the international community:
Thousands of Kurdish political prisoners have been on hunger strike in Turkey since Sept 12 and the International community remains silent. This is Kurdish hunger for freedom, it is not a new concept. The Kurds have been fighting for rights, peace and freedom for decades. Hannelore Kuchlersaid said it best “Kurdistan is a country taken hostage.” and whilst the international media want you to think this is solely about Abdullah Ocalan and the PKK, it is not. It's about acquiring basic human rights in their own homeland.

author: Ruwayda Mustafah


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Unemployed Young Italians: Too “Choosy” to Stay in Italy? · Global Voices
Annalisa Merelli

On October 22, 2012 at a meeting in Italy organised by Assolombarda [all links in Italian unless otherwise stated], an association representing industry and service sector businesses in the Milan area, Elsa Fornero [en], the Minister of Labor, Social Policies and Gender Equality, declared: “Young people leave school and need to find an occupation. They also can't afford to be too choosy, as you say in English. They should, and this is something I always tell my students, ‘Accept the first [job] offered, and once inside you can take a look around'”. [Translator's note: Elsa Fornero was previously a professor of Economics at the University of Turin]
Photo from instagram @elisadospina, from the Generazione Choosy website
Her statement, which was made at a particularly dramatic moment on the unemployment front, especially among young people, immediately provoked controversy, as it was interpreted as an accusation against young people that they struggle to find employment because they are “picky”. According to the latest statistics from ISTAT, youth unemployment in Italy stands at 34.5% among 15 to 24-year-olds and around half of young people only have temporary and often underpaid jobs. Italy has the third highest percentage of NEETs [en, Not in Education, Employment or Training] of all the European states, after Bulgaria and Greece, with ever increasing emigration rates leading to a so-called “brain drain”.
The Minister then further explained her comment, declaring that she “never said” that young Italians were picky and that “they are prepared to take any job, because it's true that young people today are in a precarious position”. Fornero explained that her comment referred to a situation which was widespread in the past, when the refusal to do work they considered beneath their abilities was a commonplace attitude among young Italians, whereas, she said, “today young Italians cannot afford to be picky”.
This clarification did not succeed in halting the controversy provoked by the comment and the term ‘choosy’ quickly became an online “craze”, often being used sarcastically to criticise the Minister's declaration.
Twitter provided plenty of plays on words under the hashtag #choosy — including the following:
@jacopopaoletti: Stay hungry, stay #choosy.
@sergioragone: #choosy in the sky with diamonds.
@taniuzzacalabra: #choosy è se vi pare.
@taniuzzacalabra: #choosy you are (if you think so). [Translator's note: This is a reference to the play by Luigi Pirandello, “Così è (se vi pare)” (“Right you are (if you think so)”)]
From the “Lo Stato Sociale” Facebook page.
On Facebook, many people people have commented on the declaration equally sarcastically. The musical group, Lo Stato Sociale [The Social State], for example, posted a series of parodies of film, book and song titles, adapted to the key of choosy, encouraging their fans to add to the list.
Meanwhile the website Generazione Choosy [Generation Choosy] has created an automatic gallery of all the images connect to this affair uploaded to Instagram.
Photo by the Instagram user @idacia, from the “Generazione Choosy” website.
Not all the initiatives were as light-hearted however. The tumblr blog Choosy Sarai Tu (You're the Choosy One) gathered more serious criticisms and accusations, reporting on those facing problems with unemployment and underemployment. Many people seized the opportunity to vent their own resentment, sharing their own experiences, often that of highly qualified young people with few professional opportunites. Also among the contributors were many people with qualifications which, up until a few years ago, were highly valued in the labour market. Among the various letters uploaded to the site, was one from a girl who, 4 years after graduating with a degree in construction engineering and a series of internships and fixed term contracts, wrote about finding a job in a technical studio where she is paid only 5 Euros an hour. Meanwhile, there are also those who work for just 3 Euros an hour, despite a first class degree, as reveals the letter reproduced below.
An open letter to the Minister on choosysaraitu.tumblr.com
Several contributors expressed their intention to leave Italy, while those already living overseas expressed their certainty that working conditions are better. This reflects a national reality in which, according to the latest  ISTAT data, a third of young people are planning to emigrate.
On the other hand, others played down the controversy, stressing the importance of adaptability and describing young people who are still reluctant to accept jobs which do not match their expectations. On the blog of the youth organisation RENA, Irene Borin shared her experiences in France, where she started out working as a babysitter only to become, thanks to a fortunate encounter in this job, communications manager for a banking group, the profession for which she was trained in Italy and in France:
Capisco perché sia valsa la pena di non essere schizzinosa e di accettare di fare la babysitter prima e la tuttofare poi. Capisco perché un ministro, o più semplicemente un adulto di buon senso, possa consigliare ai giovani di non essere “choosy” ma di rimboccarsi le maniche e di cominciare da qualche parte. Non è certo rimanendo chiusa in casa a mandare CV che avrei trovato il lavoro che svolgo ora.
I understand why it's worth your while not to be picky and to accept being a babysitter first and then do everything else afterwards. I can understand why a minister, or any adult with some common sense, might advise young people not to be “choosy”, but to roll up their sleeves and to get started somewhere. I certainly wouldn't have gotten the job I have today by staying at home and sending out CVs.
Last but not least, there are those that have reacted positively, looking beyond the controversy, and decided to launch Io Voglio Restare (I Want to Stay), an initiative which aims to get people working together to improve working conditions for young Italians and to prevent Italy becoming a country that people only want to leave.

author: Annalisa Merelli


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Website of Popular Burmese Journal Hacked · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

Screenshot of Burmese journal “The Voice Weekly” which was hacked last November 4, 2012.
The Voice Weekly, one of the most popular news journals in Myanmar was hacked by HaYal who claims to be a Turkish hacker. No official announcement has been made yet by the journal. The journal was briefly suspended from publishing last August by the government.

author: Chan Myae Khine


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A Glimpse into a Yemeni Wedding · Global Voices
Noon Arabia

Ali's day is a fascinating short musical video by Juan Herrero (@dustweare), a freeleance photographer currently living in Yemen. It captures a traditional Yemeni wedding which took place somewhere in the Northern mountains of Haraz.
Ali's day from juan herrero on Vimeo.

author: Noon Arabia


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Banks Shut Down to Protest Insecurity in Madagascar  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Bill on Madagascar Tribune reports that [fr] banks will close for one afternoon on November 6 to protest the lack of security in Madagascar. Last week, a branch of Accès Banque was robbed of 502 millions Ariary in the borough of Andraharo, Antananarivo (The capital city of Madagascar).

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Bolivia’s Ruling Party: A Growing Presence on Twitter? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Global Voices contributor Pablo Andrés Rivero monitors how politicians in Bolivia use Twitter. In his latest report on his blog [es] he shows that members of the ruling party (MAS, Movement for Socialism) have started to participate more on Twitter and are growing their list of followers on that social network.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Brazil: Teacher Fired for Denouncing Precarious Classrooms on Facebook · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

After having used social networks to complain about precarious classrooms in a school in Imperatriz, state of Maranhão, Brazil, teacher Uiliene Rosa was fired [pt]. A few days after, the Mayor said he would revoke [pt] the decision.
Students using umbrellas inside the classroom (October 12, 2012). Photo by teacher Uiliene Rosa shared 1,140 times on Facebook.


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Cameroonian Twitter Users Celebrate Biya’s 30 years Anniversary with Sarcasm · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

“@JeanYvesMorio [fr]: November 6, 1982, I woke up without running water nor electricity. November 6 2012,  I woke up without running water nor electricity #30anssansmourir
,!–more–>
On Twitter, Cameroonian Jean Yves Morio makes light of the fact that president Paul Biya has been in power for thirty years to this day and yet not much has improved in the lives of most Cameroonians. Many twitter users have used the hashtag #30anssansmourir [fr] to mock the anniversary of Biya's access to power, one of the longest tenure in Africa and worldwide.


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China: Intellectuals Debate Politics of Nobel Prize in Literature · Global Voices
my1510.cn

Thanks to its space project, Olympic Gold medals, and economic development, China has bolstered its image around the world as a strong country. The fact that China has surpassed Japan to become the second largest economy in the world gives confidence to the Chinese government. However, in the area of culture and arts, it has lagged behind.
Many had lamented its failure to win the Nobel Prize in Literature despite its 5,000 years of civilization and history. On one hand, pro-government intellectuals had questioned the judgment of the Nobel Prize committee, but on the other hand, they had sought the recognition of Chinese arts and culture from their western enemies. So when the committee awarded Chinese writer Mo Yan the prize this year, their hearts, hardened by a long legacy of being snubbed by the prize organization, softened. Spring finally arrived.
Mo Yan. Photo from Flickr User Isaac Mao. (CC: BY)
Many commentators have said that they believe the Nobel Committee for Literature did not take international politics into consideration when they made their decision. Chinese writer Guangdi reaffirmed [zh] Mo Yan's literary achievement:
莫言可能是當下中國文壇最博大、勤奮的作家。博大源自其嘗試的路子多而寬，筆法汪洋恣肆、氣勢蓬勃、自由率性。至於深厚，我不敢說，需要時間來說。勤奮源自其寫作的數量和品質之積，也源自其不懈的開拓精神，就中國當下而言，無人能出其右。對社會的介入、對人性的探究是偉大作家理應追求的目標。莫言的語言才華與他的勤奮是矚目的。
Mo Yan is probably the most knowledgeable and hardworking writer in China. He has experimented on many different kinds of genre. His writing style is wild, powerful, magnificent and candid. It is yet too early to say if his works are deep as history will do the judgement. However, he is very productive and his works are of good quality. He keeps exploring new theme and genre. In that sense, no other contemporary writer can compete with him. Great writer should intervene into the society and explore human nature. Mo Yan's efforts and mastering of language is fully recognized.
However, some believe that Mo Yan is far from a great writer. For example, media worker Kai Feng pointed out [zh]:
文學可以不涉及政治，但政治卻總是染指文學，況且是在這樣一個曾經將「文藝要為工農兵服務」推為文學創作的指導方針、有著政治全面控制文學經歷的國度裡，文學怎會脫離政治？
Literature can have nothing to do with politics, but politics always invades literature. The fact that we are in a country which once promoted that “literature has to serve the worker, the peasant and the people's army” and still exercises full control over the literature sector, how can literature be detached from politics?
Indeed, when the Nobel Prize in Literature was announced, top Chinese official Li Changchun, a steering member of Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party (CCP), issued a letter of congratulations to the Chinese Writer Association. That's why Kai Feng raised the question [zh]:
評價一個作品，難道只剩下技術性的文法、結構了嗎？只有所謂「魔幻的現實主義」了嗎？一部作品的靈魂呢？作品的社會指向呢？在人道主義和人類理想主義精神方面的表現呢？
Can we evaluate a literary work just by its structure and syntax? The so-called “magical realism”? How about its soul? Its relation with the society? Its humanitarianism and aspiration for an ideal society?
Public skepticism towards Mo Yan stems from his membership to the CCP and his background as deputy of the Chinese Writer Association. Moreover, people are not happy about his refusal to attend a function in Frankfurt back in 2005, just because the organizer had also invited dissident writer Dai Qing. Many also find Mo Yan's participation in hand copying Mao Zedong's piece “Yan'an Talks on Literature and Art” in May 2012 a shameful act.
Some even compare Mo Yan with Haruki Murakami, a famous Japanese writer and another top candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and highlight Murakami's choice in “standing by the side of the eggs rather with the wall” [meaning standing by the side of the oppressed].
My1510.cn's columnist Zhu Zhenqiang is sympathetic [zh] to Mo Yan's position:
莫言在長期以來高壓、僵化的政治社會生態環境中，耍小聰明的生存道術及其自白，也是一大批混文混世、混著混著就混成了大小混混的一大批文人的真實寫照。
Mo Yan has been forced to live in a highly repressive and rigid political society. He needs to be smart in order to survive. He is a living reflection of those who are swimming in the muddy water of this muddy system.
Chen Geng another writer at my1510.cn also agreed [zh]:
我們不應當苛求于莫言，一切偉大者都是平凡者，都是有缺點的人，莫言也不例外！
We should not be too harsh on Mo Yan. All great people are just ordinary people and they have their weakness. Mo Yan is just one of them.
Chen believes that Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in Literature will put an end to the debate between Hu Shih who was influenced by western literature and Lu Xun who believed that literature is to serve the oppressed, that frames the development of Chinese contemporary culture.
What kind of person Mo Yan is? Xi Wai, who has known Mo Yan since he was a young writer, said that while Mo Yan is very timid and does not like speaking out, which is exactly what his name Mo [Do not] Yan [Speak up] means, he is also a funny big brother to his friends and remembers [zh] the time when they were together in a rural village:
組織者在寬甸安排我們體驗民生，住在農家客棧，男女各一屋，統睡在大炕上，入睡前男生屋裡傳話過來說，根據莫言的經驗和建議，為避免傳到蝨子，晚上睡覺要脫光衣服，早上起來用炕帚掃遍全身，然後再穿衣服。結果導致女生屋子一片笑駡。
The Party arranged us to experience the peasant's life in Kuan Dian. We lived in a peasant hostel, male and female in two different rooms. Before we went to sleep, the guys said Mo Yan claimed that to prevent fleas from settling onto their bodies, they had to sleep naked and sweep their bodies in the morning before they put on clothes. We laughed so hard in the girls’ room that night.
No matter if you like Mo Yan or not, he is the first Chinese person to win the Nobel Prize with the approval of the Chinese government. News about Mo Yan's writing to be included in elementary school textbook, or that Mo Yan's home county will develop “Red Sorghum” theme park, based on one of his novels, to attract tourists will keep on popping up. Mo Yan and his Nobel Prize have become a public issue and will continue to be heatedly discussed in both political and social circles.
My1510.cn have collected the unprecedented debate about Mo Yan from the website my1510.cn and organized the discussions under the Nobel Prize Complex [zh] special feature page.


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Covering Nicaragua’s Municipal Elections via Storify · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Citizen journalism site Huella Libre [es] put together a Storify post [es] on Nicaragua's municipal elections, which were held on Sunday, November 4. The post curates news articles and citizen reports from before, during, and after the elections.


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Jamaicans Debate Gay-Bashing Incident · Global Voices
Matthew Hunte

The beating of a gay student at the University of Technology in Jamaica has continued to be a subject of discussion online. While the exact details of the incident are still not completely known, much of the discussion has centered around homophobia and the culture of violence in Jamaica.
Writer and activist Staceyann Chin commended her fellow Jamaicans for condemning homophobia:
Proud of the Jamaicans who have taken a strong anti-homophobic stance against the recent gay bashing on the UTECH campus.#LoveMeCountry
Chin suggested that the incident is symptomatic of deeper problems:
We cannot solve the problem of violence & homophobia in any country without looking at poverty, religion, & access to Education. Period.
Blogger Carla Moore decided to explore the deeper issues behind homophobia and its ultimate futility:
yes, because beating the ‘battybwoy’ is going to pay your school fee, or clothe your children, or create jobs for you when you graduate with your degree and nowhere to go but back to school, or decrease your chances of being robbed on the way home, or somehow remove all gay people from Jamaica. Yes, ignore the things that are pressing and fundamental to your everyday survival such as earning an income, living in a country where taxes do not consume half of your pay, the hurricane that destroyed parts of the island (perhaps where your family members live) or even your sister being able to take a bus in the park without some man raping her.
According to Moore, homophobia is a way for Jamaicans to compensate for a feeling of weakness and emasculation on the world stage:
you need to prove that Jamaica at least has the moral high ground. despite being economically impoverished and at the whim of the US and various other international bodies, despite failing social structures, climbing crime rates and a government that barely has any power because of IMF and other involvement, ‘at least we nuh allow dem summn deh roun here.’ perhaps you should be more concerned with your own life and issues that affect your own family than things that people do in their sexual lives […]
Finally, if you would for a minute think about why it is you're so against the gay man, how much your need to control him comes back to your own feelings about not having any power- because you're from the Third World, because you're black, because you're not as educated as others, because your education won't get you all the things you want, because your woman can find a job in the free zone but you're still sitting at home, because he represents something foreign- something white people do and left behind and you hate that, because you have been incorrectly told that black people are not gay, gayness in black people is some corruption brought about by the white man, because the US always has it better, because you can't control your man but you can control this man
Moore concluded that all the attention paid towards oppressing gays meant more important issues were being ignored:
in the time you spent ‘beating the battybwoy’ five women were raped, one person was senselessly murdered and four children went to bed hungry. but somehow what two consenting people do with their bodies is what you prioritise in this situation. you may want to think about that.
Amielle Anderson was disgusted with the situation:
At The Petchary, Emma Lewis wonders if the person who posted the video ever considered the repercussions for the country's reputation:
She added that the country's bad reputation may have an economic impact:
Lewis referenced a column by Olubode Shawn Brown which suggested that Bolt may have to distance himself from the island in his branding:
Brown added:
On Twitter, singer Diana King directed people to an update on her Facebook page, targeted at those who consider homosexuality a choice:
Writer Marlon James, also via his Facebook page (from which he has granted us permission to quote), noted that the victim may not have even been having sex in the bathroom but was beaten merely because of who he was perceived to be:
Here's what I find interesting: Everybody assumes that the gay man caught having sex at The University of Technology and beaten while the crowd goes into a frenzy was actually doing something. And I mean EVERYBODY, even those who condemn the beating. Even GAY people. But why do you think they were doing anything at all? You know that phrase traveling while black? Try traveling while gay. Laughing too loud while gay. Trying on a pair of jeans while fag? Bussing it while gay. Doing homework while gay. Reading a book while homo. Walking home while gay. It's interesting how everybody on both sides of this argument somehow just took it for granted that these oversexed gay boys would take leave of all senses, and try to have sex in a public bathroom with no locks, in broad daylight while campus is in full swing, all this in one of the most homophobic spots on the planet, because both men clearly have FUCKING PERVERTED IDIOTS WHO CANNOT CONTROL THEMSELVES clearly written on their foreheads. Two effeminate men go to a bathroom at the same time they are getting jumped. But everybody assumes they were doing something.


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Anonymous Twitter Account Leads Major Protests in Kuwait · Global Voices
Mona Kareem

After witnessing its biggest protest, the anonymous organizers of the “Dignity March” called for another one. Tens of thousands showed up in the areas of Mishref and Sabah Al-Salem protesting the Kuwaiti ruler's amendment of the voting law, which now allows a citizen to vote for one candidate instead of four. Protesters did not find the Amir's decree constitutional and believe the new law is made to play with the coming elections in December and to weaken the opposition that won most of the parliament's seats earlier this year. Like the previous march, Sunday's [Nov. 4, 2012] protest witnessed smoke and tear gas bombs and several arrests of protesters, who were later released.
Who is leading the protests?
In the past few years, protests were criticized because they were led by opposition MPs. Lately, the youth tried to be the leaders of those protests. This shift got bigger numbers to show up for those dignity marches. What is interesting though is that an anonymous Twitter account is the one deciding dates of both marches and the meeting points.
The account @KarametWatan [Arabic for Dignity of a Nation] tweeted a message on the 24th of October to Twitter not to revel their identity to the Kuwaiti authorities:
We the people of Kuwait ask you to protect the privacy of our account details of @karametwatan from all/any officials seeking the information of the owners and/or IP addresses of the persons using and posting from the mentioned account. We are responsible for the organization of a march called “Dignity of a Nation” in Kuwait, the largest ever march in the history of Kuwait calling for democracy, human rights, and fight against corruption. The turn-out reached over 150,000 (around 11.5% of citizens of Kuwait) that stunned the government. In return the government ordered their forces to attack the peaceful demonstration in a brutal manner that was never been seen before for no reason. Over 100 people were injured and over 50 were detained in an unlawful manner. We do not feel safe and your protection of our privacy is pivotal.
In a comment on having a Twitter account organizing those major marches, Hamad Al-Sabah wrote:
@hmalsabah: Am I the only one that is uneasy about the fact that thousands of people in #Kuwait are obeying the commands of some anonymous Twitter acct?
Should Bahrainis support Kuwaitis?
Considering the sectarian remarks and support of Kuwaiti opposition figures for the Bahraini regime against the February 14th revolution, the Shia of Kuwait do not want to protest next to the opposition. This, in result, influenced the Shia of Bahrain and started a discussion on whether Bahrainis should or should not support Kuwaiti marches. In comment on this topic, Bahraini Human Rights Defender Maryam AlKhawaja wrote:
@MARYAMALKHAWAJA: yes, i support anyone with righteous demands regardless of whether they support mine or not.
@MARYAMALKHAWAJA: there r many of whom supported the bahrain protests who r taking part in the kuwaiti protests as well. but thats not the point
Another Bahraini activist, Ahmed Al-haddad, from the European-Bahraini Organization for Human Rights wrote [ar]:
اذ كنت تعتقد بأن لك الحق بتصوير الحراك الكويتي على أنه أخونجي وطائفي اذا يحق لغيرك تصوير حراكك بالشيعي الطائفي
@DiabloHaddad: If you think you have the right to consider the Kuwaiti struggle as of Muslim Brotherhood and sectarian, then others have the right to consider yours [Bahraini struggle] as Shia and sectarian too.
Other objections
Aside from the sectarian conflict, there were others who showed objection to the current protests. Hamad Al-Sabah, who thinks the coming parliament can solve this crisis instead of protests, tweeted:
@hmalsabah: Let me reiterate that I believe that the protesters have a just cause, but I don't support their methods. It can easily be solved peacefully
In reply, Fawaz Al-Matroud wrote:
@FawazAM: people often mistake mob rule and political freedom. Just because lots of people break the law together, doesn't make them right.
As for blogger “His & Hers”, he tweeted:
@HisHersQ8: The Amir has a point when it came to illegal protests. Democracies all around the world stops any illegal protests
Liberal tweep Khaled AJaser tweeted:
@k_jaser: i hope the stockpile of tear gas & sound bombs are limitless here in #Kuwait for there is no other way of dealing with this lawlessness.
Pictures and videos of the protest
Crowds getting tear gassed (posted on Twitter by @Fajoor)
Picture of security vehicles heading towards protesting points (posted by blogger alziadiq8)
One of the protesters with her sign (posted by blogger alziadiq8)
And this photograph, which was shared far and wide, showing a protester, helping a security personnel, who was effected by the tear-gas:
Picture of a protester helping a security man who was effected by tear gas (posted by @AboShla5Libraly)
Footage of the protest in Mishref area (posted by saad971)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pln0LiuZis
Another footage showing bombs, injuries, and marches (posted by 7eyad)
Video of the protest in Sabah Al-Salem area (posted by KharjAlsrb)
Did Jordanians crackdown on Kuwaitis?
Weeks ago, an anonymous Twitter user named Mujtahidd tweeted about Jordan sending troops to repress Kuwaiti protesters. The popular and controversial Twitter user got Salafi MP Walid AlTabtabai to tweet the news. Yesterday, in the protest, former MP and opposition frontman Musalam Al-Barrak gave a controversial speech. The MP was jailed last week for defaming the Amir but got released in two days due to the big protests that took place in his support.
In this video, Al-Barrak says: “Security men are our brothers. If they beat you, do not react. But if they are Jordanian or Palestinian security men, then we will step on them.”
In reaction, Jordan's foreign ministry made a statement denying the accusations.
The Amir's reply
Due to the major protests, people were expecting the Amir to take back his decree that stirred all those marches. However, the Amir made a speech on Monday stating that he will not take his decision back and that he leaves it for the coming parliament to amend the voting law. He also added that he has the support of GCC countries in keeping the security of his country. Here's the video of his speech (posted by blogger AlZiadiq8)

author: Mona Kareem


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Mexicans Weigh in on US Presidential Election · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Today, Tuesday November 6, 2012, the day of the US elections, will result in either the re-election of Democrat Barack Obama or the appointment of Republican Mitt Romney as the 45th President of the United States of America.
For Mexico, a country located on the southern border of the USA, its neighbour's electoral process is an occasion that not only brings about inherent curiosity about a hard-fought and relevant electoral contest, but one that also evokes interest in finding out how things are done there and what repercussions the outcome of the voting could have on Mexico.
León Krauze [es], a Mexican journalist specialising in topics regarding the USA, explained the particularities of the American electoral system for Letras Libres as follows:
Como quizá sabe el lector, el sistema electoral en Estados Unidos es absurdo. El ganador no es aquel con la mayor cantidad de votos totales (el voto popular), sino quien logra sumar la mayor cantidad de “votos” en el llamado colegio electoral, un “colegio” que no es un lugar sino un proceso: 538 votos repartidos entre los estados de acuerdo con el número de senadores y representantes de cada uno, es decir, con su población. Si suena extrañamente complicado es porque lo es. Este sistema crea vicios casi cómicos, como la concentración de recursos en un puñado de lugares cuya única virtud es ser territorio disputado. El ejemplo perfecto es Ohio.
As the reader may know, the electoral system in the United States is absurd. The winner is not the one with the greatest number of total votes (the popular vote), but rather he who manages to accumulate the most votes in the so-called Electoral College, a ‘College’ that is not a place but a process: 538 votes distributed in accordance with the number of senators and representatives of each state, that is to say, with its population. If it sounds oddly complicated, that's because it is. This system creates almost comical faults, as the concentration of resources is in a handful of places whose only virtue is being a disputed territory. The perfect example is Ohio.
For his part, the lawyer John M. Ackerman [es] expressed why, in his opinion, the American electoral model should not be a model to follow for other nations:
Las campañas presidenciales en curso en Estados Unidos confirman que el sistema político estadunidense no debe fungir como modelo de referencia para nadie. Allá no existe el voto directo para elegir presidente de la República y los dólares cuentan más que los ciudadanos. El bipartidismo institucionalizado y la interminable reelección legislativa imposibilitan debates verdaderos sobre asuntos cruciales, como la desigualdad, el racismo y la corrupción. Tampoco existen organismos autónomos o tribunales electorales que organicen y califiquen las elecciones.
The current presidential campaign in the United States confirms that the American political system should not act as a model of reference for anyone. Over there, there is no direct vote to elect a President of the Republic and dollars mean more than citizens. The institutionalised two-party system and the interminable legislative re-election make real debates about crucial matters impossible, like inequality, racism and corruption. Neither do autonomous organisations or electoral tribunals that organise and evaluate the elections exist.
Electoral representative delivers “I voted” stickers in Washington D.C. on November, 6, 2012. Photo by Dana Ballout, copyright Demotix.
Alejandro Toral [es] explained the relevance of the elections in the US, and pointed out that the presidency is not the only thing at stake:
México y América Latina, a pesar de haber distanciado sus relaciones con Estados Unidos debe de estar al pendiente de las elecciones del 6 de noviembre, porque no sólo se elegirán a los representantes del colegio electoral, quienes a partir de diciembre, nombrarán al próximo Presidente; sino también votarán en tres estados la legalización total de la mariguana.
Mexico and Latin America, despite having distanced relations with the United States, must be keeping a close watch on the elections on November 6, because not only will representatives of the Electoral College be chosen, who from December will name the next President, but they will also vote in three states regarding the total legalisation of marijuana.
The controversial newsreader Joaquín López-Dóriga [es], who is covering the event from Washington D.C., described the protagonists of this contest as follows:
Hoy, como en todas elecciones, es un martes decisivo para Estados Unidos: repite el primer presidente negro, el demócrata Barack Obama, o llega a la Casa Blanca un candidato del peor fundamentalismo republicano de la derecha extrema e ignorante, Mitt Romney.
Today, like in all elections, is a decisive Tuesday for the United States: we will either have the second term of the first black President, the Democrat Barack Obama, or a candidate of the worst Republican fundamentalism of the extreme and ignorant right-wing will take his place in the White House, Mitt Romney.
He wrote about the natural speculation that exists around the results as well:
Dicen las leyendas urbanas que a México siempre le ha ido mejor con un presidente republicano de Estados Unidos que con un demócrata, aunque la realidad documente lo contrario, como es el caso de Bill Clinton.
Urban legends say that a Republican US President has always suited Mexico more than a Democrat leader, even if reality suggests the opposite, as was the case with Bill Clinton.
Mexican opinions about the US elections have also been shared on Twitter. Consultant Gabriel Guerra C. (@gabrielguerrac) [es] shared his prediction with his followers early on:
@gabrielguerrac: Mi pronóstico para hoy: Romney gana o casi empata en el voto popular, Obama gana en el Colegio Electoral…
@gabrielguerrac: My prediction for today: Romney wins or nearly draws in the popular vote, Obama wins in the Electoral College…
Gisela Rubach (@GiselaRubach) [es] spoke about how close the election has been and took the chance to propose the following question:
@GiselaRubach: El librito de campaña dice que en elecciones competidas aumenta la participación. Será el caso en #USA que rebasen el 50%?#ConsultoresEnUSA
@GiselaRubach: The campaign booklet says that participation increases in close elections. Will it be the case that the figure surpasses 50% in the #USA? #ConsultoresEnUSA (Consultants in the USA)
Mario Di Constanzo (@mariodiconstanzo) [es] expressed her feelings about today's elections:
@mariodiconstanzo: No tengo favorito en la elección de EUA, ambos matarán migrantes, y seguiremos siendo el “patio de atrás”
@mariodiconstanzo: I don't have a preference in the US elections, both will kill migrants, and we will continue to be ‘the backyard’.
Finally, German Petersen C. (@GermanPetersenC) [es] pointed out that the electoral process of the United States also influences the way in which elections develop in Mexico:
@GermanPetersenC: Vale la pena observar bien estrategias, tácticas y mecanismos en campañas electorales en EUA. Suelen marcar “moda” para campañas en México.
@GermanPetersenC: It's worth taking a good look at strategies, tactics and mechanisms in the US electoral campaigns. They are often marked as ‘fashionable’ for campaigns in Mexico.
These are some of the voices regarding election day in the USA. Given that it is a neighbouring country of Mexico, and a strategic partner, the election is of great relevance for the bilateral agenda and the future of both nations.

author: J. Tadeo


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Puerto Rico Votes Today · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Logo of the State Elections Commission of Puerto Rico.
The website of the State Elections Commission of Puerto Rico (Comisión Estatal de Elecciones-CEE) will be constantly offering updates on today's elections in the Island.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Social Impact Media Awards 2013 · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Social Impact Media Awards 2013 is an international documentary and video competition for films that advance global awareness, social justice, human rights and humanitarian development. Awards of $500-1000 will be given to the best documentary films and educational videos. The competition opens for submissions in December 2012. DEEDA productions (London/Los Angeles) is the organizer.
Social Impact Media Awards opens for documentary and educational film submissions in December 2012

author: Solana Larsen


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Spain: Catalan Unionist Party Launches Controversial Viral Video · Global Voices
Joan Antoni Guerrero Vall

On November 25, 2012 Catalan voters will go to the polls for a round of early elections. After September 11th's separatist rally in Barcelona, in which more than a million individuals took to the streets to demand Catalonia's secession from Spain, these elections are shaping up to be a plebiscite for establishing an independent Catalan state (hopefully) within the European Union. The contentious electoral climate continues to provoke an intense online debate, driven in part by internet campaigns designed to stir the polemic.
Against this turbulent backdrop, the unionist party Ciutadans, which currently holds three seats in the Catalan parliament, has launched a viral video [es] called “The Andalusian Man,” which revitalizes the memory of a 1958 essay written by Catalonia's former president, Jordi Pujol, who presided over the Catalan government for 23 years leading CiU, the same political formation to which the current president, Artur Mas belongs. Neither the video nor Ciutadans’ press release [es] indicate that the essay was written fifty years ago, and that both in 1978 and 1997, Pujol publicly apologized [ca] for the work's problematic content.
In the video, a fragment of the essay is read aloud as images of historically important Andalusians, such as the philosopher Seneca, the poets Federico García Lorca and Antonio Machado, and the painter Pablo Picasso, pan across the screen [Editor's note: Andalusia is a southern region of Spain].
The fragment of the text reads:
El hombre andaluz no es un hombre coherente, es un hombre anárquico. Es un hombre destruido. Es, generalmente, un hombre poco hecho, un hombre que vive en un estado de ignorancia y de miseria cultural, mental y espiritual. Es un hombre desarraigado, incapaz de tener un sentido un poco amplio de comunidad. De entrada constituye la muestra de menor valor social y espiritual de España. Ya lo he dicho antes: es un hombre destruido y anárquico. Si por la fuerza del número llegase a dominar, sin haber superado su propia perplejidad, destruiría Cataluña.
Andalusian emigration to Catalonia was strong at the height of the twentieth century. Today, a large percentage of Catalans are descended from that wave of immigration and this includes supporters of the region's surging separatist movement. The identity of Catalans of Andalusian of descent is therefore a contentious and heavily politicized one, leading unionist politicians to portray Catalan nationalism as a predominantly racist force in hopes of estranging this block of the electorate.
Catalonia's former president Jordi Pujol, author of a controversial 1958 essay revived in video. Photo by Josep Renalias (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Given their political rivalry with CiU and therefore also Catalan president Artur Mas — who is campaigning on the promise of independence should he obtain an absolute majority — it is not surprising that Ciutadans has decided to revive the polemic of Pujol's 1958 essay. They have arguably been successful, since the topic has surged as one of the more relevant online Catalan-language debates. Under the hashtag #25N, Twitter users have commented on the video, both in favor of using it in the campaign and against.
Those who support the video release have highlighted the perceived racist and xenophobic attitude of one of Catalan nationalism's most influential thinkers:
@duendecolegiata Xenofobo y despectivo !!Un vídeo de Ciutadans con las opiniones de Pujol sobre los andaluces elperiodico.com/es/noticias/el… vía @elperiodico_cas
@ESCUPELOYACOM #YoNoMeCallo Buen video de Ciutadans sobre los desbarros e insultos de Jordi Pujol a los andaluces libertaddigital.com/espana/politic…
@juliansantosen No apoyo a Ciutadans,pero las palabras de Pujol sobre los andaluces, me reafirman en mi idea de que no se vote CIU ni PP,votar izquierda IUV
The video's circulation has compelled Jordi Pujol restate [ca] his past apologies. Netizens have also rushed to Pujol's defense, criticizing Ciutadans for taking a half-century old text out of context in order to discredit a political rival.
@ftcquirze @naciodigital C's manipula: no explica disculpes de MHonorable Jordi Pujol. No voteu a qui enganya als ciutadans. No fan honor nom d partit.
@lalipuigderrajols Que Ciutadans retregui al president Pujol un vídeo de fa 50 anys n'hi ha per dir-los hi: Sempre et veuràs emmascarat per una paella bruta

author: Joan Antoni Guerrero Vall


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Two Brothels Sponsor Local Football Team in Greece · Global Voices
Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni

Two brothels sponsor a local football team in Greece (screenshot from “GiveMeFootball” video)
An amateur football team from Larissa in Central Greece, “Voukefalas”, has found an imaginative way to pay off debts amidst the economic crisis. The team has entered a sponsorship deal with the owner of two local brothels. Players now wear a bright pink uniform with the names of two of Madam Soula Alevridou's two establishments – “Villa Erotica” and “Soula's House of History”. Mainstream and social media, and even overseas media have featured the story.
Prostitution is legal in Greece, but government regulated. However, league organizers have banned the pink kit during games, saying it “violates sporting ideals”.
This video from GiveMeFootball on YouTube tells the story:

author: Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni


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Ugandan Prime Minister Interacts on Twitter Using #AskthePM · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

#AskthePM is a hashtag created for online users to interact with the Prime Minister of Uganda, Amama Mbabazi. The fourth #AskthePM took place on 27 October, 2012.
In email correspondence with one of the coordinators of the initiative, Ruth Aine (@Ruthaine) said the idea came from Allan Kasujja when he was with Capital Radio (he is now with BBC Newsday):
The idea was to have a reasonable number of journalists and people from Twitter who would come to interact with the Prime Minister, engage him and direct questions to him raised off Twitter, not by just them who are present.
Ruth says that because of short notice, there were four bloggers, a participant from the Ministry of Health and an IT technocrat. The other coordinator for #AskthePM is Angelo Izama (@Opiaiya).
A quick survey of #AskthePM tweets shows that Ugandan netizens are divided over the structure and the significance of the initiative.
Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi. Image by Helene C. Stikkel for the US Department of Defense. (Public Domain)
Prime Minister's Answers:
The Prime Minister talked about corruption, education, capacity building, etc:
@Opiaiya: The greatest challenge we have now is overcoming attitudes of dependency “introduced by the British” says @AmamaMbabazi #AskthePM
@xklam8n: @JoyDoreenBiira PM said govt will improve ways of detecting corruption & create a significant deterrent against public fund theft..#AskThePM
@graceseb: #AskthePM #Mynotes Govt of Uganda is working towards a #Noagelimit to acquire education and learning for #UgandaNext50 years
@observerug: RT @Opiaiya: “If each time a bureaucrat steals a PM must resign no prime minister wd last 2 days”says @AmamaMbabazi #AskthePM
@graceseb: #AskthePM #Mynotes Lets Build capacity in Investigating Government organs because the challenge with our cases is lack of enough evidence
Is #AskthePM a Waste of Time?
@enamara: @tmsruge Not to even one tweet of all people who asked him to clarify… so for me.. I don't see any point at all in #AskthePM @Ruthaine
@tmsruge thought the session was “another soap box”:
@tmsruge: What’s the point of #AskThePM exactly? Just another soap box to make empty promises or to report tangible improvements?
@gatimo1: Until so-called leaders like @AmamaMbabazi get some Remorse and Humility this #AskThePm is a waste of precious Weekend tym
Others thought that it was simply a waste of time:
@ssojo81: Amama Mbabazi is now fooling us that he did not know about the corruption in his office. Thank God I did not waste my weekend on #AskThePM
@jmakumbi: @enamara Doubt there will be another #AskThePM while the OPM [Office of the Prime Minister] scandal [theft of £10m aid money from Ireland and Britain] is still fresh. Just my humble opinion. NRM [National Resistance Movement] guys tend to duck questions
@SongaStone: #AskThePM and then what?
Some netizens turned to humour to show their disapproval of #AskThePm:
@Since_1986: Asking the PM about corruption is like asking if the pope is a muslim… #AskThePm
@Smawyri: #AskThePM The PM won't answer any of my questions. Can I atleast get my data used to tweet at @AmamaMbabazi back?
@KingArtha: Since u won't answer any of the people's questions how about drinks on you tonight at Kampala Club ? #AskThePM
#AskthePM is Awesome:
@rubatimo: That awesome moment when your tweet to the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister gets a reply. @AmamaMbabazi you are the best. #AskthePM.
@BoazShani: @Opiaiya I think the PM did great today by answering most tweeps and #AskThePM well only get better with time @AmamaMbabazi @laskasujja
@xklam8n: @enamara Tangible results from #AskThePM? We get clarifications on govt programs for the youth, education, health sectors etc e.g. (contd)..
#AskthePM Needs Improvement:
@pmagelah: @tmsruge @Ruthaine I believe #AskThePM can be managed better & improved, PM can involve his ministers to answer some of the querries
@nasikyeesther: I think the next tweetup @AmamaMbabazi shd 4cus on few topics other than general issues from sport, to health, education @Ruthaine #AskthePM
@kevrx: Is there a final report or something on the highlights of #AskThePm or Do we just have to follow the tag? Cc @Opiaiya
@henryndawula: #AskthePM where the answers?
Finally, one Twitter user wonders about the future of #AskthePM in view of attempts by the Ugandan police to monitor social networks in Uganda:
@pmagelah: What is the future of #AskThePM when police moves to censure social networks as it has proposed increased ‘monitoring”
Another one, @texasinafrica, hopes that #AskthePM will lead to real accountability in Uganda:
@texasinafrica: I LOVE watching Ugandans pose tough questions in #askthePM. But only valuable if it leads to real accountability.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Zimbabwe: Hashtag #263Chat to Crowdsource Opinions on Pressing Issues · Global Voices
Julie Owono

Zimbabean blogger Sir Nigel introduces on his blog the hashtag #263Chat, an informal chat organised weekly on social network Twitter, to allow zimbabwean users to discuss pressing issues related to the country:
Earlier this year, I suggested we organise a regular informal chat on Twitter regarding our beloved – Zimbabwe. The discussion mainly revolves around Zimbabwe’s interesting past, the future but more importantly focusing on the actual solutions going forward. I’ve always felt that identifying problems is 25% of the actual issue.
#263Chat is designed to focus on the important 75%. I also believe local challenges tend to require local solutions. I like the idea of crowd sourcing and #263Chat is designed to do just that. I firmly believe that Zimbabweans abroad and those in Zimbabwe can both play a vital role in Zimbabwe’s development. Talking about these issues is the first step.

author: Julie Owono


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A New Start for Barack Obama in Africa? · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

With Barack Obama re-elected to the Presidency of the United States for four years after the election of November 6, 2012, Africa is reviewing his legacy[fr]. This following his four years at the head of an America more concerned with the economic crisis than international relations, especially within the African continent. The expectations of Africans were great, but many think that the second term of President Obama will enable him to have a wider margin of manoeuvre on African issues.
U.S. President Obama walks with Malia, Michelle and Sasha following, during their visit to Cape Coast Castle, Ghana via pd2020@sbcglobal.net on FlickR (CC license-NC-BY)
Adrien Hart wrote on Slate Africa that the African legacy of President Obama is rather mixed. He explained [fr]:
Visiblement peu à l’aise pour endosser l’habit du « gendarme du monde », il a géré les affaires du monde en bon père de famille, sans faire de vague.  Ses détracteurs lui reprochent un manque flagrant de leadership, ses partisans mettent en avant son humanité et rappellent que Ben Laden a été éliminé sous son mandat.
Avec lui, l’Amérique est devenue moins arrogante. Mais a-t-elle gagné en popularité dans le monde musulman et en Afrique? Pas sûr.
Bien sûr, concernant l’Afrique, Obama a essayé de se rattraper. En août 2010, il a reçu à la Maison blanche plus d’une centaine de jeunes Africains pour discuter de leur « vision de l’Afrique pour les 50 ans à venir », critiquant implicitement la génération des indépendances.
Visibly ill at ease to act as the “world’s policeman”, he managed world affairs like a good father, without making waves.  His critics accuse him of a lack of leadership, his supporters highlight his humanity and remind us that Bin Laden was eliminated under his mandate.With him, America has become less arrogant. But has it become more popular in the Muslim world and Africa? This is not so certain.Certainly, as far as Africa is concerned, Obama has tried to catch up. In August 2010, he received more than a hundred young Africans at the White House to discuss their “vision for Africa for the next 50 years”, implicitly criticising the generation of independence [ed. note: African leaders that came right after the colonial period]
However, many found there were extenuating circumstances for him.  RFI reported that Nadine Gordimer, winner of the Nobel Prize of South African Literature, thinks that one term is not enough [fr] to solve the world's problems:
Dans un grand pays avec autant de problèmes, difficile de les régler tous en un mandat. Mais je pense qu'il a eu la bonne approche. Sa philosophie et son énergie vont globalement dans le bon sens. Et bien sûr, les Etats-Unis sont très importants pour le reste du monde. S'ils éternuent, c'est le monde entier, nous autres, qui attrapons une pneumonie. Je pense aussi qu'il a les bonnes idées en matière d'égalité, matérielle et dans les esprits.
Obama giving a speech in Accra, Ghana, 2009 by L'expressmu
These critics are harsher on Obama’s strategy in Africa. Gene Healy of libertarian thinktank the Cato Institute described the militarised action of the American administration in Africa:
Four years ago, few could have predicted that one of President Obama's legacies would be increased militarization of U.S. foreign policy towards Africa – but that seems to be the case. [..]
Promiscuous war-making leads to unintended consequences. For example, U.S. intervention in Libya stoked the civil war in Mali, as Tuaregs serving in Gadhafi's army joined the fight after the dictator's fall.
It's not clear that our expanded military presence in Africa serves any pressing U.S. national security need.
The Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Henri Lopès, thinks that the expectations placed by Africans on Obama’s policies were unjustified. On RFI, he stated [fr]:
Il ne faut pas se faire d'illusions. Obama est le fils d'un Africain, mais Obama est américain. Son élection est historique dans un pays qui a connu l'esclavage et la ségrégation. Mais sur le plan de la politique, il s'agit de grands calculs d'intérêts.
At Kogelo in Kenya, the woman that Barack Obama considers his grandmother, Mama Sarah, picked out these criticisms. Stéphanie Braquehais told of how she experienced the victory of her ‘grandson’:
Sourire en coin, elle répond aux questions avec vivacité et humour. A chaque déclaration, elle plisse les yeux et donne parfois un coup de coude à son voisin. A aucun moment, elle ne dérive de son propos. “C’est Dieu qui a permis cette victoire”, elle refuse de parler « politique » et compte bien se rendre aux Etats Unis pour l’investiture.
The election of Barack Obama for a second term still appeals as much to young Africans.  In Madagascar, bloggers rose at dawn to follow together the election outcome live onscreen. Here is the video of this meeting by  jiviard [fr]:
Even though the disappointment felt at Obama’s legacy in Africa is certainly tangible, the political convictions of Obama seem to converge with those of the majority of Africans. The ‘chemistry’ felt is not due to his family ties with Kenya but rather to a geopolitical pragmatism and common interests to defend, as underlined by [fr] Adrien Hart:
Obama, comme les Bush avant lui, n’a pas vu venir en Afrique l’«ogre chinois». Les Américains, tout comme les Européens, n’ont pas anticipé non plus la menace croissante des «fous de Dieu» en Afrique [..]Obama n’a rien pu faire pour contrer l’avancée des Chinois et des islamistes. Mais l’Afrique votera-t-elle en novembre pour son adversaire Mitt Romney, républicain, mormon et surtout immensément riche, sûrement trop riche? Sûrement pas. Oui, Obama a déçu. Mais l’Afrique ne veut pas qu’il parte. Sans lui, cela serait pire.

author: Rakotomalala


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An International Day to End Impunity · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

IFEX launches an International Day to End Impunity on November 23, demanding justice for artists, journalists, musicians and writers who are forcibly silenced around the world. The campaign website is in English, Russian, Spanish, French and Arabic.
IFEX launches an International Day to End Impunity on November 23, demanding justice for free speech advocates.


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Barack Obama Reelected and Favored Among Latino Voters · Global Voices
Robert Valencia

After an intense presidential campaign, the United States of America's destiny for another four years will be governed by Barack Obama, who received the majority of the necessary electoral college votes. Even without counting Florida, Virginia and Nevada's votes, President Obama already had 280 electoral college votes, unlike Republican candidate Mitt Romney, who obtained 208. That being said, Obama has become the first African American to be reelected president and the first Democrat to accomplish this since Bill Clinton left the White House in the year 2000.
In addition to receiving media support from prestigious publications such as The New Yorker and The Washington Post, Obama was already backed by communities of “minorities,” particularly Hispanic voters. In the weeks leading up to the election, polls indicated that 70 percent of the Hispanic voters supported Obama, and another survey reported that seven out of every ten Hispanic voters would also vote for the Democratic nominee [es]. Nonetheless, many of them hope that the Obama administration will pay more attention to topics concerning the Latino community, employment, Voter ID laws, and immigration. With respect to the last issue, Obama promised to amend the split immigration reform during his “victory speech” in Chicago.
Although Obama has made it to the White House and Democrats are maintaining a majority in the Senate, Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives, meaning the gridlock between Congress and the administration will continue.
Once again Twitter became the barometer for reactions at the conclusion of this electoral journey. The following are tweets from users who, for the most part, recognize that the Hispanic vote was the principal force behind the Obama victory:
@wbonillanu21: Barack Obama aparentemente ha sido reelegido como Presidente; gracias en parte al voto hispano que menosprecio su oponente.
@wbonillanu21: Apparently Barack Obama has been reelected as President; thanks in part to the Hispanic vote that hated his opponent.
@luiscbrinol: Obama ha ganado las elecciones y será renombrado Presidente de los EE.UU. de América. La clave: el voto hispano.
@luiscbrinol: Obama won the election and will be renamed President of the United States of America. The key: the Hispanic vote.
@sorayaalcala: Es MUY importante el discurso del presidente #OBAMA queremos escuchar su opinión sobre el voto hispano en estas reñidas elecciones
@sorayaalcala: President #OBAMA‘s speech is VERY important. We want to hear his opinion on the hispanic vote during this hard-fought election
@Soy_Salvadoreno: El voto hispano se hizo sentir en el 2012… que Dios ilumine al Presidente Obama durante los siguientes cuatro años… http://fb.me/Pji4FfQk
@Soy_Salvadoreno: The Hispanic vote was felt in 2012… may God enlighten President Obama during the next four years… http://fb.me/Pji4FfQk
@ProfeAlfaro: “@felipeviel: El voto hispano fue decisivo para el triunfo de Obama-Debe el pres. cambiar su política hacia los latinos http://bit.ly/QmBzLr
@ProfeAlfaro: “@felipeviel: The Hispanic vote was critical to Obama's victory – The pres. should change his policy towards the Latino community http://bit.ly/QmBzLr
@GabyMerlina: #Obama gana el puesto 45 como presidente de los EEUU. Gracias a un pueblo hispano que desde ahora le debe de responder en positivo!
@GabyMerlina: #Obama won the position of 45th President of the United States. Thanks to a Hispanic community who he should respond positively to as of now!
@loroart: ojala y no se olvide el presidente BARACK OBAMA de lo importante que fue el VOTO HISPANO para su victoria
@loroart: I hope President BARACK OBAMA does not forget about the importance of the HISPANIC VOTE for his victory.
@luisg_sal: El voto hispano fue decisivo para reelegir al Presidente Obama. Constituyen una importante fuerza.
@luisg_sal: The hispanic vote was crucial for President Obama's reelection. They make up an important force.
Others like Barnabas Collins (@Whosjesus) assure that Obama is the candidate that the Latino community needs:
@Whoisjesus: Obama es el presidente que la comunidad hispano americana estuvo esperando por tantos años.
@Whoisjesus: Obama is the president that the Hispanic American community was waiting for for so many years.
Jose M Ambia Siliceo's (@joseambia) tweet seeks to be more specific, stating that the Mexican-American vote gave the Democratic candidate the victory:
@joseambia: Gana el Presidente Obama las elecciones presidenciales en Estados Unidos impulsado en forma contundente por el voto México-Americano-Hispano
@joseambia: President Obama wins the presidential election in the United Stated, driven forcefully by the Mexican-American Hispanic vote
Below are photos chronicling the electoral journey in New York City, where, despite the havoc caused by Hurricane Sandy, the election continued as usual. All photos were taken by the author:
The polling stations opened at 7 a.m.
Voters in the booths exercising their right to vote.
According to the law, electioneering is prohibited in the vicinity of the polling stations.
Example of a ballot with the names of the candidates.
Amidst the election, the Republican committee of New York met at the Westin Grand Central to follow the election.
In Harlem, where a majority of African Americans and immigrants reside, many took to the streets to celebrate Obama's victory.
While people gathered in celebration, police surrounded the area.
Excitement seized this taxi driver, who got out of his cab and celebrated the victory upon seeing the festivities.
Some arrived with accessories cheering on for four more years with Barack Obama.

author: Robert Valencia


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Reading Suggestions on Brazil in English · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Deep Brazil blog, from the journalist Regina Scharf, provides valuable resources about Brazil in the English language. She recently published one more list of books in English related to Brazil, its culture and people, and earlier this year she published a Brazil Blog List featuring 60 websites about the country for anglophone readers.

author: Sara Moreira


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Bride Kidnappers in Kyrgyzstan to Face Harsher Penalties · Global Voices
Saikal Nogoibaeva

The Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic is very clear on its position regarding forced marriage. Article 36, Point 5 of the Constitution states: “No marriage may be entered into without voluntary and mutual consent of the couple”.
Nevertheless, bride-kidnapping, or ala kachuu, is still widely practiced as a ‘tradition’ in the villages and provincial towns of Kyrgyzstan.
The Bishkek-based Center for Women estimates [ru] that some 11,800 girls are abducted in the country annually, with around 2,000 of them suffering rape in the process. Most of the kidnappings go unpunished. Only one out of 700 subjected to abduction files a lawsuit against the kidnappers, although the country's criminal code makes [ru] forceful bride-kidnapping punishable by three years in jail.
Most weddings in Kyrgyzstan, like the one on this picture, are not very different from weddings elsewhere in the world. However, thousands of men, mostly in rural areas, follow an ancient tradition by kidnapping a girl they want to marry. Image by Flickr use Evgeni Zotov, uploaded July 28, 2010 (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Campaigns against ala kachuu
Women's organizations in Kyrgyzstan have recently been very active in campaigning against bride-kidnapping practices, as was reported by Global Voices earlier. Later in the same summer the article was written, the Association of Crises Centers and Youth Peer Education Network “Y-PEER” continued [ru] the campaign by performing short sketches on why bride-kidnapping should be fought against. Male participants of the campaign were encouraged to sign a pledge to respect women's rights and not to engage in the illegal practice.
Another campaign launched this fall seeks to convince Kyrgyzstan's MPs to introduce harsher penalties for bride-kidnapping. Activists involved in this campaign believe that three years in jail is not a tough enough punishment for someone abducting a girl and forcing her into marriage, while, in comparison, a person stealing a sheep can spend up to 11 years in prison.
MP Kozhobek Ryspaev, something of a hate figure for anti-bride kidnapping campaigners explained [ru] the difference between the two crimes by joking distastefully:
Но ведь скот съедают, а женщин — нет.
Well, livestock is eaten, and women are not.
The latest campaign was triggered by an event that occurred in June 2012 in a small village in Issyk-Kul Province, where a man kidnapped [ru] and raped a young girl. Although the girl's parents found her and took her out of the “groom's” house the same day, the girl soon committed a suicide. On October 1, a local court sentenced the girl's kidnapper to six years in prison in what has become the first criminal case [ru] brought against a bride kidnapper in Kyrgyzstan since its independence.
Debates in parliament
On October 18, under the pressure from activists, the country's parliament passed [ru] a bill making the practice of bride kidnapping punishable by seven years in jail. This was preceded by vigorous debates between MPs.
For instance, MP Irina Karamushkina (Social Democratic Party) argued [ru]:
Умыкание невест, либо кража невесты — это в полном смысле слова кража человека, это похищение человека. Я понимаю, что есть такая традиция, очень такая старая традиция, ее применяют. Но традиция тогда станет традицией, когда обе стороны согласны.
Bride kidnapping is literally a kidnapping of a person, an abduction. I understand that there is such a tradition, a very old tradition, which is still practiced. However, tradition can only become a tradition when both parties agree to it.
MP Kozhobek Ryspaev, however, disagreed [ru], as quoted by blogger Ulukbek Babakulov:
Ужесточение наказания за кражу невесты может привести к тому, что мы пересажаем всех мужчин в Кыргызстане.
Introducing harsher penalties for bride kidnapping may result in imprisoning all of the men in Kyrgyzstan.
Ryspaev's parliamentary colleague Dastan Bekeshev, insisted [ru] on toughening the punishment, suggesting that this would prevent many suicides:
На практике нередки случаи суицида среди девушек. Их родители не знают, как наказать виновных, и иногда готовы даже на самосуд. А потому ужесточение ответственности просто необходимо.
In practice it is not infrequent that girls [subjected to kidnapping and forced marriage] commit suicide. Their parents don't know how to punish the perpetrators, and sometimes they are even ready to lynch the kidnappers. Therefore, tougher punishment is crucial.
MP Shirin Aitmatova supported [ru] her colleague:
Я к этому положительно отношусь. Я думаю, что это правильно.
I have a positive attitude towards this. I think it's right.
Gender issues, such as bride kidnapping, are coming to the forefront in Kyrgyz society thanks to tireless civic activism. In this campaign, designed by the Bishkek Feminists civic group, advocates argue for an increase in the quota of women in the parliament. The translation from Kyrgyz reads: “Woman, your place is in THIS house.”
Ironically though, less than a week later, Aitmatova's parliamentary assistant kidnapped [ru] a TV journalist, whom he had dated in the past, in order to marry her.
Moreover, as Ulugbek Babakulov reminded [ru] readers of his blog:
Но, к сожалению, трезвомыслящих парламентариев в ЖК меньшинство и, как показывает практика, их голос часто тонет в гуле голосов гораздо менее достойных народоизбранников
Unfortunately, sober-minded parliamentarians are a minority in the [Kyrgyz Parliament], and practice has shown that their voices is often impossible to hear in the roar of voices of much less worthy popular representatives
As part of the sustained civic campaign against bride-kidnapping, a bike ride was also organized [ru] in Bishkek on October 28, under the slogan: “Cycling and I are against violence”.
N.B At the risk of giving over the impression that all female Kyrgyz TV personalities suffer kidnapping at least once during their lives (they don't), Global Voices will round up reactions to the “mock abduction” of a separate female TV presenter by tabloid journalists next week.

author: Saikal Nogoibaeva


text:
Central Asia’s Spectacular Lakes · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

Iskanderkul Lake in Tajikistan. Photo by Flickr user Oleg Brovko (CC BY 2.0).
The Caravanistan blog presents the “Seven spectacular lakes in Central Asia”.

author: Alexander Sodiqov