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An Election Film Week in Lebanon to Say #NoToExtension of Parliament Term · Global Voices
Thalia Rahme

What better than the seventh art to mobilize? In another effort to push for Elections in Lebanon and prevent an extension of the Parliamentary term #NoToExtension, Lebanese NGO Nahwa Al Muwatiniya (meaning Towards Citizenship) held an “Election Film Week”.
Six works from Chile, Iran, China, Ghana and the US, varying between documentaries and fiction are being screened between August 28 to September 2 at Cinema Metropolis (a theater promoting indie movies)  in collaboration with the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE).
On the Facebook Page of the event, where the programme is listed, the organisers note:
We have been struggling with a fragile democracy in Lebanon, ever since its independence. Today, more than in the darkest days of the civil war, the foundations of our democracy are at risk. But we’re not alone in this. The world is full of stories about the human struggle for self-determination and democratic participation. Broadening our perspective serves our effort to improve the quality of the political system in Lebanon.
The films we picked share stories from different countries, all which portray the election process. Collectively, they reveal a combination of human values and ideals and the efforts politicians make to win an election.
To see a glimpse of the movies, check out the trailer posted on Nahwa Al Muwatiniya Youtube Page.
The current parliament extended its four-year stay for the first time in May 2013. And like a year before, various parties are supporting the move this time around under the pretext of security conditions.
The end of the parliamentary term comes amidst a period of turmoil in Lebanon. The country has lacked a president since May 25 after parliament failed to elect a new head of state and top officials could not reach political consensus. A general strike by syndicates demanding to approve a new enhanced wage scale for civil servants has threatened to paralyze the entire country. Lebanon has experience instability on both Syrian and Israeli borders after soldiers were kidnapped by members of Islamic militant organization ISIS.

author: Thalia Rahme


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Beijing Expects Hong Kong People to be Rubber Stamps · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Webbs a finance news commentator concluded that the Beijing decision on the nomination of Chief Executive candidates in 2017 is to turn Hong Kong people into rubber stamps.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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From Liberia to South Korea, West Africa’s Ebola Outbreak Is Met With Ignorance and Paranoia  · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

As one of the Ebola epicentres, the district of Kailahun, in eastern Sierra Leone bordering Guinea, was put under quarantine at the beginning of August. Photo credit: EC/ECHO/Cyprien Fabre. CC BY-ND 2.0
What is being described as the world's worst outbreak of Ebola is bringing out the worst in some people in the affected countries and around the world.
Ignorance of how the disease is spread means survivors of the disease are facing stigma at home, while people of African origin have faced discrimination abroad. As neighboring countries of those affected by the outbreak close their borders, workers are suffering the economic consequences. Without a confirmed medial cure for Ebola, con men are hawking their supposed cures to desperate people.
Since late June, the number of cases of Ebola reported throughout West Africa has more than quadrupled, from 567 to 2,615, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization. A little over half of those who have contracted the disease, 1,427 people, have died.
Blogger Boubacar Sanso BARRY on the French-language website Guinée Conakry Info described the approach adopted by each of the governments of the countries concerned in an effort to contain the spread:
Face à la nouvelle flambée à virus Ebola qui sévit en Afrique de l’ouest, les différents pays adoptent des approches plutôt différentes. Si en Guinée, en dépit des dernières statistiques alarmantes, les autorités demeurent dans la logique de la relativisation de la maladie, par contre au Libéria et en Sierra Léone, l’armée et les forces de sécurité sont littéralement réquisitionnées pour faire face à l’ennemi. Dans le premier cas, on peut parler de sous-évaluation du problème, alors que dans le second, on a tout de même l’impression que les autorités libériennes et léonaises usent d’approches disproportionnées qui, en plus, décuplent la panique générale.
In response to the new outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, the various countries are taking rather different approaches. In Guinea, despite the latest alarming statistics, the authorities are continuing to try to keep the disease in perspective, whereas in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the army and security forces have literally been requisitioned to face the enemy. In the first case, it can be said that the problem is being underestimated, yet in the second, it seems as if the the measures taken by the authorities in Liberia and Sierra Leone are out of proportion, and adding to the general sense of panic.
But ignorance of the disease is still widespread. Local Guinean NGO Community Centre for Educational Development  (Centre communautaire pour le développement de l’éducation or CECODE, in French) conducted an opinion survey in a district of Conakry, Guinea, which has recorded more than 600 cases of Ebola, to assess the population’s knowledge of the disease. In reply to “question 1: What does the Ebola epidemic mean to you?”:
Plus de 72% des personnes interviewées trouvent la maladie « dangereuse, contagieuse, grave et mortelle ». Par contre, pour 24% des enquêtés, l’épidémie Ebola ne représente rien ; et 4% des personnes interviewées restent perplexes.
On relève dans les propos ce qui suit :
More than 72% of the people interviewed consider the disease to be “dangerous, contagious, serious and deadly”. However, 24% of those surveyed say that the Ebola epidemic means nothing to them, while 4% of the people interviewed remain confused.
The following comments were noted:
On Aug. 17, In Liberia, the country that has been most severely affected, a group of men armed with knives and clubs, shouting ‘”there is no Ebola” in the country, attacked a quarantine centre set up in a school in West Point, a suburb of Monrovia, causing the patients to flee. It wasn’t until Aug. 20 that 17 of the patients who fled were found and transferred to the newly established Ebola treatment centre in the capital's John F. Kennedy Hospital.
At an international level, citizens of these countries are being subjected to an increasingly strict quarantine, with borders being closed, and most airlines suspending flights to the affected countries. Diplomats’ families in these countries are being repatriated, international conferences have been cancelled, and sporting events relocated.
However, an article published on the Resistance Authentique, a French blog curating trending topics, reflected on the opinion of many experts:
Il faut un contact direct avec un liquide biologique comme le sang, les selles, les vomissures. Il n’y a aucune transmission par voie aérienne C’est-à-dire que, lorsqu’une personne parle ou tousse, elle ne répand pas le virus Ebola dans l’air ambiant.
The virus is transmitted by direct contact with bodily fluid, such as blood, faeces or vomit. There is no airborne transmission. In other words (unlike what can be read elsewhere) the Ebola virus is not spread through the air by a person speaking or coughing.
Far away from the infected area, fear has led people to resort to measures with barely concealed ulterior motives. In South Korea, for instance, a pub displayed the sign shown on this photo reported by Twitter and published on MediaEqualizer, a US media-watch website.  Around 800 comments by readers responding to it offered a glimpse of the negative view that many Koreans have of Africans.
“We apologize but, due to Ebola virus we are not accepting Africans at the moment.” The notice was displayed at the entrance of JR Pub in Séoul. Source: Harriet on Facebook with permission
A reader called Raptor wrote a comment on Instinct de Survie (Survival instinct) forum, a platform for proponents of open software, giving context for the outbreak:
L'éternel exemple que je sors à chaque fois: La grippe saisonnière fait entre 1500 et 2000 morts annuellement sur notre territoire. Loin de moi l'idée de vouloir tout comparer, mais je tente de relativiser tout ça. Dans la même veine, lors du séisme en Haïti nous avons pu constater des résurgences de peste, choléra, tuberculose… Pour autant, les conséquences à l'international n'ont pas été très visibles…  Avec près de 700 morts, nous sommes encore loin des références en la matière qui ont pu nous toucher par le passé (peste noire, grippe espagnole notamment).
Tenant compte de ça, quand je vois des occurrences comme “totalement hors de contrôle”, “épidémie sans précédent” dans les articles, je me demande si les médias n'auraient pas tendance à faire du journalisme à sensations plutôt que de la vraie info. Certains flux migratoires ramènent régulièrement des trucs qu'on ne trouvait plus sous nos latitudes, pour autant nous n'enregistrons pas de crises sanitaires.
The example that I always use is this: Seasonal flu causes between 1,500 and 2,000 deaths each year in our country. I don't want to make comparisons, but I’m trying to put things into perspective. Similarly, during the earthquake in Haiti, we saw outbreaks of plague, cholera and tuberculosis. However, the international impact was not very noticeable. With almost 700 deaths (at the time of the post), we are still a long way from matching the scale of some of the diseases that affected us in the past (the black plague, Spanish flu, among others).
For that reason, when I see articles using phrases such as “totally out of control” or “unprecedented epidemic”, it makes me wonder if the media are resorting to sensationalist journalism instead of real information. The influx of migrants regularly introduces stuff that hasn't been seen before in our part of the world, and yet we are not constantly reporting health crises.
When neighbouring countries close borders, or even just introduce stricter entry requirements, it poses serious economic problems, especially for cross-border trade. The Guinean news website Actu224 posted the comments of a union official for lorry drivers on the Guinea-Malian border:
Beaucoup de Maliennes ont aujourd’hui abandonné l’axe Bamako -Conakry à cause des méfiances et des incertitudes autour de cette maladie. Voyez-vous, la gare est remplie de véhicules vides. Les rares qui arrivent à quitter de la journée ont tout le mal à faire le plein de clients …
Malheureusement, avec la pandémie d’Ébola, les Maliens sont de plus en plus réticents à aller à l’intérieur de la Guinée, mais les populations guinéennes continuent de fréquenter les foires hebdomadaires maliennes.
Many Malians have now abandoned the Bamako-Conakry highway because of the suspicions and uncertainties surrounding this disease. As you see, the station is full of empty vehicles. The few who manage to get away in the course of the day are struggling to find enough customers.
Unfortunately, with the Ebola pandemic, Malians are becoming more and more reluctant to go into the interior of Guinea, yet Guinean people are still attending the weekly fairs in Mali.
While international efforts are sending the affected countries all kinds of aid, including medical equipment, money, and vaccines that are not yet commercially available, religious leaders have been organising prayers to raise public awareness and help people gain a better understanding of what the health workers are doing.
The highly controversial Nigerian preacher and millionaire, TB Joshua, for his part, claims that a holy water that he has developed could cure patients suffering from the Ebola virus. He has sent 4,000 bottles of his water on his own private jet to help Sierra Leone.
Follow our in-depth coverage: The Struggle to #StopEbola in West Africa

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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These Photos Capture Life Beyond War and Tragedy in Palestine · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

This image, simply captioned “Seen in Gaza” shows two Palestinian men in Gaza overlooking their city, which was destroyed by an Israeli attack.
Ever since Brandon Stanton‘s hugely popular Humans of New York (HONY) page launched in November 2010, hundreds of pages from around the world have followed suit. The theme, which is fairly common to all the pages, is rather simple: a photographer or a group of photographers go around a neighborhood, village, city or country and ask people questions accompanied by a memorable portrait.
The project has reached all corners of the planet, from Rio De Janeiro to Tehran, passing through most countries of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The projects’ awareness-raising potential hasn't gone unnoticed, as one commenter on a recent HONY image said: “I look forward to these posts every day now. They restore my faith in humanity.” This comment received over 7,000 likes.
In the occupied Palestinian territories, awareness-raising is certainly needed. And that's what “Humans of Palestine” set out to do. When Global Voices Online asked Jafar Zuabi, one of Humans of Palestine's team members, to describe the idea behind Humans of Palestine, he explained:
Humans of Palestine was created to reflect the dreams of Palestinian people and their daily lives. But since the offensive started, the page aims at restoring the humanity that is often stripped away when Palestinians are reduced to calculative deaths, forgettable names, and burned and mutilated bodies, rather than people who shared loved ones, stories, dreams and aspirations.
“This is the first baby to be delivered by me. His name is Mazen. The labor was under the supervision of Dr. Nashwa Skaik at al-Shifaa hospital. This is one of the greatest moments in my life.” (link)
The page, which boasts over 22,000 followers on Facebook and 7,500 on Twitter, stands out from other HONY-type pages in its coverage of both Palestinians in Palestine as well as those in the diaspora, both refugees and emigrants. Indeed, the Humans of Palestine team covers Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Palestinian refugee camps across the Arab world and the Palestinian diaspora.
How does it work? Jafar replied:
We at Humans of Palestine work as a team of five: The founder of the page, Anas Hamra from Gaza; We'am, Haneen and myself from Ramallah; and Niraz from the Yarmouk Refugee Camp in Syria.
We ended our conversation with a touch of optimism:
We think we are making a difference. Our message is reaching the Arab and the western countries more and more every day.
Here are a few of the photographs shared on the page:
“Noor, is a passionate young girl from Gaza, she's always wanted to start her own Palestinian English channel in Gaza, but she didn't know that the first news to report would be a “War” on Gaza! Noor stands where Israeli military destroyed a whole neighborhood called Shujaiya and she is making a report about it.”
(link)
“I was sitting opposite Naji Al-Ali's (Palestinian cartoonist) grave, thinking of all the great people Israel had wiped off the map, and how they all stay in our lives. When I think of those people, I don't think of them as ‘dead’. So what's death after all? It is as Ghassan Kanafani deliberately put it: “A man is, at the end of the day, a cause.” When I think of martyrs, I don't think of them as numbers. They are people with collective memories, families, dreams- which all was simply taken away from them. The idea brings my defenses down. For those who gave their lives ardently, for those whose dreams were brutally taken away, all the tears of the world will not bring your pure souls back. I salute you.” (link)
- How would you describe yourself?
- I am not as sneaky and demanding as most people would think (link)

author: Elia J. Ayoub


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Is Venezuelan Film ‘The Liberator’ a Historical Biopic or Propaganda Blockbuster? · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

Equestrian statue of Bolívar. Flickr image by wallyg (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
The long-awaited film about the life of Simón Bolívar premiered in Venezuela on July 24, the anniversary of the famous freedom fighter's birth. Called “The Liberator,” as Bolívar was nicknamed, the film chronicles the struggle of Venezuela's native son to secure the independence of Spain's South American colonies.
“The Liberator” was an instant box-office success, and moviegoers quickly registered their reactions across social media. At a time when Venezuela is divided about its past, its current vision of itself and the path forward, however, the unveiling of a historical drama has only served to further polarize debate. So it comes as no surprise that while some audience members delighted in a patriotic blockbuster, others were surprised by the liberties taken with regard to historical facts.
One article in particular by historian Tomás Straka published on the webzine Prodavinci was widely read and disseminated. In “Bolívar: two movies, one epic?,” Straka compared the biopic with more traditional biographies, pointing out that the power of cinema resides in its ability to conjure up images, and that it easier to be swept up by the narrative on the silver screen than by the stories told in the official documents of the period:
Por supuesto, una biopic no es un documental ni un libro de historia, pero puede tener ese efecto e incluso otros mucho mayores. Los hechos demuestran que el cine ha jugado un papel fundamental en la construcción de los imaginarios. En ocasiones lo hace de forma no deliberada, y en otras apelando a todo un aparato ideológico, escenifica personajes y episodios que las mayorías terminan aceptando por verídicas, cumpliendo para la historia oficial –o para la contrahistoria de una parcialidad- el rol que tuvieron los autos sacramentales para la historia sagrada.
Of course a biopic is neither a documentary nor a history book, but it can have that effect and more on viewers. The fact is that cinema plays a key role in the construction of our communal imagination. Sometimes it happens by accident, but at other times there is an underlying ideological apparatus at work that depicts characters and events such that many people end up accepting them as gospel—in the same way that medieval pageants reinforced religious texts, these films contribute to either the official or the revisionist versions of our cultural history.
Straka also said it is important to pay attention to the changes made in the film, in light of the image of Bolívar that different governments and political factions have wanted to project:
…mucha gente puede tomar por ciertas las invenciones de Libertador. Invenciones que, de paso, respaldan las que ciertas –que no todas– versiones de la izquierda y del gobierno han hecho de la historia.
Un autor de ficción tiene derecho a poner lo que quiera (por ejemplo, que [Simón] Rodríguez tuviera el don de volar, de ver a través de las paredes o de pelear kung fu), pero el riesgo en una biopic es, de nuevo, que la gente se lo tome en serio.
…many people might take the fictions in “The Liberator” for granted, fictions that by the way reinforce certain—but not all—historical versions promoted by the government and the left in general.
An author of fiction can take whatever liberties they like (for example, that [Venezuelan educator and Bolívar's mentor Simón] Rodríguez had the gift of flight, could see through walls and practised kung fu), but the risk is, once again, that in a biopic people will take it seriously.
In response, historian Andrés Pérez Sepúlveda shared some of his thoughts about the film's reception on his blog Islandia no es tan lejos (Iceland is not that far) as a response to Tomás Straka. There, the blogger mentioned the political divide that has existed in Venezuela for the past 15 years, marked by the movement started by the late President Hugo Chávez (known as ‘chavismo’) and his opponents:
Tomás, el público (tú y yo incluidos) no es tonto, y no podemos desprendernos de la piel contemporánea porque eso sí sería una negación del tiempo (…). De vez en cuando vale la pena sentarse a disfrutar de una historia que por lo menos intenta reconstruir el tejido del país, con el objetivo de explorar el beneficioso placer de formar parte de una comunidad.
…Al emocionarnos con una película sobre Bolivar, Tomás, estamos correspondiendo a un imperativo que es más importante que ser de oposición o chavista: ser ciudadano, formar parte de una nación que ayudaron a crear otros hombres. Estar conscientes del pasado ya es un triunfo que se le suma al espectador, aunque no haya leído las biografías más rigurosas y confiables de la acción histórica de Bolívar.
Tomás, the audience (you and I included) are not fools and we cannot disconnect ourselves from contemporary currents and negate the passage of time (…) Sometimes it is worth sitting down and enjoying a story that at least attempts to reconstruct the cultural fabric of the country, with the goal of exploring the useful pleasure of being part of a community.
…To be moved by a film about Bolívar, Tomás, means we are responding to an emotional imperative that is more important than being pro-Chavez or part of the opposition: to be a citizen, to be part of a country that helped to create other men. To make the audience conscious of the past is enough of a victory, even if they have not read the most rigorous and faithful historical biographies of Bolívar.
In his blog Venezuela y su Historia (Venezuela and its History), Profeballa enumerated the flaws of the film, which he considered a propaganda tool of the government:
More nonsense and historical manipulation to raise doubts about Bolívar's death when it has been clearly demonstrated that there was no conspiracy to assassinate him, and that in fact he died of tuberculosis. (…)
But this time the manipulation was especially bad because they wanted us to think it was an independent production, not a government one (…). This version of Bolívar is the closest to the one the powers that be have been trying to create for the last 15 years in Venezuela.
The good news is that we are capable of producing a blockbuster with wonderful cinematography and Hollywood-style battle scenes (…). One day I hope we can collaborate on a really good Bolívar film, especially with honest historians.
It did not take long for social media to exploit the film's images, creating memes to denounce the country's economic woes, like this one that alludes to the suspension of flights to Venezuela by several airlines, which has made getting out of the country increasingly difficult for many Venezuelans:
“I told them to buy their tickets in January.”
Memes also took pot shots at the widespread shortage of basic necessities. This meme refers to government-subsidized supermarkets that cater to low-income families in working class regions of the country. These supermarkets, retailing under the Mercal banner, were no better at delivering much-needed consumer staples:
“What do you mean only two per person?”
On Twitter, users have shared many more reactions to the film and the liberties taken with the facts. Discussions and debates will only intensify in the coming days as moviegoers lining up to see the biopic and other commenters continue to share their opinions. Despite the controversy, films like “The Liberator” contribute to cultural exchange by forcing us to confront our historical past, the gap between legend and reality and, most important, what our heroes mean to us.
In short, the film ‘Libertator’ might be seen as a call to reflect on the use of the historic past, the difference between legend and reality, and, even more important, the vision the country has of its myths and heroes.

author: Laura Vidal


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Pakistan’s State Owned TV Under Siege By Protestors · Global Voices
Rezwan

Last update at 7:45PM GMT, September 1, 2014
Hundred of protestors of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) have stormed into the Head Office of Pakistan's state-owned TV channel PTV. On 1st of September at around 11:20 am protesters broke open the main gate of Pakistan Television (PTV) Head Quarters in Islamabad and the station went off air soon.
Since August 14, 2014, tens of thousands of peaceful protesters have been camping out demanding that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should step down.
Journalist Omar Quraishi tweets:
Pakistan's state owned Pakistan Television has gone off air after anti-government protesters stormed its Islamabad headquarters
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) September 1, 2014
Employees are trapped and harassed says Pakistani blogger Ghazala Khan.
Plz help! Just got call from a friend Shazia, PTV employee who is entrapped inside. She said she has been pinched & beaten#PTI #PAT
— Ghazala Khan (@ghazala_khan) September 1, 2014
DawnNews reports that the army was called in to handle the situation and they cleared the PTV office from protesters in 15 minutes. The TV broadcast has been restored.

author: Rezwan


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Russian Social Networks Dominate in Ukraine Despite Information War · Global Voices
Tanya Lokot

Euromaidan protesters use electronic devices like smart phones and tablet computers at the IT tent on the Independence Square in Kiev. Photo by Anatolii Stepanov for Demotix.
Russian VKontakte and Odnoklassniki networks dominate the social media market in Ukraine, according to new research from Russian Internet giant Yandex. In the newest release of its annual research report on the Ukrainian segment of the web, Yandex said over 40 million Ukrainian accounts over all were registered in VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Facebook and Twitter as of this summer.
VKontakte leads the charge with 27 million Ukrainian users, and Odnoklassniki boasts 11 million Ukrainians. Facebook recorded 3.2 million users from Ukraine—a million more since the summer of 2012. Twitter, according to Yandex blog search, has 430,000 Ukrainian accounts: the Twitter user base in Ukraine grew 1.5 times since the start of 2013, with most of this growth attributed to the Euromaidan protests, where Twitter was used extensively.
Total audience of social network sites in Ukraine: VKontakte 27 million, Odnoklassniki 11 million, Facebook 3.2 million, Twitter 430,000. Courtesy of Yandex.
The Ukrainian audience of VKontakte is very young: over half of the users are 25 or younger. A third of Odnoklassniki users fall into the 26-35 segment, making the network’s audience slightly older.
Recent political events in Ukraine have heavily influenced the Twitter user base: before November 2013, 6,000 to 7,000 new accounts were created per month, but in December this number reached 16,000, and in January 2014 there were a whopping 55,000 new Twitter accounts.
During Euromaidan protests, Ukrainians posted 130,000 tweets daily on average, compared to 90,000 daily tweets in 2012. On February 20 alone, when dozens of protesters lost their lives in downtown Kyiv, there were 240,000 tweets published.
As Euromaidan protests gradually grew quiet, the social networks became preoccupied with the growing unrest in Eastern Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, and the accompanying information war between Ukraine and Russia. Discussions of Russia’s role in the Ukrainian struggle, displeasure with Russian propaganda and manipulation (and attempts to stage a patriotic Ukrainian response online, often employing the same tactics), sharing, debunking and verifying information from the conflict zones—all these things continue to keep Ukrainians on social networks.
Providing an open space for free expression and opinions makes social media a popular forum for citizens on all sides, and ensures the growth of social network audiences. Next year’s research might show whether worsening of the general sentiment towards Russia, as well as its new draconian internet regulations, will erode the trust and popularity that Russian social networks currently enjoy in Ukraine.

author: Tanya Lokot


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Despite Violent Pushback, Anti-Government Protesters in Pakistan Refuse to Budge Until Prime Minister Sharif Steps Down · Global Voices
Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman

Women and children are seen in large numbers as protesters made the Liberty Roundabout an ‘independence square’ in Lahore and rallied late into the night. Image by Saad Safraz Sheikh. Copyright Demotix (28/8/2014)
Three days of clashes between Pakistan's PML-N-led government and anti-government protesters outside the official residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has left at least three dead and hundreds injured.
On September 1 anti-government protesters stormed and seized the head office of the national broadcaster Pakistan Television (PTV) in capital city Islamabad. PTV transmission was suspended for 35 minutes, until paramilitary troops regained control of the state channel. Shortly before ending transmission, the announcer said, “They have stormed the PTV office. PTV staff performing their duties are being beaten up.”
Two political parties are leading the protests — cricketer turned politician Imran Khan‘s Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) and anti-Taliban Sufi cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Both allege that the May 2013 general election, which brought PML-N to power in a landslide victory, was rigged; they want Prime Minister Sharif to step down.
The clashes started in the early hours of August 30, after police in riot gear used tear gas and rubber bullets to fight back massive crowds of protesters — men, women and children — trying to storm the prime minister's secretariat.
Police, protesters clash again at Constitutional Avenue http://t.co/jnG3SYSWb7 pic.twitter.com/IcRwD41huk
— Dunya TV (@dunyanetwork) September 1, 2014
The scenes emerging from Islamabad changed into a battle zone, where tens of thousands of peaceful protesters have been camping out peacefully since August 14 demanding that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif step down.
On August 18, supporters of Khan's PTI and Tahirul Qadri's PAT broke through the red zone — a designated high security area — which encloses key government buildings, including the prime minister's secretariat and foreign embassies. Usually, only people with security clearance are able to enter Islamabad's red zone. Twenty thousand police officers and paramilitary forces were called in to guard the red zone. Since the violence started almost all foreign missions have closed down.
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf claimed that real bullets were used and the death toll is more than three:
So many proofs that gov is using real bullets against peaceful protestors. #AzadiSquare pic.twitter.com/CaFiLk8Sl2
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 31, 2014
PTI's Twitter head, Hamza Salman, shared picture of a man covered in blood:
#PunjabPoliceMurdabad Anti-Government Protesters Met with Violent Repression in #Pakistan | http://t.co/0SbcAkwoMA … pic.twitter.com/fs0BNw7NYe
— Hamza Salman (@PTI_tsunami) August 31, 2014
Dr. Arif Alvi, ex-secretary general of PTI, said that protesters were peaceful and had no batons or sticks with them:
PMLN has attempted to destroy peaceful protest, but we have remained peaceful. Brickbat reactions to bullets, and teargassing will continue
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) August 31, 2014
Raza Rumi, a political analyst, shared a picture of protesters with sticks:
LOL RT @AslamChandio_: @Razarumi Peaceful protestors :) pic.twitter.com/jD9xPoIogk
— Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) August 31, 2014
وزیراعظم ہاؤس پر دھاوا بول کر پُرامن رہنے کی بات ایسے ہی ہے جیسے کسی کے گھر میں پُرامن طریقے سے ڈاکا ڈالنا : عاصمہ جہانگیر #PTI #PAT
— عمر آہیر | ج جواد (@aaheer_) August 31, 2014
A peaceful attack on prime minister house is same as peaceful robbery at someone's house: Asma Jahangir
Natalia Tariq, a common citizen in Islamabad, tweeted:
My driver attacked by mob of protestors in Aabpara market who had sticks and stones and were harassing shopkeepers and police #PAT #PTI
— Natalia Tariq (@NataliaTariq87) August 31, 2014
ARY news, one of the country's biggest TV channels, reported that police raided hospitals to arrest injured protesters, but no other news source verified their claims:
Punjab Police has raided PIMS and is arresting injured people ~ ARY. Pakistan 4 True Democracy. #IslamabadMassacre pic.twitter.com/AY6Fwc1D2V
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 30, 2014
Rumours and conspiracy theories about the death toll is circulating all over social media. Messages were being sent via WhatsApp and Facebook by unknown fake accounts sharing media reports inciting violence and claiming that Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) was hiding dead bodies and the death toll was much higher:
Dead bodies are kept out of sight in the hospitals. Thr is no chance in hell tht thy injured 400 ppl with rubber bullets. #IslamabadMassacre
— Wajahat (@Khattakx) August 31, 2014
Journalist Moeed Pirzada tweeted:
#Just came back from PIMS; more than 300 injured; Hosp under pressure to hide figures of dead & Injured; Riot Police in Hospital Corridors#
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) August 30, 2014
Some fake pictures of the injured were also shared by PTI official handles and now circulating social media. Emrys Schoemaker, a British communication strategist and technology specialist based in Islamabad, tweeted:
PTI appropriate image of child killed from coverage of Egypt revolution, an image originally from Lahore massacre: pic.twitter.com/uqi7B8t5Nj
— Emrys Schoemaker (@emrys_s) August 30, 2014
Attack on media:
Angry protesters pelted stones at Geo TV‘s offices in Islamabad. The Geo Network is Pakistan's largest media group and is considered pro-government and pro-democracy. Geo recently faced closure and a fine after a row with the intelligence agency ISI.
PTI workers attack Geo News Islamabad Office by GeoNews
Maria Memon, a TV journalist in Islamabad, tweeted a photo of the Geo building:
Hello work ! Today they are all Gullu Butts #PAT #PTI pic.twitter.com/rfB8sELH9p
— Maria Memon (@Maria_Memon) August 31, 2014
“Gullu Butt” is a colloquial term in Pakistan to refer to someone paid to engage in vandalism and/or violence, especially in a political context.
Journalists of Larkana & Naundero took out separate protest rallies & held demonstrations against beating of reporters in Islamabad by Punjab police during a crackdown on PTI and PAT political workers. Image by Jamal Dawoodpoto. Copyright Demotix (31/8/2014)
In another incident, the police attacked journalists who went to report on the protests.
Talat Hussain, a journalist and anchorperson, tweeted:
The govt has lost it completely. Assaulting media is criminal. Politically, it is suicidal.
— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) August 31, 2014
According to reports protesters with sticks also attacked police officers.
Pakistani anti-government protesters beat a riot policeman in Islamabad http://t.co/nl7tUvi03u Photo by Aamir Qureshi pic.twitter.com/V49ifWAw03
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) September 1, 2014

author: Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman


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How Bloggers Ended Up in Prison for Writing About Human Rights in Ethiopia · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Melody Sundberg analyses freedom of expression in Ethiopia after detained Ethiopian bloggers spent 100 days in prison:
Ethiopia is with its almost 94 million population the second most populated country in Africa. Nevertheless, it does not according to an interview with Endalkhachew Chala by Global Voices, have an independent daily newspaper or independent media. There was a need of an alternative voice and the Zone 9:ers therefore began blogging and using social media to write on subjects related to human rights. The name of the group, Zone 9, refers to the zones of the notorious Ethiopian Kality prison, where political prisoners and journalists are being held. The prison has eight zones, but the ninth “zone” refers to the rest of Ethiopia. Even if being outside of the prison walls – you are never truly free; any freethinking individual may be arrested. The bloggers wanted to be the voice of this ninth zone.
In the interview, Endalkachew says that the group had campaigns about respecting the constitution, stopping censorship and respecting the right to demonstrate. The group also visited political prisoners, such as journalists Eskinder Nega and Reeyot Alemu. They wanted to bring the publics’ attention to them by using social media.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Iran’s President Says Internet Is Vital · Global Voices
Farid

Iranian President Hassan Rohani said in a speech on September 1 that the Internet is vital and Iran “cannot close the gates of the world for the younger generation.”
The next day, two Grand Ayatollahs defended high-speed Internet a few days after another Grand Ayatollah warned about it.
IMPORTANT #Iran president Rouhani made a new speech defending internet & new technology with emphasis on youth – challenging conservatives.
— Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi) September 2, 2014

author: Farid


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ISIS Releases Another Gruesome Beheading Video, Allegedly of US Journalist Steven Sotloff  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has shared a second gruesome video which allegedly shows the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff. Photograaph shared widely on social media
A second video showing the beheading of an American journalist by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a spin-off of Al Qaeda that has come to control one-third of Syria and a quarter of Iraq, has emerged.
The three-minute video allegedly shows the beheading of Steven Sotloff, whose work in hotspots across the Middle East has taken him to Bahrain, Syria, Egypt, Libya and Turkey.
Sotloff disappeared in August last year while reporting in Syria.
This gruesome video follows the beheading of American photojournalist James Wright Foley, who has been missing in Syria for 636 days, before a video showing his murder was released by the ISIS on August 19.
Sotloff was identified in the Foley video, with a warning that he would be next. Now another hostage, David Haines, from the UK, is said to appear in this second video.
DC-based journalist Zaid Benjamin tweets to his 45.5K followers:
The same voice who appeared during the beheading of Foley says David Haines from UK will be next.
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) September 2, 2014
#ISIS says in Steven Sotloff beheading that nations should stay away from any alliance with the US
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) September 2, 2014
According to NBC News, Haines, a former British military, left the military to work for NGOs, where he provides security work.
Shock
The news came as a shock to many.
Kurdish-British blogger Ruwayda Mustafah, with 41K followers on Twitter, is speechless:
#ISIS reportedly beheads Steven Sotloff —What could anyone possibly say? The strongest of condemnation seems pathetic in the face of #ISIS
— Ruwayda Mustafah (@RuwaydaMustafah) September 2, 2014
Emile Hokayem, Mideast analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, explains to his 15K followers on Twitter saying the widespread of such horrific videos showcasing ISIS’ crimes desensitize Middle Eastern societies:
Big danger hovering over Middle Eastern societies: desensitization as atrocities multiply, become part of daily ‘normalcy.’ RIP Steven
— Emile Hokayem (@emile_hokayem) September 2, 2014
He further explains that ISIS is keen on making such videos public as part of its “terror” strategy.
Difference btw ISIS/Assad atrocities not in scale/nature but in publicizing: for ISIS, terror is strategy; Assad needs ambiguity/deniability
— Emile Hokayem (@emile_hokayem) September 2, 2014
Colleagues Pay Tribute
On Twitter, many describe Sotloff as a brave journalist.
Photojournalist Mazen Mahdi from Bahrain remarks:
I didn't want to say much earlier about Steven Sotloff but anyone who had worked with him would know he was a fearless reporter .. RIP
— Mazen Mahdi (@MazenMahdi) September 2, 2014
He adds:
Knowing, Steven Sotloff, had the idiots in #isil bothered to check they would have known he was all about real grievances of the people
— Mazen Mahdi (@MazenMahdi) September 2, 2014
Journalist Portia Walker laments her loss:
Thinking of you Steven. A great writer, brave reporter and good friend.
— Portia Walker (@portia_walker) September 2, 2014
Lauren Bohn's last encounter with Sotloff was in Cairo. The multi-media journalist, who is now in Istanbul, recalls:
At a smoky cafe in Cairo, tapping on his keyboard, sharing contacts + smiling widely. The last time I saw Steven. A wonderful soul. RIP.
— Lauren Bohn (@LaurenBohn) September 2, 2014
And Global Post journalist Jeb Boone met Sofloff in Yemen. He remembers how people were confused between them:
I met Steven in Yemen. People thought we were the same person because we were both fat and white. Pretty funny. RIP dude.
— Jeb Boone (@JebBoone) September 2, 2014
#ISISmediaBlackout
Just like with the Foley video, many are calling for an ISIS media blackout. Instead of sharing the ISIS beheading video, they are calling for remembering Sotloff in better times.
Among them is Zach Green, who says:
Don't share #ISIS‘s beheading video, that's what they want. #ISISmediaBlackout RIP Steven Sotloff. pic.twitter.com/c3gDLTbBar
— Zach Green (@140elect) September 2, 2014
This tweet has been shared about 800 times at the time of writing this post.
From Libya, Ismael lends his support:
#ISISmediaBlackout pic.twitter.com/8rynuislyS
— Ismael (@ChangeInLibya) September 2, 2014
Boone adds:
Can't believe this bears repeating but one should not empower ISIS by publishing their PR materials. RIP Steven Sotloff.
— Jeb Boone (@JebBoone) September 2, 2014
And from Lebanon, Elie Fares explains:
Don’t give them what they want: ears to listen & eyes to fear their brutality. #ISISMediaBlackout pic.twitter.com/9H7Zf9q6dQ
— Elie Fares (@eliefares) September 2, 2014
What next?
For Huffington Post Middle East correspondent Joshua Hersh, who is based in New York, little is being done to stop the ISIS’ atrocities:
ISIS seems to be the only group in the world that believes Obama is taking aggressive action against ISIS.
— Joshua Hersh (@joshuahersh) September 2, 2014
Meanwhile..
Syrian Razan Saffour reminds us that Muslim journalists too are not immune from the ISIS.
2 weeks ago ISIS executed Syrian Muslim journalist Bassam Raies. The world didn't give a damn. #Syria pic.twitter.com/Obms6gTiuK
— Razan Saffour (@RazanSpeaks) September 2, 2014

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Online Photos Show an Ex-Militia Leader Wanted for Crimes Against Humanity Quietly Returned to Timor-Leste · Global Voices
Keta Haluha

A man who appears to be Jorge Tavares at a Baucau pool in Timor Leste in August 2014. Photo widely circulated on social media.
Last month, a man went on holiday in Timor-Leste. He visited the country's two largest cities, Dili and Baucau in Timor-Leste, and photos of him smiling during the trip soon began circulating on social media.
But this wasn't just any ordinary tourist. He appeared to be Jorge Tavares, who currently lives in Indonesia and hasn't been seen in Timor-Leste since September 1999 because during the Indonesian occupation of the Southeast Asian country he was a senior pro-Indonesian politician cum militia leader. He is wanted for crimes against humanity, including the systematic murder of people who supported independence, and social media users deduced the man in the photos was Tavares.
Tavares is the younger brother of now deceased Joao Tavares, who formed and lead Halilintar, an important pro-Indonesian militia. Halilintar played key roles in the 1975 Indonesian invasion of former Portuguese colony Timor-Leste, the subsequent 24-year occupation as well as the 1999 scorched earth operation of destruction ordered by the Indonesian military during the Timorese independence referendum.
During this period, Jorge Tavares was an important lieutenant to his older brother Joao, but also a leader of pro-Indonesian militias in his own right. During the Indonesian occupation, Jorge Tavares was a member of the Bobonaro local council known as the DPRD, and in 1999 was a leader of the pro-Indonesia advocacy group the FPDK. His son Ruben is also indicted for crimes against humanity as a pro-Indonesian militia leader. His nephew, Jose Tavares (son of Joao), is currently Indonesia's ambassador to New Zealand.
In 2003 Tavares and numerous others were indicted by the United Nations’ Serious Crimes Unit and the Court of Dili District for crimes against humanity. In 2004 he and others were indicted by the Court of Dili District's Special Panel for Serious Crimes for further crimes against humanity for their part in organising and implementing the campaign of violence in Bobonaro District in 1999.
These indictments are still valid according to Timor-Leste law. However, it appears Timorese authorities either did not know Tavares was on an extended visit to Timor-Leste, or they chose to look the other way and not arrest him. In recent days, family members of Tavares’ victims were told that the prosecutors could not find the documents relating to Tavares indictments for crimes against humanity.
A man who appears to be Jorge Tavares in Ariea Branca, Dili, in August 2014. Photo widely circulated on social media.
A man who appears to be Jorge Tavares in Cristo Rei, Dili, in August 2014. Photo widely circulated on social media.
A man who appears to be Jorge Tavares in Bucoli, Baucau, in August 2014. Photo widely circulated on social media.
In 2009 Maternus Bere, another ex-militia leader also indicted for crimes against humanity, was arrested in Cova Lima when found to have entered Timor-Leste. Even though Bere was considerably junior to Tavares in the militia hierarchy, it caused a diplomatic incident with Indonesia. In controversial circumstances Indonesia successfully pressured Timorese authorities to release Bere and allow him to return to West Timor, Indonesia.
Significantly, the visit to Timor-Leste immediately preceded or coincided with Indonesian President Yudhoyono’s state visit to Dili from 25-27 August. Both visits coincided with the 15th anniversary of the referendum resulting in Timor-Leste independence from Indonesian occupation; 8 and 9 September mark the 15th anniversary commemorations for the Maliana Police Station and Mulau massacres, in which Tavares played a role.
One has to question if Tavares’ visit proceeded without incident due to the authorities’ incompetence or their connivance. It also leaves one wondering if Tavares is still in Timor-Leste or not. Furthermore, it is well known that dozens of other indictees are poised to return to Dili, as these days the grass is greener in Timor-Leste than it is in Indonesia. The petroleum-fueled economy holds the promise of US dollars for well-connected Timorese elites irrespective of what side of the political equation they were on in 1999.
In 2010, this author wrote about some of Tavares’ victims in 1999, and it's clear no progress in getting justice has been made since. What tales would Tavares tell if he was forced to have his day in court?

author: Keta Haluha


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New Spider Species in Borneo Named After Missing Activist · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A new spider species in Borneo discovered by Swiss scientists was named after Bruno Manser, an environmentalist who went missing in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia in 2000. Bruno Manser has been campaigning for the protection of the nomadic Penan people and against the destruction of Sarawak rainforest when he was declared missing.
Aposphragisma brunomanseri goblin spider. Photo from the Natural History Museum of Berne

author: Mong Palatino


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Palestinians Cheer as an Israeli ‘Skunk Truck’ Falls into a Ravine, But What Is It Exactly? · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

A video showing an Israeli ‘Skunk truck’ falling into a ravine in Jerusalem to the joy and cheers of Palestinian bystanders has surfaced online and immediately went viral.
The shaky footage, taken by children, shows the vehicle spraying ‘skunk’ on a neighbourhood. Speaking in Arabic, a child exclaims at the beginning of video saying the vehicle is approaching their home and asks if the doors and windows are shut.
According to the Electronic Intifada:
The video has circulated widely on social media and was posted earlier today on the Facebook page of Quds News Network. Wattan TV reported that the skunk truck was deployed after youths went into the streets of the al-Tur neighborhood to protest ongoing detentions by occupation police.
When the two Palestinian boys filming the scene realized what had happened, they screamed ‘Takbir’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’, both common cries of both celebration and desperation (depending on the situation), in Palestine as well as across the Arab and Muslim world. As one of the moderators of Reddit's r/CombatFootage for the critical study of war footage explained in a dedicated post:
The term itself serves as a reminder for a Muslim, that no matter the situation or emotion that one experiences, that God is always greater. If you’re happy, then it serves as a reminder that God is greater than everything and that your success and source of happiness comes from God. If you’re scared, then you say it as a reminder that God is indeed greater and that the only fear a Muslim should have is towards God. When a Muslim is angry, he says Allahu Akbar as a way of calming himself down, reminding that God is greater than anything that makes you angry, and turn to God for your solace.
While in the West, many people clap their hands as a show of approval and praise, traditionally, most Muslims would shout the Takbir in unison as a way of showing approval and praise to a speaker. Though, many Muslims have adopted the tradition of clapping their hands, many will still shout the Takbir while clapping.
He then explained how it isn't necessarily confined to Islam:
The Takbir isn’t necessarily confined to Islam. Allah is the Arabic word for God. Many Arab Christians refer to God as “Allah”, and it is not at all uncommon to find Christian priests in the Middle East and Muslim world that would say “Allahu Akbar!” to their congregation. In fact, there were reports and videos where Maronite Christians in Lebanon would shout “Allahu Akbar!” while fighting during the Lebanese Civil War. The Maltese languages also uses the word Allah for God, despite the majority of the inhabitants of Malta are Catholic and European.
The children's cries of joy (“the truck fell!”) were soon joined by neighborhood-wide cheers and celebrations (starting at 1:10)
Journalist Marian Houk of UN-Truth released an image showing the truck after the fall.
[Elsewhere described as “skunk”] Acc to @TheFrimer Police water truck fell off road during Palest protests E Jlem pic.twitter.com/uROC5gUEWz
— Marian Houk (@Marianhouk) August 31, 2014
Activist Rania Khalek called it ‘glorious':
Glorious video of Israeli skunk truck falling off road in Jerusalem. Narrated by adorable sounding children. https://t.co/jKPKRyOTog
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) August 31, 2014
US-based activist Remi Kanazi jokingly suggested the driver was an ‘Occupier who didn't attend driving school’
Occupiers who didn't attend driving school MT @dancohen3000 Skunk truck falls off road while spraying in Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/P6ITh9Idmz
— Remi Kanazi (@Remroum) August 30, 2014
Switzerland-based Adri Nieuwhof asks German Truck manufacturer “MAN Group” to look at how their products are being used by Israel Occupation Forces
Hey German truck manufacturer @MAN_Group, watch how Israel uses your truck to spray skunk on Palestinians. http://t.co/4jyUXzw5a3 @intifada
— adri nieuwhof (@steketeh) September 1, 2014
What is “The Skunk”?
First developed in 2004 by Rafael Armament Development Authority for the Israeli police to deal with the surge in organized non-violent civilian protests in the Occupied West Bank, the Skunk is a repulsive-smelling liquid that has been described as a mixture between decomposing corpses, sewage and vomit.
The Skunk liquid being used against Protesters in the Occupied West Bank.
(Image by טל קינג, Wikimedia)
Writing for the LA Times, Edmund Sanders described the Skunk liquid as such:
Is it the sickly sweet odor of decomposing flesh? A trash dump on a hot day? Vomit? Those who've been doused wax on in vain, trying to find a worthy description for the stench that won't go away, no matter how hard you scrub, for several days. Israeli soldiers call the truck the Skunk, and they say it has become one of their favorite tools in confronting the rising challenge of West Bank demonstrations.
Nabi Saleh and Noah Browning, writing for Reuters, have used similar words to describe the Skunk liquid:
Imagine taking a chunk of rotting corpse from a stagnant sewer, placing it in a blender and spraying the filthy liquid in your face. Your gag reflex goes off the charts and you can't escape, because the nauseating stench persists for days. This is “skunk”, a fearsome but non-lethal tool in Israel's arsenal of weapons for crowd control. It comes in armored tanker trucks fitted with a cannon that can spray a jet of stinking fluid over crowds who know how to cope with plain old tear gas.
Another reporter, this time Jerusalem-based Wyre Davies for the BBC, added:
“Imagine the worst, most foul thing you have ever smelled. An overpowering mix of rotting meat, old socks that haven’t been washed for weeks – topped off with the pungent waft of an open sewer. . .Imagine being covered in the stuff as it is liberally sprayed from a water cannon. Then imagine not being able to get rid of the stench for at least three days, no matter how often you try to scrub yourself clean.”
Despite the smell, the Skunk can cause pain, redness, irritation and abdominal pain requiring medical treatment. Indeed, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel described it in the following manner:
Apart from the repulsive nausea-inducing stench, the skunk liquid can cause pain and redness if it comes into contact with eyes, irritation if it comes into contact with skin and if swallowed can cause abdominal pain requiring medical treatment.
Israeli NGO for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories B'TSelem added:
Exposure to the Skunk in the quantities ordinarily used at demonstrations does not pose health hazards, but can cause nausea and vomiting. Security forces often spray the liquid at homes and yards, making it very difficult to get rid of the persistent smell. These actions raise suspicions that the Skunk is being used punitively against villages where regular weekly demonstrations are held.


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Proactive Mexican Twitter Users Are Saying #NotoCensorship of the Satirical Film ‘The Perfect Dictatorship’ · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Image shared by the producers of the film “The Perfect Dictatorship“
Mexicans are rallying on Twitter in support of a film called “The Perfect Dictatorship” from director Luis Estrada under the hashtag #NoALaCensura (No to Censorship) for fear that the release of the biting satire of Mexico's politics could encounter resistance from authorities.
The full-length film focuses on the abuse of power in managing the media and the use of video scandals (like the recent case of a video showing Mexican politicians with exotic dancers) by Mexico's politicians to hit at their rivals. Starring Damián Alcázar and Joaquín Cossío, it tells the story of a Mexican governor who will stop at nothing to win the presidency and the pact he makes with the country's most powerful television network to get there.
The plot mimics real life: critics of Mexico's current administration accuse President Enrique Peña Nieto of having been put into power by the true powers that be, among them the most important television company in the country.
Filmmaker Estrada is known for critiquing the country's political system through satire. His last film, “El Infierno,” about the Mexican authorities’ war on drug cartels, was classified “C” (only for adults), limiting the number of moviegoers who could see it in theaters. In a budding democratic country like Mexico, any expression that is critical of the ruling class is met with a certain amount of resistance and at times censorship.
Alternative news portal Pijamasurf called “The Perfect Dictatorship” “moving and funny.” The film premieres on October 16, Revolution Three Point Zero reported. The alternative news website also drew parallels between the scandals shown in the film and actual political scandals, “such as Vicente Fox's statement that ‘Mexicans would do the work that black people don't even want to do,’ or the Bejarano case.”
The Bejarano case refers to the widely shared video in which René Bejarano, from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (the political group in the majority at the Mexican capital), appears to receive bundles of bills, presumably part of an act of corruption.
On Twitter, users defended the film. Alfredo Vera wrote:
La Dictadura Perfecta! #NoALaCensura Esperemos y salga la película en el tiempo que tienen planeada sacarla.
— Alfredo Vera (@alfredo_verag) August 25, 2014
The Perfect Dictatorship! We hope the movie comes out in the time frame they have planned.
Mrs Grey mentioned the Twitter accounts of some of the actors who make up part of the cast:
Por un cine que habla con la verdad #NoAlaCensura #LaDictaduraPerfecta @DamianAlcazar @Daltontony @ponchohd @silvnavarro
— Mrs Grey (@AnniedeGrey) August 25, 2014
For film that speaks with truth. #NoAlaCensura #LaDictaduraPerfecta @DamianAlcazar @Daltontony @ponchohd @silvnavarro
User Bartola predicted the movie's success:
Lo siento por los críticos de cine, lo siento por los defensores del sistema, pero #LaDictaduraPerfecta pinta para un hitazo #NoALaCensura
— Bartola (@estalunaloca) August 22, 2014
I'm sorry for the film critics, I'm sorry for the defenders of the system, but The Perfect Dictatorship looks like it's going to be a big hit.
Mauricio Yoav RR asked President Peña Nieto to not censor the film:
“Cualquier parecido con la realidad, es mera coincidencia” #LaDictaduraPerfecta Sr. Presidente @EPN #NoALaCensura pic.twitter.com/L1BdgXVDdQ
— Mauricio Yoav RR (@MAURICIOYOAV) August 22, 2014
“Any resemblance to reality is mere coincidence”, Mr. President.
“The Perfect Dictatorship” is a production of Bandidos Films. Its title, according to the production notes, is taken from a quote from Peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa, written in 1990:
La dictadura perfecta… es México. Porque es una dictadura de tal modo camuflada que llega a parecer que no lo es, pero que de hecho tiene, si uno escarba, todas las características de una dictadura.
The perfect dictatorship… is Mexico. Because it is a dictatorship camouflaged in such a way that it ends up not looking like one. But if you dig around, you find it does in fact have all the characteristics of a dictatorship.

author: J. Tadeo


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Fashion Trends in Trinidad’s Capital · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The way people dress offers a glimpse into the culture of a place;  Maya Cozier manages to capture the urban vibe of Trinidad's capital city in a short video which interviews several fashion forward young people who live and work in and around Port of Spain. Blogger Ceola Belix is one of those featured and she notes:
Kudos to Maya for great production quality, fab story-telling and a cast of super interesting subjects, all of whom I respect for having a distinct sense of style that I think is very true-to-self. I feel very honoured to have been considered along with these fab folks…
You can watch the video here:
Port of Spain style from Maya Cozier on Vimeo.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Is the Caribbean Education System Dumbing Down Kids?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As the new school year begins in many Caribbean territories today, blogger Guyana-Gyal, who writes in local parlance, questions the new direction education is taking throughout the region. From the practice of making children tote heavy backpacks instead of simply asking them to bring to class only the books they will be using, to the popular trend of “extra lessons” and increased amounts of homework, the blogger challenges the concept that greater testing results in smarter children:
Why aren't children allowed to play during school-term while they're studying? Why can they play only during the holidays? What kinda ignorant parents they breeding now […] They never hear that play is one of the most important ways to discover? To learn? To think? […]
And! Passing so many exams gon prove what? That they can sweat the books really well…and…what else? It gon make them more articulate, wiser, more creative, inventive, more thinking, more analytic? Really?


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Was There a Coup in Lesotho? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Listen to a podcast explaining what is really happening in Lesotho following allegations of a military coup:
The prime minister has fled to South Africa and says it’s a coup. The Lesotho military says it isn’t. The politics are a bit confusing. African Defence Review talks to SADC Wrap’s KRISTEN VAN SCHIE and correspondent DARREN OLIVIER to ask what exactly is happening, and how much is it anything like the past?


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Lesotho Political Crisis Updates on Twitter · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Follow @nthakoana (Nthakoana Ngatane) for updates on the political crisis in Lesotho.  Nthakoana Ngatane is a writer, speaker, singer, actor and South Africa Broadcasting Corporation correspondent in Lesotho.
On 30th August 2014, Lesotho Prime Minister Tom Thabane claimed there was a coup attempt against him. He later flew to South Africa fearing for his life.


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Looking to Get Away? Do It Patriotically, With Russia’s Upcoming Booking.com Clone. · Global Voices
Sergey Kozlovsky

A Russian summer resort in Sochi, 25 July 2013, by Maria Plotnikova. Demotix.
Russians may be getting a new way to reserve hotel rooms online. In a recent announcement, the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism said it plans to release a national service by next year, as part of its development strategy over the next 16 years. The service is said to resemble the popular website Booking.com. According to officials, the new project's main goal will be to promote local health resorts—Russia's so-called “sanitariums.”
Regional Web resources (small websites with the information about local hotels and spas) will be able to provide data for this new service, and state-owned companies like Rostelekom and Rostech are vying for procurement contracts to design the still-unnamed site.
For the project to be a success, it would require about $50 million USD over the next four years, estimates Evgeny Shpilman, the director of operations at Ostrovok.ru, another Russian booking service. Based on his own experience, Shpilman guesses that the government could earn 10-25 percent of every travel order's value, if the new website comes together properly.
Ostrovok.ru is one of the most successful booking websites in Russia, where there are several other popular services, such as Oktogo.ru, Hotels.ru, Agoda.ru, Hrs.com, and, of course, Booking.com.
The online hotel-booking market in Russia is well-established, and any private business would not have an easy time breaking into the industry. The government could face far fewer obstacles, however, as its focus will be entirely domestic, allowing it to concentrate on a more specific set of services.
A government service for booking hotel rooms could be only the first step toward Russia's tourist isolation. In January, the media reported that Russia is looking to launch its own computer reservations system for booking and selling tickets to multiple airlines (a network known as the Global Distribution System, or GDS). Businesses have resisted calls to switch to a Russian GDS, which would disrupt patterns in another well-established Russian travel market.
The logic behind the government's interventions into the online travel business mirror several new Internet regulations, which also burden the industry with considerable expenses for obeying the law.
Creating new services for booking hotels and airline tickets complements wider efforts in Russia to adjust to greater isolation from the West. The Kremlin recently signaled that it might launch a new national payment system that would replace Visa and MasterCard. The Central Bank is also searching for alternatives to the SWIFT system, which allows banks to send and receive information about transactions. In May, state-owned Rostelecom launched a new national search engine called Sputnik, which quick became a joke on the RuNet.
“Russia isn't Europe” has been a clarion call in Moscow, as tensions in Ukraine have chilled Russia's relationship with the West. As Russia turns inward, and to neighbors in the East and in Latin America, the country has sought national alternatives to goods and services that are generally Western-dominated. Moving ahead, Russia faces the dangers of breaking this dependence too quickly.

author: Sergey Kozlovsky


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Murder of Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Draws Attention to Rising Crime in the Bahamas · Global Voices
Matthew Hunte

Hand gun. Image by Lisa Roe, used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.
Latore Mackey, press secretary to Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie, was shot to death on August 26 while driving a government-issued vehicle. Mackey, who was also deputy director of the Bahamas Information Service, a liaison agency for communication between the government and the Bahamian people, had just finished closing a nightclub he owned and was with an employee at the time.
According to reports, four men have been arrested in connection with the murder.
In a statement to the media, Prime Minister Christie expressed concern not only over the loss of his friend but over crime in the Bahamas in general:
I was shocked, but again the question for me is one beyond my friend, the question is unless we are able to come to grips with what is happening at the level of the streets we have a real problem in this country that goes to the root of how we react one to one another. Because it is easy to believe that it is localised and retaliatory where, you shot me and I shot you, but when you see it now begin to stretch and extend itself to people who you least expect to be involved in any kind of underhand activity, who may have just been a victim of circumstance, then you know we have a lot of work to do and a lot of work to do in the immediate future.
Violent crime in the country has seen an increase in recent times, with a higher incidence of armed robberies, hold-ups, assaults and residential break-ins. The government, grappling with the problem, has not issued official crime statistics since the middle of last year. With a population of just over 370,000, in which the majority (about 70 percent) reside on New Providence island, the escalation of crime is a growing concern.
Despite anti-crime initiatives by the Royal Bahamas Police Force, crimes against tourists have also been on the rise. But at Weblog Bahamas, H. Armbrister laid the blame squarely on the doorstep of the Bahamas’ first-world neighbour and begged the prime minister to discuss the issue with US President Barack Obama:
To the very best of my knowledge no armaments nor ammunition are manufactured or even assembled in our Bahamaland, or, probably, even in the entire Caribbean, therefore, sir, please open an immediate dialogue with the President of the United States of America, a country that is a major manufacturer of guns and ammunition, not to request but to demand that America does much, much more to seal its borders to the illegal export of these weapons of war; instead of making fun of this little nation of ours by issuing travel warnings to the American public, knowing full-well that the cause of our problems is the United States.
When it came this most recent murder, several social media users, like Millie Thompson, left condolences on Facebook:
Death leaves a heartache only God can heal but Latore have left many many beautiful memories no one can steal. Cry and cry to your heart content your tears are your holy water it will heal you as they flow. Rest In Paradise Latore.
Twitter users also offered their condolences and showed concern over crime in the Bahamas:
….my God.. the blood on the streets is ridiculous.. clean it up Lord.. R.I.P Latore Mackey … So sad man!
— Stefphen A. Sands (@GovnaSands) August 25, 2014
I'm so saddened to hear of the senseless killing of Latore Mackey.My heart goes out to his family and close friends.May he rest in peace
— Livvy (@chara_miller) August 26, 2014
The news of Latore Mackey's death is a shocking reminder to us all that crime can and does affect us all. We need to do better as a country.
— Paul Turnquest (@PaulTurnquest) August 25, 2014
One Twitter user questioned why it took the death of his press secretary for the Prime Minister to speak up about the crime problem:
The PM speaks after Latore Mackey is murdered wow we had 5 murderers in 24 hours two weeks ago and he was mute.
— FOAM Bah (@FOAMBahamas) August 26, 2014
Mackey's homicide has pushed the number of killings in the Bahamas this year to 83.

author: Matthew Hunte


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These 8 Ice Bucket Spinoffs Challenge Hunger, War and Politics  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The various Ice Bucket spin-offs in Lebanon, Côte d'Ivoire, United States, Gaza and Venezuela
The #IceBucket Challenge has proven people's willingness worldwide to take unusual showers on camera for a good cause.
The viral campaign for neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is meant to raise awareness and encourage donations to research. Participants film themselves dumping a bucket of ice water on their head and then nominating others to do the same within a certain amount of time or else donate to a charitable organization.
From Nepal to Venezuela, activists have created spin-off videos that draw awareness to other issues around the world. Take a look at eight of them:
Afghanistan has been marred by political deadlock since July 7. A few citizens have challenged politicians via an Ice Bucket Challenge-like video to find a consensus and move the country forward. The caption of the video on Facebook explains the idea :
We are feed [sic] up with the current political uncertainty of our country. We ask our leaders to accept the results of the second round while keeping it cool. We give this challenge to all Afghans and encourage them to make the same demand!
The “Lather Against Ebola” campaign invites people to pour soapy water on their heads to educate people on the transmission of Ebola virus, which has infected more than 3,000 and killed more than 1,500 in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal. The hashtag for finding videos online is #MoussercontrerEbola.  Here is a video of one participant, Edith Brou in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire:
Not all videos are for medical causes. In Gaza, the Rubble Bucket Challenge is a variation on the Ice Bucket Challenge to spread awareness of the plight of children during Israel's deadly assault against strip. In the following video, the participant explains that :
We looked for water however the use of water is more important [here] than to empty it over our heads [..] We do not ask for material aids, we asked for solidarity positions
In Hyderabad, India, 38-year-old journalist Manju Latha gave the challenge a twist that would be more adapted to India. Gone is the ice, in with the rice. But during the Rice Bucket Challenge, meant to fight the problem of hunger in the region, there is no dumping of rice over your head. You simply pick up a bowl of rice and hand it to someone in need. Participants are asked to then post photos to Facebook under the #ricebucketchallenge hashtag. Here is a video of the Rice Bucket version of the challenge:
Drawing on the similar want for water in the region, a group of Lebanese made a lighter video of themselves “pouring” water they don't have on their heads:
Sometimes water is not the only resource lacking in some countries. To palliate the needs for many staple foods in Nepal, Global Voices author Sanjib Chaudhary reports that the #FillTheBucket initiative is gaining steam. He explains that:
The person taking the challenge needs to buy a bucket with lid and a mug and fill the bucket with essentials ranging from rice, pulse to medicines and sanitary pads. The bucket goes to the recent landslide and flood victims in Nepal.
This video from Aakar Anil explains how the challenge works :
The month of August was rocked by protests over the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and other instances of police brutality directed at black men. To highlight the need to reduce gun violence, actor Orlando Jones poured a bucket of bullets over his head. He explains the reason for his gesture:
the ALS Association is a completely worthy and incredible organization. They've raised millions of dollars, which is kind of amazing […] I wanted to do what ALS did, co-opt a viral thing and make it my own, to talk about the insanity happening in Ferguson and just around the world. My parents are like, “It's the '60s again. “Those shell casings in my video represent the people who paid the ultimate cost for the freedoms we have today. I couldn't find enough bullets to dump on myself to illustrate the number of people who gave their lives for a very important ideal.
Actor Matt Damon also made the challenge his using toilet water to draw attention to a worldwide problem: access to safe drinking water and sanitation:
Waste of water is the most common criticism of the Ice Bucket Challenge. In Venezuela, Global Voices Venezuelan author Laura Vidal signals that “somebody from Maracaibo city (a particularly hot city in the West of Venezuela) made a video to denounce the lack of water it the region. The video has had over 38k visits.” Here is the video:
There are most certainly other spin-off videos form other countries for various causes out there worth mentioning. Let us know in the comment sections if you know of videos we have missed.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Surprising Europe, an Open Archive of Stories About Migration · Global Voices
Antonella Sinopoli

Screenshot from Episode 09 “Home Sweet Home.” “Evariste has returned to Burkina Faso after working in Italy. Now he feels free and is happy again.”
There are millions of them. They live scattered across our continent, Europe. They are all categorised as immigrants. Despite this, none of them have the same story. Each one is different from the other. Therefore, if we wanted to tell everyone's life story, it would take thousands of books.
However, there is an online project that helps to establish contact with these people who are generically labelled as migrants. It helps to overcome prejudices and stereotypes and improve people's knowledge about them. Surprising Europe belongs to them, an open book, written by many people and supported by pictures and videos. Personal stories, successes, failures and hopes are “written” on this platform. It is the immigrants who tell their story in first person.
It is surprising when you find out how much strength is necessary to overcome language barriers, bureaucracy, and relationships. It is surprising when you find out how many would like to go home and cannot. Many go back and tell their friends: it is better if we build our future here, in our land. It is surprising when this message is sent: better poor but free. It is surprising when you find out that even in Europe there are poor people and when someone admits that the old continent is not the paradise they dreamed of.
And it is surprising when, on the contrary, someone sees their dream come true, those who succeed through music, those who build a career in a factory, those who study and set up a freelance profession. In this open space, the words are not abridged and experiences find a way of becoming a common, shared heritage. This site highlights lives on the margins of society, but also successes. You have to enter without preconceptions, without imagining what you will find, as when meeting friends, where one topic leads to another.
The idea—a non-profit project—aims to document the experiences of legal but also illegal migration. It was created by Witfilm Amsterdam and Ssuuna Goloob, who arrived in Europe from Uganda to see with his own eyes if what he had heard about our countries and how we live here was true. A project that many believe in, judging by the sponsors: from Al Jazeera, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, to the International Organisation for Migration and the European Union Fund for repatriation.
It is no coincidence that the idea was born in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, as it is regarded as one of the cities with the largest number of nationalities present: 176 out of a total of 811,000 inhabitants (the metropolitan area on the other hand has a population of 1.6 million inhabitants).
The website is divided into six categories: Leaving for Europe, Life in Europe, Short on luck, Getting down to work, Going back, Music. A project within the project is some television series. Each one different but related by some themes. Stories of desperation, but also stories that are a source of inspiration, hope and creativity. The dark side and the triumphant side. The fight, sometimes defeat, often success. The protagonists themselves worked on the television series, which has already been broadcast on Al Jazeera and on Dutch public television. In this case as well they try to avoid filters, interpretations and judgments.
The project also has a hymn, “Surprising Europe”. It is sung by Annie, who was born in Italy, with Liberian origins. And it is to Liberia that she would like to return. To get to know her land and maybe live there. Annie is now part of a “mixed” Afro band, Pepe Soup. They want to convey a message to the world: UNITE!
Surprising Europe belongs to them, the immigrants, but it also belongs to anyone who wants to better understand and get to know these immigrants. And to go a little deeper into their lives.

author: Antonella Sinopoli


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The Ebola Truth · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The Ebola Truth is a Facebook page that aims to document the situation with the Ebola virus on the African continent.


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What Went Into Making Russia’s Most Viral Dash Cam Video Ever? · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

The SpongeBobcalypse. Edited by Kevin Rothrock.
A cartoonishly violent viral video is sweeping the Russian Internet this week. The YouTube clip, which has attracted over 1.3 million views in less than 16 hours, is the latest hit in Russia’s always popular “dashcam” phenomenon, which amused millions worldwide in the aftermath of the Chelyabinsk meteor crash in February 2013, when dozens of Russian drivers captured live amateur footage of a 13 ton rock blazing across the morning sky.
Coincidentally, the new dashcam video published on September 2 was also shot in Chelyabinsk. In the video, four men wearing cartoon-character costumes attack another man in the road, after some kind of traffic incident. The assault itself was recorded by men inside a third car, who can be heard laughing hysterically, as SpongeBob SquarePants, Mickey Mouse, Scrat (from Ice Age), and Luntik (the only Russian character) tackle an unidentified man and kick him while on the ground. No doubt because of the violence depicted in the video, YouTube has “age-restricted” access to the clip.
No sooner than the video went viral did RuNet users begin saying it is a fake. Many in forums and comments on news articles have drawn attention to the dialogue at the beginning of the clip, when the men in the car discuss in suspiciously stilted language that Russia’s nationwide local elections will take place on September 14. “[My friend says he] can’t go out that Sunday,” the passenger complains to his friend, “because everyone is going to the elections.”
The YouTube account responsible for posting the video, curiously named “EGoZa AS,” was created more than three years ago, but this is the first and only video published on that channel. In the video, there is a vehicle registration number visible on the back of assault victim’s truck (“Х490УМ”). According to at least one report in a Russian online car forum, however, this license number belongs to an entirely different make and model car. Moreover, the first instance of anyone posting a link to the YouTube video on Twitter belongs to a Chelyabinsk resident who used an election-themed hashtag:
Суровый Челябинский Дисней.: http://t.co/cUgE6uOmEz с помощью @YouTube #ВсеИдутНаВыборы
— Никита Бузлуков (@BuzlukovNik) September 2, 2014
Tough Disney, Chelyabinsk-style. #EveryoneHeadToTheElections
We don’t know if someone staged the attack by Mickey Mouse and his gang to raise awareness about Russia’s upcoming elections. Whatever the truth of the street fight, we can say confidently that the RuNet is no stranger to violent outbursts from men wearing cartoon-character costumes.
Some who doubt that the new video is genuine point to a YouTube clip from 2007, when someone recorded more than seven men dressed in animal outfits attacking two men on the ground at a City Day festival in Stavropol. “The author of the [Mickey] video was obviously inspired by this old video about warrior puppets,” one commenter on TJournal.ru guessed, pointing out that the men filmed in Chelyabinsk last week, when compared to the 2007 brawl, don't appear to kick the victim very hard.
Another altercation involving men in animal-costumes was caught on film in April 2012, when three hooligans took it upon themselves to harass a man dressed as Zhorik the Tiger, who was handing out flyers on a pedestrian street in Chelyabinsk. Zhorik the Tiger, it turns out, is the mascot of the European Judo Championship. The man inside the costume was a trained martial artist. In the video, one of the hooligans poses with Zhorik, even pulling the costume’s tail at one moment, as Zhorik tries to walk away. When escape proves too difficult, the man in the Zhorik suit suddenly turns and slams his assailant to the ground, putting an end to the harassment. This video has over 2.1 million views.
The confluence of cartoon characters, unexpected violence, and voyeurism is a powerful mix. In particular, the good people of Chelyabinsk—a city whose toughness is legendary in Russian popular culture—have become some of the world’s biggest producers of candid-camera cartoon mayhem. One wonders what they’ll cook up next.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Domestic Violence Victims in Bermuda No Longer Have a Shelter to Turn to for Help · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A note to victims of domestic abuse. Photo by The Waiting Room / Domestic Violence Tableau. Used under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.
Bermuda's only safe house for victims of domestic abuse has been forced to shut down because it lacked sufficient funding to operate.
According to news site The Royal Gazette, the shelter housed 31 women and children last year. A lack of donations and cuts to a government grant contributed to the “critical” money shortage.
The development is disturbing, given the country's domestic violence statistics. A 2013 Bermuda Health Council report found, among other things, that one in eight adults had experienced domestic violence and that women and children were the usual targets, making at least one in five of Bermudian women recipients of domestic abuse.
Another report, albeit more dated, suggested that the incidence of domestic abuse was up 7 percent from 2006 to 2011. The country's most recent crime statistics do not categorise different types of violent crime, but in general, it appears as if sexual assault and crimes against minors have surged, suggesting an increase in the incidence of domestic violence.
The shelter's closure prompted blogger catch-a-fire to write about what the loss means for the country, especially in light of an incident in which a well-known divorce lawyer was assaulted in Supreme Court by the ex-husband of one of her clients. The lawyer was treated at the hospital for injuries to her face:
Bermuda is now without a safe house for women escaping domestic violence.
This fact alone is a sad condemnation of Bermuda’s misplaced priorities regarding how we spend our money – for an island of our wealth, it is shocking we cannot fund such an important service, and in doing so we are condemning women and children (who make up the majority of domestic violence victims) to abuse and possibly even murder.
Domestic violence is an under-reported crime which doesn't only affect the victims, catch-a-fire pointed out. Children have a great risk of substance abuse and violence later on in life and women often suffer long-term health problems, meaning “greater healthcare costs for us all”:
The safe house run by the Centre Against Abuse isn’t the magic bullet to end domestic violence, but it is a key part in dealing with the problem and helping to break cycles of abuse.


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Connecting Istanbul and London to Crowdsource the Web We Want Festival · Global Voices
Renata Avila

Web We Want/Southbank Centre Festival. Image used with permission.
Twenty-five years ago, Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web and gave it to the world. To mark this anniversary, we are building a major new three-part festival at Southbank Centre, where we will ask all kinds of people to share their ideas of how the Web should develop over the next 25 years.
Inspired by Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web Foundation and working in partnership with our ‘Web We Want’ global campaign for a free, open and universal Web, the Web We Want Festival is an extensive celebration of how the Internet has changed our lives. It will also explore some of the things that threaten the Internet as we know it and what solutions there might be.
Mirroring Tim Berners-Lee’s vision for the web as a place for equality, we’re asking local and distant community groups, neighbours and strangers, techies and technophobes, old and young, urban and rural, with any level of web-literacy to create the substance of the festival.
To do this, we are having a Web We Want Think-In on Sept. 5 to plan the festival, listening to your ideas all together at the same time. This virtual brainstorming session will take place at a Think-In Hub in Istanbul at the Internet Ungovernance Forum (details here) and in London at Royal Festival Hall (register to attend here). Online, anyone can participate using the #WebWeWantFest hash tag on Twitter.
Suggest artists, ideas, activities and what would you like to see happening so the Festival becomes an enabler of a global movement. Become a part of the party!

author: Renata Avila


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The ‘Nuh Guh Deh’ Campaign Wants to Make Jamaica a Place Where Sexual Abuse of Girls Is Never Okay  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Children at an outdoor class run by the local community for the children of squatters in Kingston, Jamaica; photo by the United Nations, used under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.
Eve for Life, a non-governmental organisation in Jamaica, is trying to change the harsh reality that many young women face in the country through a campaign dubbed “Nuh Guh Deh” (Don't Go There). The “deh” that they are referring to is the sexual abuse of girls and the pervasive attitude of some Jamaicans, especially men, that the practice of sexually initiating girls from a young age is acceptable.
Young women who live below the poverty line are particularly susceptible to being preyed upon. They are often lured into the sex trade, or pimped out to “sugar daddies”, sometimes by their parents or guardians, in exchange for the promise of economic support.
By embarking on this awareness campaign, the NGO hopes to raise awareness about the issue and protect the futures of new generations of young Jamaican women. One blogger, Emma Lewis, is paying attention to their effort and wants to use October's UN International Day of the Girl Child as a springboard to further empower these abused young women, many of whom are not given educational opportunities, which could provide them with a way out.
Lewis acknowledges that such circumstances are not unique to Jamaican girls:
In many parts of the world, girls face discrimination. In some countries, they are forced into early marriages […] which they are physically and psychologically unprepared for. In many countries, girls are subject to physical and sexual abuse. Millions of girls up to fifteen years of age endure and suffer from female genital mutilation (circumcision). Many are deprived of a proper education. Many are forced into child labor, sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The International Day of the Girl Child focuses on the need to address these difficulties, to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
She commends the work that Eve for Life is doing, supporting some of the country's most marginalised girls — young, unwed, HIV+ mothers and their children — by providing AIDS counselling, mentoring, social support and training and by advocating on their behalf. Lewis explains:
Young women make up over sixty per cent of all people living with HIV globally. In Jamaica, there are more than twice as many women in the 15 – 24 years age group living with HIV as there are men […]
Their situation is usually exacerbated by poverty and the rising cost of living; unemployment; stigma and discrimination; lack of family support; domestic and sexual abuse (increasingly); and even in some cases homelessness.
The fact that Eve for Life has publicly addressed such a deeply instilled mindset and is committed to changing the cycle of abuse should go a long way to stopping “the practice of ‘grooming’ young girls, sexualizing them when they are still very young”:
It is the practice of older men approaching these very young girls for sex, which is often forced on them. They are still children. It is illegal. It is sexual abuse. It causes mental, spiritual and physical suffering, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and sometimes HIV. Men, stop it!
The official launch of the “Nuh Guh Deh” campaign will coincide with the International Day of the Girl Child on Saturday, October 11, 2014.


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Pakistan’s 1 Million Internal Refugees Might Have to March to Islamabad to Get the Nation’s Attention · Global Voices
Rabia Tariq

Internally displaced people from North Waziristan are at registration camp in Peshawar. Image by ppiimages. Copyright Demotix (8/7/2014)
Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have been staging demonstrations in the capital Islamabad and the ensuing political crisis has captivated and monopolized the Pakistani media's attention since mid-August.
At the same time, the Pakistani press has scarcely covered how an ongoing military operation has forced a million people from their homes in North Waziristan, near the border with Afghanistan.
US-based Pakistani Twitter user Zainab Abdullah writes:
Pakistan is at war, has over a million IDP's, homeless, hungry and abandoned. yet all eyes and hearts are on the capital – sad
— Zainab Abdullah (@AbdullahZainab) September 2, 2014
The Pakistani army launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb in mid-June, attacking several camps, including some that belonged to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), who claimed responsibility for an attack on the international airport in Karachi.
The first phase of the operation included intensified airstrikes in North Waziristan, targeting militant training facilities, hideouts, and other infrastructure. After the first airstrikes, at least 457,000 people reportedly fled their homes. The air strikes continued and according to latest reports by the UN's OCHA the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from that region has risen to more than one million people.
Screenshot from Ocha's North Waziristan Displacement report; last update15 August, 2014.
This flood of IDPs was added to the 690,000 people already living in protracted displacement in the country, some since 2004, some because of previous military operation against the Taliban in the region and some because of disastrous floods.
Pakistan's government was unprepared for this humanitarian crisis. In fact, there are allegations that some government-run refugee camps are empty, while IDPs elsewhere, sustained only by local samaritans, endure miserable conditions. Minorities, it is reported, are sometimes ignored entirely. Officials in the province of Sindh cite budgetary constraints for failing to accommodate IDPs from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Many IDPs have also encountered a gruelingly slow registration process, followed by poor distribution of relief supplies. Indeed, the list of irregularities and health concerns affecting IDPs is long.
Different groups in Pakistan, including opposition parties, have worked to communicate IDPs’ grievances to the national government. The government in Islamabad, however, has downplayed the scale of the disaster. On July 10, Pakistan's foreign office refused to request international assistance, calling the rehabilitation of the country's displaced persons an internal matter. However, they are allowing aid agencies consisting of UN and humanitarian partners under the umbrella of Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) to raise fund and provide vital humanitarian assistance to support 500,000 IDPs for six months. So far, the donors have pledged or contributed only 25% of the required $99 million fund, and in the meantime the number of IDPs exceeded 1 million.
Some authorities in the displaced communities are growing impatient with the government's relief efforts. A tribal leader from North Waziristan, for example, recently threatened to march to Islamabad, if that's what it takes to gain the country's notice.
Relief Goods consignment from Pakistan Army being dispatched for IDPs of North Waziristan. Image by ppiimages. Copyright Demotix (3/7/2014)
On August 14, the political parties of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and Sufi scholar and politician Tahir-ul-Qadri—Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), respectively—staged political marches against the government in Islamabad. Their charges against the government are various: electoral rigging in 2013 general elections, corruption, nepotism, and the killing of innocent people, just to name a few. The groups’ demands include, but are not limited to, the resignations of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the chief minister of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif.
The demonstrations began as peaceful sit-ins in front of the parliament building. On August 30, however, violent clashes broke out between police and protesters. To date, three people have been killed, and many more are injured.
Since the start of the marches, Pakistani news channels have run marathon telecasts devoted narrowly to the political crisis outside the Parliament in Islamabad. The media has ignored almost entirely Pakistan's ballooning IDP population.
Sherry Rehman, a former information minister and ambassador to the US, encouraged Pakistan's media to “grow up” and do more reporting about the country's IDP catastrophe.
If the Pk media really wants to start growing up it must make better editorial choices.Give half a window to IDPs in marathon pol telecasts
— sherryrehman (@sherryrehman) August 17, 2014
Pakistan's TV news has ignored other important events recently, as well, like the death of more than 15 people in heavy rains last month, and an attack by the Taliban on an airbase in Quetta, in western Pakistan.
Like many concerned Pakistanis, Hafsa Khawaja, a student in Lahore, addressed the mainstream media on Twitter, asking journalists to rethink their reporting and devote more attention to the country's ignored tragedies.
It would be nice if the media gives even half of the attention it is giving to this chaos, to those suffering, ignored Pakistanis. #IDPs
— Hafsa Khawaja (@Hafsa_Khawaja) August 20, 2014
Several journalists have also complained about the media's apparent disregard for Pakistani IDPs. Even before the marches, Nasim Zehra, a prominent television anchor and newspaper columnist, was already asking if the capital's politics were promoting indifference about Pakistan's humanitarian crisis. Zehra addressed not only the country's politicians, but the “royal we” within the mass media:
In the high stake political drama in Pakistan, how much are the IDPs ignored? Lets ask ourselves,r govts & r political parties.
— Nasim Zehra (@NasimZehra) August 11, 2014
According to Faizan Lakhani, some parents have even started naming their children born in refugee camps after the camps’ names.
#AzbKhanEnclosure, IDP's camp area where “Azb Khan” was born last week is named “Azb Khan enclosure” #IDPs #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/o1rq3M1UV4
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) July 7, 2014
Memeabad, a famous satire-based Facebook page with more than 64,000 followers, announced in a post:
JUST IN: Boy born in the IDP camps of Bannu. Parents named him Azb ‘Stop fucking ignoring us we're suffering for you people’ Khan.
Here as elsewhere online, the Memebad post's underlying message, laden with frustration and anger, is that Pakistanis show terrible indifference to their suffering compatriots.
Fakhr-e-Alam, an important figure in Pakistan's entertainment industry, expressed his disappointment with the country's handling of refugees in the north.
In the last 2 weeks or so i have heard nothing bout IDPs, Zarb e Azb, India aggression,minorities killings, law & order etc from any leader.
— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) August 29, 2014
Understandably, displaced communities are also disappointed in the government's relief efforts. Despite the inherent dangers of life in North Waziristan, many IDPs are even asking the state to present a timeframe for the end of its Zarb-e-Azb operation, so they can return to their homes and find some relief.

author: Rabia Tariq


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The National Gallery of Jamaica Celebrates 40 Years of Home-Grown Art  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The National Gallery of Jamaica is in the midst of celebrating its 40th anniversary and the gallery's blog has been sharing information about its history and accomplishments:
When the National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ) opened its doors on November 14, 1974 it was the English-speaking Caribbean’s first national gallery, and forty years later it is the region’s oldest and largest national art museum. […] Since 1974, the NGJ has held over one hundred and thirty exhibitions and established an encyclopaedic collection of Jamaican art. Through the process of amassing and exhibiting the art of Jamaica it has done more than preserve and display Jamaica’s artistic heritage. What the NGJ has truly excelled at is telling a story (‘the’ story, the NGJ has at times claimed) of Jamaican art, crafting the raw material of artists, artworks and anecdotes into a coherent narrative that resonates with how Jamaicans see and understand themselves in the world.