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Brazil: Remembering Internet censorship in 2010 · Global Voices
Atilio Baroni Filho

One of 2010's landmark events, the WikiLeaks phenomenon, revealed a huge amount of data regarding the true breadth of the consequences of North American foreign policy in the last decades. The bellicose reaction of Barack Obama's administration against those responsible for the leaks highlighted a more than necessary debate on the state of freedom of speech throughout the world, particularly on the Internet.
Let's remember some of the many censorship cases that happened last year on the Brazilian Internet.
Google Transparency Report
Google recently lauched a project called Transparency Report: Government Requests, mapping all the requests it received to remove content from its services. Brazil occupies two prominent places on the list, in the period ranging from January to June 2010; it is the leader for requests to remove content and is in second place for requests to disclose information from users of the company's services, behind the USA.
As Global Voices reported back in 2009, this form of censorship, achieved through legal harassment, is a main cause for concern in the country. It is a dangerous way of restricting the right to freely express ideas because legal decisions disguise their real intention with different justifications, such as the defence against alleged slander and the defence of private property.
A prime example, covered by Global Voices last year, occurred with brothers Mário and Lino Bocchini, authors of the (now extinct) satirical blog Falha de São Paulo, a parody of one of Brazil's biggest newspapers, Folha de São Paulo. Claiming the blog was using too similar a logo and URL that could cause “confusion among the users”, the newspaper sued for undue use of a trademark.
Commenting on the blog Desculpe a nossa fAlha, created to expose the issue, the brothers hit the bull's eye:
Na boa, não estamos conformados com essa barbaridade. Não achamos exagero dizer que o jornal está dando não só um tapa na nossa cara, mas na cara de todos os blogueiros do Brasil e de todos os que defendem a liberdade que a Folha tanto cobra.
Image licensed by Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
Another debate came up over a legal action where Xuxa Meneguel, a famous host of children's television shows, demanded Google to remove all search results [Pt and all links below] leading to websites that contained scenes of the 1982 movie “Amor Estranho Amor” [Love Strange Love], where Meneguel is pictured naked with a child, and also from websites that contained old images from her naked photo shoot in a distinguished men's magazine.
In another case, journalist Itevaldo Junior had his blog legally censored after denouncing the ilegal activities of a judge. The magistrate Nemias Nunes Carvalho was accused of buying more than 100 hectares of land from a woman who was accused of murder and had an arrest warant revoked (by Nunes) while on the run from justice. Another important detail is the speed in which a decision was reached on the case against the blog – only two minutes. The irony has not escaped Itevaldo:
A celeridade da Justiça neste caso é de fazer inveja ao velocista jamaicano Usain Bolt, recordista mundial dos 100 metros rasos no atletismo.
Beto Richa – Image dedicated to public domain
A still common tendency is politically-driven censorship, particularly around the time of elections, when litigation is also used to achieve certain results. Journalist Esmael Morais’ blog covered the actions of the then candidate for governor of the state of Paraná, Beto Richa, who can only be described as a “serial censor”. He forced a weekly magazine to remove an unfavourable portion of an article, temporarily prevented national research institutes to publish polls in which he was losing the run for the office, forced a Twitter user to delete a post where he mentioned leaked results from the same polls, and finally censored Esmael on several occasions.
Ivo Pugnaloni gives more details about the blog's censorship:
Embora a Justiça tenha determinado a retirada de imagens e textos, o juiz Anor Ribeiro de Macedo não decretou segredo de Justiça no caso. Porém, acatou o argumento de Beto Richa segundo qual estaria sofrendo fortes “abalos emocionais e psicológicos” por causa do blogueiro paranaense, que poderiam respingar no seu desempenho eleitoral. Uma delicadeza.
Not always those who publish content are the direct targets of legal actions, which can be an even more dangerous situation. Such a case occurred with the Independent Media Center [en] (IMC), which had the access to its website blocked by a number of Brazilian ISPs without any kind of notification. The problem was discovered only when users complained of not being able to access the URL, making it possible to confront the companies. On an article, IMC remembers another country that uses similar tactics:
Esta censura judicial abre um precedente terrível, pois se tudo seguir assim qualquer site poderá se tornar inacessível de uma hora pra outra sempre que juízes resolverem impor seu bloqueio não para as empresas que o hospedam, mas para empresas que oferecem serviços de Internet (ou seja, a banda para seus clientes navegarem pela rede e acessarem sites). Essas empresas estão criando no Brasil um “firewall da China” (que conhecidamente bloqueia acesso de sua população a diversos sites). E sabe-se lá quantos outros sites estão bloqueados nesse “firewall” brasileiro.
Brazil lacks legal protection regarding freedom of expression, the laws and the magistrates’ mentality needs to change. It is important to continue with eyes wide open; the fight to keep these rights is only beginning, and the Internet is the main battlefield.

author: Atilio Baroni Filho


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China: Egypt-style uprising or election? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Adam from Shanghai Scrap discusses the possible political implication of Egypt uprising to China.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Update on the death of village head · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tom Lasseter from China rises writes an update on the death of Qian Yunhui. The court has presented a video that recorded from Qian's watch showing how he was hit by the truck.


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Cuba: Parallels with Egypt  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Ernesto Morales Licea looks at the unfolding situation in Egypt and wonders: “why not Cuba?”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Cuba: Transportation in Reverse  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In Cuba, the only means of cheap public mass transit are the city buses…state taxi service has disappeared”: Iván's File Cabinet says that the transportation service in Havana is regressing.


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D.R. of Congo: What happened to Francois Soudan?  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Jason discusses an article written by Francois Soudan, editor at Jeune Afrique magazine, called published an article called “Kabila: Mobutu Light”: “Journalists should criticize politicians – and President Kabila deserves serious criticism – but they should also do so in a balanced way. The fact that the same journalist within the space of a year should interpret the same facts in radically different ways raises questions of impartiality.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Dominican Republic: Remembering Luis Días · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Puerto Rican blogger and music scholar Raquel Z. Rivera reflects on her admiration [es] for the recently deceased Dominican musician and artist Luis Días.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Ecuador: Chevron Files Lawsuit Against Ecuadorian Plaintiffs · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“In the latest chapter in the legal battle between Chevron and Ecuadorian  natives the former has raised the stakes in its offensive on the  latter,” The Latin Americanist reports. The lawsuit, “alleged that the Ecuadorian plaintiffs and  their legal team aim to ‘extort (Chevron) into paying to stop the campaign against it.'”

author: Silvia Viñas


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Egypt: Back Online, a Global Voices Author Shares His Story · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Tarek Amr, a member of Global Voices’ Egypt team, has been offline since January 26, when the government forced most ISPs to close shop.
Today, with the Internet back up, he shares his story:
I didn't participate in the first day of the revolution. I was a bit scared, a bit not convinced that it will change anything, and also I prefer to follow such events on twitter and facebook instead of participating in them.
Tarek on a recent trip to London
After the Internet was turned off, however, Tarek decided to venture out.  He explains:
Two days later, the government switched off the mobile phones, the internet, blackberry, and all other means of communication. They thought that they might prevent people from communicating and arranging for further demonstrations. But the truth is that such information blackout made me – as well as thousands of other people – eager more to get down to the streets and participate in the “Friday of Anger”.
Tarek shares his story from Friday, January 28, the “Day of Anger”:
Again, the police brutality didn't stop. Rubber bullets, tear bomb, and even lethal bullets were used in different places in Egypt. They were doing their best to prevent the protesters from crossing the bridges and going to Tahrir square. We tried different bridges in different areas, but we faced the same resistance from the police, till a curfew was announced and I preferred to go back to home, along with many others.
"Mubarak fly away!" reads this graffiti.  Photo by Tarek Amr.
He shares a sentiment echoed by many Egyptians–the feeling of waiting:
In the following three days, all security forces and policemen dissipated from the streets. Protesters stayed in Tahrir Square calling for a million-persons protest/march on Tuesday. People at homes lived in a state of terror, where they carried sticks and knives every night and spent their nights in the streets protecting their homes and businesses. People also cleaned the streets by themselves, and protected some governmental and national buildings. During those three days, every visit you pay to Tahrir Square makes you believe that Mubarak should be now packing his stuff to leave the presidential palace, then a single glance on the national TV makes you believe he is getting himself ready for thirty more years inside the palace.
Photo from the streets of Cairo by Tarek Amr
Tarek then expresses the uncertainty he is left with after days of revolt in his native Cairo:
And once more, I experienced Mubarak's roller coaster. I was happy after his speech. Although he didn't resign, but he promised not to run in the following presidential elections and promised to let the parliament fix the parts of the constitution that limit the presidential candidates to the members of the NDP or the ones approved by the party only. But after a while, I found myself wondering, isn't this just another manoeuvre by the president…
He concludes:
I'm still confused. I really can't tell if the revolvers have achieved at least a significant part of their demands, or the revolution was murdered. I am not the only one confused here, many protesters are confused too. Some are saying that they have to stay and calling for another demonstration next Friday, and some others are calling people to get back to their homes end those protests altogether. Nothing is sure yet, but I am just sure of one single thing, Egypt has changed. I still remember that poor lady I met in Tahrir who said something that summed the whole thing in few simple words. She told me, “A couple of days ago I was so scared of every single police soldier, and today I am here protesting against the head of the state”.

author: Jillian C. York


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Egypt: Back Online  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
The Internet is just back in Egypt, and one by one, Egyptian colleagues, friends and contacts are popping back online. The moment is huge and there is euphoria in the air. Both Twitter and Facebook are still blocked on certain networks.
Here's some of the buzz from Twitter.
@JustAmira: Ahlan wa sahlan Egyptian tweeps! Chat away: tell us what happened when Mubarak switched off the light #Jan25
@JustAmira: Internet back in Egypt! This is HUGE! So excited
Saudi Mashi 9a7 can't agree more:
@Mashi9a7RT @aaalshehry:
Weclome back to Internet #Egypt – مرحباً بعودة مصــــر للأنترنت #Egypt #25JAN #JAN25 #Iraq #Cairo #1M – we miss you — أفتقدناكم كثيراً
And the Egyptians are back in action.
@AhmedDarweesh: @JustAmira we were busy transferring all the info, photos, news, videos to the world :)
And we ask for more:
@JustAmira: @AhmedDarweesh Please tell us what is happening in your own voices Egyptians #Jan 25
Meanwhile congratulations continue to flow, amid reports that Facebook is still blocked in Egypt, which switched off the Internet on January 27  – as Egyptians rose in their call for an end of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.
@nightS: @Zeinobia Welcome back dear =) you guys kick ass! #jan25
@ZiadM: whooo hoo , internet is back, Twitter and Facebook still Blocked on @linkDsl !! don't know what's the point really
@nmoawad: welcome back!!! RT: @Zeinobia: Thank you all for supporting us , thank you you all , seriously there are tears in my eye s
@nightS: @ZeinabSamir Welcome back..نوّرتي =) #jan25
Stay tuned for the barrage of citizen media and information which will be coming out of Egypt today – as bloggers and netizens tell us their story, in their own voice.
Welcome back online, Egyptian friends and colleagues.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Egypt: Pro-Mubarak Demonstrators! Really!? · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
A few days ago, many claimed that Mubarak's regime has unleashed thugs to terrorise the protesters. Yesterday, we have witnessed the first of the so-called pro-Mubarak demonstrators, and again, many people claimed they are just security forces and thugs under cover. TravellerW warned of what might happen in the square.
Today, those pro-Mubarak demonstrators started to attack the protesters in Tahrir Square.
They are even attacking the journalist and reporters in the square.
And here is one more tweet elaborating more on the pro-Mubarak thugs and where they are coming from.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.

author: Tarek Amr


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Egypt: The Battle of the Thugs Continues · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Protesters continued to battle with waves of government-paid thugs, who entered their ranks, first as pro-Mubarak demonstrators, and waged started a full-fledged attack, with knives, tear gas and Molotov cocktails, at the peaceful protesters.
All this happened in front of the very own eyes of television viewers, who have been glued to their sets and live streams on their computers, since Egyptians rose, demanding an end to president Hosni Mubarak's 30-year regime.
Activists on the ground and news reports describe the situation as catastrophic, with a large number of casualties reported. A make-shift medical camp has also been set up in one corner of Tahrir Square, to treat protesters hurt in the attacks, which also targeted international media, covering the demonstrations.
On Twitter, Gigi Ibrahim shares this photograph of an injured foreigner in the protests
Egyptian columnist Mona El Tahawi,  who has been following the events closely from New York, continues to whip up support for her countrymen's cause:
@monaeltahawy: Heart going 2 explode I'm trying really hard not to fall apart, won't help anyone. Sisters, brothers in #Egypt yelling extra hard 4 u #Jan25
On the ground, tweets are continuing to pour in, after Mubarak's regime lifted an Internet ban imposed on January 27.
@arabzy: | We are in Tahrir now, they Killed us. They slaughtered us. | Alive in Egypt | http://goo.gl/gnslW | @aliveinegypt | @speak2tweet | #Jan25
@EmanHashim tells us (Ar):
@tafatefo tweets that he has successfully pinned down a thug to the ground and is sitting on him and tweeting his victory. This tweet has been retweeted by @OGT29 with the following message:
@OGT29: SOME PROTESTORS ARE VICTORIOUS AFTER ALL rt” @tafatefo اجلس حاليا فوق أحد البلطجية #jan25
And as the casualties mount, so does the call for supplies:
@eacusa: #jan25 #egypt PLEASE RE-POST: Mohamed Mahmod/Bab El Louq near Tahrir in URGENT need of Alcohol, Betadine… http://fb.me/R163CD1G
Meanwhile, the support for the protesters continues:
@Liam_Fox: #Mubarak supporters attacking the museum & the protesters protecting it. #Egypt #Jan25
@RobinGross: Glued to Al Jazeera – watching events in Egypt live on the web. Mubarak thugs becoming violent against peaceful protestors. #jan25 #Egypt
@EmergencyNet: OMG, fire rptd. at Cairo museum…don't they know these antiquities can't be replaced? Come on people, use your heads.
For those who left the protests, the walk home is making them feel unsafe:
@NadiaE: Walking home with friend feeling very unsafe. Should be home in 10 min #jan25
And insults on Mubarak continued to hail:
@Sarahngb: It is clear now that Mubarak is not only senile, he clearly suffers from dementia.
Meanwhile, Syalh@ appeals for more protesters to continue in calling for their cause:
Lebanese Hilal Chouman is worried about the safety of Egyptian bloggers he knows. He continues to keep a close watch:
@hilalchouman: @jarelkamar is FINE and in tahrir. No news about @ahmada2 His phone is closed #jan25 #tahrir #egypt
Others are outraged at the turn of events:
@Life_Quotesx: Molotov should be thrown on Mubarak not on the innocent protesters in the tahrir square!…#LIFEQ
@ZouEG: #tahrir is closed off.reporters are being attacked.molotov coktails are being thrown from the ground and the rooftops.rabena yostor. #Egypt
@mariamali7: seems to be calmer now in middle of Tahrir, but eyewitness says abt 200 thugs heading there now, trying to find out where from #jan25
And some are just rolling their eyes in disbelief, as the government continues to pump out propaganda, to split the ranks of protesters:
@IceQueer: #Egypt's National TV is saying that Muslims Brotherhood are throwing #molotov on protesters from the roof of buildings surrounding #Tahrir!!
Others try to cheer up those of us following the protests. Sate3 quips:
@sate3: To whom it may concern: We reiterate. #Mubarak has the right to defend himself. What's wrong with u people? Sincerely, Israel #Egypt #Jan25
News on attacks and harassment of international media, is also being circulated, making news people the news for a change:
@Saudiwoman: RT @stbwien First good News Today: norwegian journalist @Lars_akerhaug is ok! #cairo #egypt
It is also at such times that one knows what people are made out of. Sandmonkey, a blogger who has been covering the protests closely, even when the Internet was shut, notes:
@Sandmonkey: The one good thing about all this is that it's exposing to us the idiots amongst our friends. Unfollow and unfriend very quickly. #jan25
Photo credit: Gigi Ibrahim
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


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Egypt: Witnesses to a National Revolt · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

In the Bondy blog [Fr], Inès reports on the eyewitness accounts of her family and friends living in Egypt, in a neighborhood of Cairo called Shobra, and in the coastal city of Hurghada, and concludes: “So the fear overwhelming these Egyptian people is mixed with pride and inner joy because at last, they have rebelled.”

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Egypt: World Horrified as Full Scale Attack Launched on Protesters  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
The world has been watching in horror, the fast-paced attacks against protesters across Egypt, where reports continue to pour in about government-paid thugs wreaking havoc and terrorising protesters.
Egyptian protesters on the ground are reporting that the thugs, who came into Tahrir Square, in Cairo, came under the pre-text of staging pro-Mubarak demonstrations. Soon, they started clashing with protesters, throw stones at them and attacking them with knives. The thuggery took a totally different level, when the thugs started throwing tear gas at the protesters, and are now pelting them with Molotov cocktails – some too close to the Egyptian National Museum, which houses the country's history.
Citizens from around the world are following the events closely:
@SoulSistaAfrica: Uh-oh. Confirmed fatalities in Tahrir Square..hundreds more injured. And Anderson Cooper just got beat up. #Jan25 #Egypt
@Salma_ts2al: My heart literally aches. I don't think I can die out of sorrow,but wish I were an uneducated ignorant girl who does not have dreams #Jan25
@dadatrew: Firebombs being thrown from top of buildings. #Jan25
@KatieAnn_O: CNN: People trapped in #Tahrir Square. Thugs throwing Molotov cocktails on them. UN and US WHY ARE YOU SILENT?! #Jan25 #Cairo #Egypt
@CNNDan: Watching incredible pictures on our air now of Molotov Cocktails flying through air, looking like giant, violent fireflies. #Egypt #Jan25
Others are asking what the role of the army is, and why it allowed the thugs in without checking them for weapons:
@ntorki: #Jan25 why is the army so negative toward violence? Molotov bombs beside the museum, what r u waiting for? #Egypt
@m_Beckham: The army is now a partner in killing the protesters #Egypt #jan25 #25jan
@marwaalsaleh: Army shoot inside #Tahrir , #Egypt #Jan25 #Jan28
And for others, the US’ is getting some flak for its diplomatic overtures:
@shmpOngO:
Meanwhile, tweeps continue to stress that the thugs are government-paid:
@Raafatology: RT @waelabbas: thugs were paid 500 Egyptian pounds per person from the national party treasury & this info from reliable source #Egypt
But the mood continues to remain upbeat:
@tarekshalaby: This is OUR revolution, and no one can take it away from us. #jan25
More news of more thuggery continues to spread, in different areas:
@sara2_ab: #jan25 thugs are said to roam giza, warn your friends on the streets #egypt #mubarak
Meanwhile, The Egyptian Museum is in danger, with the fires close to it. And there is a cry to save the National Museum. Maida Ibrahim appeals[ar]:
Video:
3arabawy links to Al Jazeera's coverage of the clashes here, when they first started.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


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Egypt: Clashes in Tahrir Square in the Words of Bloggers · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Yesterday, millions of the Egyptians protested everywhere against Mubarak's regime. Bahey El-Din wrote here about the peaceful protests that took place in Cairo and all over Egypt.
Then Mubarak gave a speech at night. Many people – including myself – found it a good step from the regime's side. After Mubarak made his speech, people were divided between accepting it as a good initiative and others who believed people should rather continue to demonstrate in downtown Cairo till he steps down.
Raafatology wrote here how he finds Mubarak's offers disappointing.
But a few hours later, a series of new events took place in Cairo. Bahey El-Din wrote here about his own experience for what happened.
Photo taken by Nasser Nouri under Creative Commons license
Raafatology also wrote here about the clashes that took place in down towntoday.
Baheyya then wrote how those pro-Mubarak protesters used horses to attack the protesters.
Zeinobia stated here that it's not only the protesters who have been attacked here.
Photo taken by Nasser Nouri under Creative Commons license
But where is the army? Zeinobia wondered about the role of the army in all this.
May be we didn't get what Mubarak really meant in his speech yesterday. Baheyya stated here what she read between the lines in yesterday's speech.
Finally, Nawara Negm called all Egyptian to get down to Tahrir Square and stand with the protesters there.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


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Haiti: Elections’ Second Round  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Kiskeacity reports that Twitter has been “abuzz with speculations about what will happen tomorrow when the CEP (Electoral Council) announces which of the three main candidates moves on to the second round.”


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Honduras: Community Radio in Danger · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

RNS in Honduras Culture and Politics writes: “Community radio serves to broaden public access to the airwaves. […] Now the Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) wants to issue a rule suspending the issuance of licenses and frequencies for low power FM community radio stations.”


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Kuwait: Blogger Sued for Restaurant Review · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

What started as a normal thing, a blogger writing a personal review of a newly opened restaurant, suddenly escalated into online drama when the restaurant manager threatened with a lawsuit. Mark Makhoul, a Lebanese expat-blogger in Kuwait, wrote a review of Benihana Kuwait, on his blog 248am.
Mark said the food was disappointing and described how bad it was in detail. This angered the general manager of the Kuwait restaurant, Mike Servo. He made several comments on Mark's blog and issued a threat of a lawsuit, which was delivered only days later to Mark (see it in Arabic and in English).
Not only do Beninhana Kuwait seek compensation of KD5001 (about $18,000) for damages, but they also request for the Ministry of Information in Kuwait to shut down the website.
The topic is trending on Twitter in Kuwait #BenihanaKUW and there are pages on Facebook to protest their actions, like Boycott-Benihana-Kuwait.
Ansam, a blogger from Kuwait, believes the restaurant handled the situation very badly:
It just saddens me that a restaurant had to file a lawsuit against Mark for writing a review about their restaurant stating his “own” and “personal” opinion. I read it at the time, and read it again (twice) today to find out what really triggered them in the first place… it wasn’t THAT bad to be quite honest!!!
His from Hishersq8 brings up an important point:
As for reviews, in the US or UK, there are food critics. They will say the truth and they are feared from the top restaurants. They see what they see is good or bad. Mark wrote a post and talked about his experience. Maybe Mark is one of the top blogs in Kuwait but I don’t think he would change the mind of 3 Million people not to go to there. He has his rights for his views, everyone does!
Abu Jaij, also from Kuwait, writes:
طبعا لا خلاف على أن حق التقاضى متاح لأى شخص أو جهة إذا وقع ضرر مباشر و متعمد عليه من قبل شخص أو جهة أخرى….و لكن الدعوى المرفوعة على المدون مارك (داست) على مبادئ و لن أقول أبسط الحقوق الإنسانية المكفولة لكل مواطن…و مقيم
مدونة مارك مدونة شخصية من خلالها يعبر هو عن آرائه الشخصية حول ما يقوم هو بتجربته شخصيا…فهو لا يمثل مؤسسة أو مصلحة تجارية تنافس هذا المطعم اليابانى…. و هو يقوم بتقييم المطاعم كهواية و لا يحترفها حتى يقال عنه بأنه قام (بتشويه سمعة مطعم) متعمدا
من متابعتى لمدونة مارك على مدى سنوات كنت أقرأ تقييمه للمطاعم كنوع من (الترفيه) فهم ليس (مقيّم محترف) أو شيف عالمى حتى أعتبر كل ما يقوله (حقائق) و معلومات دقيقة لا تقبل راى مخالف
أرجو من أصحاب المطعم المعنى سحب دعواهم ضد المدون مارك….فما عبر عنه بتقييمه هو رأيه الشخصى صحيحا كان أو خاطئا…و إن كان رأيه مسموع من قبل الكثيرين لا يعنى هذا أنه الرأى الوحيد و الأخير فى تقييم مطعمكم
Mark's blog is personal, he can express his own opinions about what he personally does, he doesn't represent a company that is competing with this Japanese restaurant, he reviews restaurants as a hobby, so you can't say he tried to defame the restaurant.
From my following of Mark's blog I have read his restaurant review as a kind of entertainment, he is not a professional reviewer or an international chef so I can's accept all he says as absolute fact.
I hope that the owners of said restaurant withdraw their lawsuit against Mark. What he said is his own opinion, be it right or wrong, and if his opinion is followed by many people that doesn't mean he is the last and only review for your restaurant.
The restaurant is a local franchise of the international restaurant chain Benihana. US blog BoingBoing called the COO and Executive Vice President of Benihana Tokyo who said he had not heard about the lawsuit.

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


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Latin America: Drawing Parallels with Egypt  · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

As protests in Egypt continue, Latin American bloggers are drawing historical parallels with similar uprisings in the region and some are wondering: “Could it happen here now?”
In The Mex Files, Rich compares Egypt's situation to Porfirio Diaz’ 30-year rule in Mexico –which fell during the Mexican Revolution– in his post, “Walk like an Egyptian: Porfirio to Mubarak.” Rich concludes his analysis looking at Mexico today:
Mexicans are not — one trusts — as desperate as the  Egyptians, or at least not in the numbers seen in Cairo.  But, what will  happen if the Mexicans decide it is time for a giant leap in Mexican   power, in which the people of the largest Spanish-speaking nation demand  that they be allowed to fulfill their potential?
Greg Weeks writes about the similarities and differences between Nicaragua and Egypt from a historical perspective in his blog Two Weeks Notice:
It  is impossible not to make analogies between the current situation in   Egypt and the implosion of dictatorships in Latin America. Anastasio   Somoza in particular comes to mind. Broadly speaking, the U.S. had   supported a dictatorship for decades because it was a strategic ally,   then internal opposition began to boil, hoping to copy the toppling of   another repressive regime in the region.
There are, however, also very important differences.
Global Voices author Rodrigo Peñalba was recently interviewed by Nicaraguan newspaper El Nuevo Diario. Rodrigo posted his answers to the newspaper's questions in his blog [es]:
¿En Nicaragua el fenómeno de Túnez y Egipto esta lejos de la realidad nacional?
Tunez y Egipto responden a contextos específicos de gobiernos  autoritarios con lideres en el poder durante décadas y con el apoyo  abierto de Estados Unidos. Si hubiera efecto domino entre ambos  paises,  este pasaría antes a Siria, Libano, Jordanía o Arabia Saudí más que a  Centroamérica.
Si la idea de la pregunta es que si podria pasar algo así en  Nicaragua habría que buscar contextos más cercanos como son la  narcoviolencia mexicana, los grupos de maras en Guatemala, Honduras y El  Salvador, la inmigración en la región, el golpe de estado de Honduras, o  las drama-novelas del poder de Panamá, Costa Rica, Venezuela o  Colombia; o en el caso de Nicaragua el triple matrimonio a 3 bandas  entre empresarios (anunciantes en los grandes medios),  partidos políticos (que les dan entrevistas a los medios), y gobierno  (al que amigos de los medios aspiran a manejar).
In Nicaragua, is the phenomenon seen in Tunisia and Egypt far from the national reality?
Tunisia and Egypt are responding to specific contexts of  authoritarian governments with leaders in power for decades that have  the open support of the United States. If there was a domino effect  between both countries, this would happen first in Syria, Lebanon,  Jordan and Saudi Arabia rather than Central America.
If the question is whether something like this could happen in  Nicaragua, we would have to look at closer contexts such as Mexican drug  violence, groups of maras [gangs] in Guatemala, Honduras and El  Salvador, immigration in the region, the coup in Honduras, or the power  drama in Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela or Colombia; or in the case of  Nicaragua at the 3-way marriage between businessmen (advertisers in mass  media), political parties (which get interviewed by the media) and the  government (which friends of the media aspire to manage).
In the post “Could instability spread to Latin America?” in Bloggings by boz, Boz focuses on the “global” –or “Tsunami”– theory: “An outside force created the conditions for these protests to hit many nations at the same time.” Boz explains:
it's the global factors I want to focus on, because if it  is true, then the current crisis is not just affecting the Middle East.  Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia could be next.
He goes through six points to answer the question: “If [2011] is a crisis year, what would it mean for Latin America?” and then writes,
If this is a “crisis year,” then governments are going to be  destabilized in ways that you thought six months ago would be near  impossible.
That said, most governments will survive. Even facing tough protests,  governments tend to hold on to power more often than they fall. Not  every protests or momentary difficulty will lead to a government  falling. Also, in a region where democracy is the expectation rather  than the exception, governments that do fall should return to democracy  more quickly than in some other regions of the world.
Mike from Central American Politics responds in the open thread at Bloggings by boz on the subject. He breaks down his opinion by country:
Where to start? Interestingly enough, I think that if we survey the region, non-friendly governments of the US are the most likely to fall.
Ecuador – close to falling last year; recent history of extra constitutional removals
Bolivia – protests against gas prices recently; recent history of extra constitutional removals
Venezuela and Cuba are candidates, but will probably not see much instability. Honduras is a candidate as well, but there would have to be some spark to reignite things.
Asking “Could it happen here?” has been inevitable among bloggers who intently follow politics and social movements in the region. No one can know for certain if any Latin American country will get caught under the “political tsunami;” but what these bloggers do know is that in the history of Latin America, uprisings against the government are not unusual.


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Nepal: Networking Citizen Journalists · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ujjwal Acharya at The Radiant Star reports that “Equal Access Nepal, an INGO working mainly in media development, is in a process of creating MeroReport.net with an aim of making it a network for citizen journalists in Nepal”.

author: Rezwan


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Pakistan: Another Blasphemy Case · Global Voices
Rezwan

Tazeen at A Reluctant Mind criticizes the arrest of a 17 year old Pakistani high school student under blasphemy law on the charges of making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) in his answer script of an examination.


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Poland: Reactions to Evacuation of Polish Tourists From Cairo · Global Voices
Sylwia Presley

Tourists  in Cairo stuck in transfer for the night. Photo by Sylwia Presley
Current events in Cairo have forced a lot of Polish citizens to leave the city. However, due to the curfew, some of the flights from and to Poland have been cancelled. The Polish government, together with LOT Polish Airlines, dedicated a separate flight to provide Polish citizens stranded in Egypt with a safe travel option. The event caused various reactions on Polish forums.
Armin1 posts a question [PL]:
I wonder who is going to pay for the flight to Poland for those posh tourists?
JasnaOster questions [PL] the very idea of travelling to Cairo nowadays:
Why do those stupid people try to get to Egypt in times of revolution? It is a total irresponsibility. And later they will cry that no one wants to get them out of there.
Sawanna disagrees [PL] with the fact that the government should cover the costs of the emergency flight:
All Poles spending their time in Egypt travelled there of their own will. So they saw what they are getting into. I do not see any reason why the tax payers would have to pay for the irresponsible acts caused by the Polish “we will manage somehow” attitude.
Olek questions [PL] the entire idea of additional support for citizens:
I agree with sawanna completely, they wanted to go, let them manage on their own.
Some users discuss the fact that Polish tourists are still traveling to Cairo, despite warnings issued by the government and travel agencies. XZA, for instance, still plans [PL] to travel:
I am going to Egypt today and I do not give a damn what that bunch of idiots is doing:)
Gość responds, stating [PL]:
so make sure you take packed lunch, so you have what to eat once you are stuck at the airport waiting for a plane, shitting in your pants in fear.
Others wonder whether the Polish government should ban traveling to Egypt all together. WZ responds [PL]:
Because communism is over, they cannot ban anything.
Prezes points out [PL]:
Ministry of International Affairs could ban travel agencies from putting Poles at risk: here read ‘flying to Egypt’.
Tourists stuck at the Cairo Airport last weekend. Photo by Sylwia Presley
Gabec comments [PL] on the official statement of LOT Polish Airlines (posted on the company's forum), referring to the fact that there is designated assistance at the airport provided for Polish citizens:
[…] I hope something has improved, as from the update from my friend, who was brought back to Poland after quite a lot of asking on his behalf – no one really supported passengers, even more so – no one really heard of this airline's representatives at the airport.
Interesting – on the official Facebook profile of LOT Airlines, the marketing team states that the passengers do not deserve any help.
Egon.olsen, a moderator, responds [PL]:
As far as I understand, just after your post, steps were taken to improve the situation on Facebook, but one must remember that the phones work poorly or not at all on the ground and there is no Internet…
However, Gabec once again points out the reality of the situation [PL]:
[…] Does LOT try to reach the passengers in Cairo on the phone (it seems like the only option)? Just to warn you: on Saturday and Sunday Polish and Egyptian mobiles worked in Cairo. The landlines are all fine. At the time when the Internet is off, info on the Facebook profile or Lot.com is useless to those people.
Another moderator, Airliner, states on Jan. 31 [PL]:
Currently there is no reason to evacuate our citizens. Furthermore, charter flights to Cairo continue flying as if nothing happened ;) If one has paid 1,299 for a day, revolution or not, the holidays have to be used.
To which Sprajt2 responds [PL]:
I think that the tourists do not spend their time happily any more and, despite it all, it would be really good to evacuate them all, it's better to prevent the unknown than wait for the events to unfold, you never know what will happen.
After spending three days last week at the Cairo Airport myself, I have prepared a few practical tips for those who happen to be stuck there for a longer period of time:
1. Cairo Airport on Sunday http://ow.ly/i/7Klw #jan25 #Cairo #Egypt
2. Now, few tips for those stuck at the airport or heading that way: first one- don't! For at least few more days avoid it #jan25 #Cairo
3. Overall: less staff but all (incl. Local passengers) are very supportive! Ask for help, stay calm and humble- they are tired, tense #jan25
4. Stay with others, you have hrs to wait, will be nervous and tired,so is everyone. going to the toilet is easy if others watch your bag#jan25
5. Internet is down so you do not need printouts of tickets for checking, just ticket no. Customs allow water in due to long waiting #jan25
6. Do not tweet political statements, flight details etc, my tweet on wifi resulted in shutdown, they are reading it.Protect yourself! #jan25
7. Novotel keeps your room if you explain you might miss yet another flight, ask them if it's possible to come back and use it #jan25
8. Airport hotels (stayed at novotel for 200euro) have warm food and are safe, transfer every 30min and free shuttle bus #jan25 #Cairo
9. If you have rescheduled flight do not stay at the airport (no hot food, one open coffeshop, one working cashmashine), go to a hotel #jan25
10. If staying at the airport, have cash, banks are shutting down, only working cash machine is in Arabic, ask locals for help #jan25
11. To change your flight you can get visa (15usd) and exit transit to go to EgyptAir office. Staff is exhausted but kind and helpful. #jan25
12. You will get food few times a day in transit but shops sell only pepsi and sweets- Egyiptians are in the streets or at home #jan25 #Cairo
13. Do not trust airport tourist agent- sends you to his contact, unsure. Will tell you novotel is fully booked, but check yourself! #jan25
14. If you are stuck in transfer you will need to leave your passport and ticket with Egyptair, otherwise no new ticket. #jan25 #Cairo
15. Ask for staff canteen, outside of the building, 30min, sells sandwiches, but do not pay in dollars is poss, was told it's a rip off #jan25
16. At the airport ensure you have plenty of water or pepsi, as shop runs out of it time to time (always had soft drinks though) #jan25
17. Be prepared for mess. Cleaners have other priorities nowadays so it's understandable. #jan25 #Cairo

author: Sylwia Presley


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Puerto Rico: Let’s Talk About Movies · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

In the music blog Puerto Rico Indie [es]. @sire_damiano and @redod offer a look at the creative force of the director and video artist Michel Gondry.


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Puerto Rico: Mainstream Media and Art Blogs · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Artist and blogger Javier Martínez acknowledges that the mainstream newspaper El Nuevo Día [es] covers arts and culture, but he invites them to redesign and rethink [es] their website.


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Puerto Rico: Protest Against Harrasment · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

The feminist coalition Movimiento Amplio de Mujeres [es] reacts to the videos and images circulated through social media [es] that show police officers inappropriately touching women protesters arrested for participating in acts of civil disobedience against the University of Puerto Rico's decision to impose an annual special tuition fee.


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Russia: Blogger Navalny Starts Anticorruption Fundraising · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Alexey Navalny, Russian anticorruption blogger, started [RUS] fundraising for his website rospil.info. Within first three hours Navalny had collected [RUS] more than $5,300 in donations which is a record for online anticorruption iniatives in Russia.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Russia: Opposition Politician’s Facebook Account Suspended · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Facebook account of Vladimir Milov, Russian opposition politician, has been suspended, Milov reported [RUS]. As in the case of the suspension of Mikhail Khodorkovsky's account, the suspension was due to anonymous information of account misuse.


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Russia: Perm Blogger On Using LiveJournal as a Political Resource · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Perm-based blogger Anton Tolmachev (LJ-user legart) tells [RUS] his (unsuccessful) story of trying to use to his LiveJournal as a tool for collecting signatures in order to run for the Perm city legislative assembly. He asked his LiveJournal friends help him to run for the mayor, however, the authorities had dismissed the majority of collected signatures due to formal reasons.


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South Asia: Impact Of The Egypt Protests · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hundreds of thousands of people flooded to Tahrir, the Liberation Square in Cairo. This is the largest demonstration in a week of unceasing demands for President Hosni Mubarak to leave after nearly 30 years in power, Egypt. Photo By Mohamed Elmaymony. Copyright Demotix.
The news of the recent protests in Egypt is being discussed in the South Asian blogosphere in different perspectives. The bloggers are keen on the developments of the uprising. Sri Lankan blogger Indrajit Samarajiva shares this eagerness:
I’ve been watching the Egyptian Revolution like it’s a cricket match, checking the score throughout the day. Right now it’s the people 1 million, Mubarak one.
Pakistani blog PK Politics draws parallel with the protests against former Pakistani dictators:
Tunisian wave has sparked Egyptians to rise against a dictator that was holding absolute power for decades. The dictator Hosni Mubarak is repeating same sequence of mistakes that Pakistani military dictator performed in his last few years and refusing to accept the voice of nation.
Nepali blogger Paramendra Bhagat asks how many people could Mubarak kill:
The point is it is a finite number. There are only so many people Mubarak could kill. We did this in Nepal in 2006. The king of Nepal issued a shoot at sight order, and the people braved the bullets. About two dozen people were shot down before the regime collapsed.
There are only so many people Mubarak can kill. The brave people of Egypt have to not stop. This can be done. Democracy is not an American export. Liberty is an export of the human heart. It comes from inside. This is nothing to do with America.
You don't need no internet. You don't need no mobile phones. You don't need Twitter. All you need is air. You pack the energy into the air. All you have to do is be able to feel the ring of freedom. This is not about technology. This is about that which rings from every human heart. It comes from within.
Indian blogger SM hopes that Indians will take courage from the Egyptian protests to fight against corruption:
The revolution and protest may not succeed today, but people will realize the power of Twitter and Face book and the power of unity when Innocent citizens join hands and come on Road.
Today our Indian Situation is also not good corruption is increasing day by day, I hope government will stop the corruption before the people come on road to protest against corruption.
Afzal Rahim Khan Yusufzai wonders whether Pakistan is ripe for a revolution similar to what Egypt is experiencing:
Most Pakistanis would love to be that nation, hoping that Tunisia’s revolutionary ripples, already rocking Egypt and nudging Yemen, will reach Pakistan too. Enduring raging inflation, malignant corruption, dilapidated public services, an ultra-incompetent, dishonest government and an extra-insincere opposition, ineffectual judicial remedies, brutal feudal lords and tribal chiefs, lynch mobs, daily drone and terrorist attacks, assemblies of cheats, tax evaders and fake degree holders, surely Pakistan is ripe for revolution? Sadly not!
The blogger states why Pakistan will not join the revolution bandwagon:
The ingredients for revolution are simply not in place. Pakistan has sharp religious divide, low levels of literacy and a general feeling of apathy and defeatism in the population and additional factors which militate against a revolution: deep and multiple ethnic, linguistic, tribal and sectarian fault lines; a paucity of alternative intellectual narratives, radical leaders or strong unions; and an elected government and freedom of speech. Past experience suggests that it is likely that the events in Arab countries will leave Pakistan unchanged. Protests only become spontaneous after a certain critical mass is reached. Before that, they are contrived.
Nitin Pai at The acorn suggests how the Indian government should react to the situation:
New Delhi would do well to avoid taking sides in this conflict—leaving it to the likes of the United States and Europe to pay up for dishes they ordered. At the same time, the Indian government must signal that it will do business with whoever remains or comes to power.
Bangladeshi blogger Sirat at Sachalayatan blog analyzes what the post-revolution phase of Egypt promises:
পশ্চিমা রক্ষণশীল পর্যবেক্ষকরা মিশরীয় সমাজে ইসলামের পেনেট্রিশন নিয়ে বেশ ভীত। আগে হোক, পরে হোক, তাদের মতে ইসলামপন্থী একটি সরকার আসবেই।
কিভাবে?
হয় সেনাবাহিনীর পতনের মধ্য দিয়ে, যেটা যে কোন মুহূর্তেই হতে পারে হঠাৎ এক রক্তস্নাত বিকেলে। তখন আর মুসলিম ব্রাদারহুডকে থামায় কে?
বা সেনাবাহিনীতেই ক্যু এর মধ্য দিয়ে। বা নির্বাচনের মধ্য দিয়ে – মুসলিম ব্রাদারহুড মিশরের সবচেয়ে জনপ্রিয় দল, মুবারকের সরকারি দল ছাড়া। তখন আমেরিকা-ইসরায়েল-মিশর ভারসাম্যের কি হবে?
How?
It may be by defeating the army, which may happen in any blood-filled evening. Then Muslim Brotherhood will be invincible.
Or it may happen through a coup-d'état by the army. Or through election – Muslim brotherhood is the most popular party in Egypt, barring Mubarak's ruling party. Then what will happen to the balance of the USA-Israel-Egypt axis?
Pakistani blogger Sepoy at Chapati Mystery translates a poem of renowned Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz (first published in 1979) as a tribute to the protesters:
Tell, the Rulers
You take account, now
of your deeds
when we rise,
with the will to discard our lives
then you will confront the chain, the prison
here, right here, will be reward, retaliation
here, right here, will be punishment, bendiction
from right here, will rise the din of judgment
Here, right here, will be the Day of Reckoning.
The blogger concludes with:
Violence has erupted in Tahrir as I post this. Violence of Mubarak’s goon squad on the peaceful demonstrators. Yet, Obama and Blair will continue to protect Mubarak. No matter, the will of the people of Egypt will prevail.


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Sri Lanka: Boycotting Galle Literary Festival · Global Voices
Rezwan

Court Jester thinks that Reporters sans frontières (RSF) boycott of the Galle Literary Festival was wrong and damaging to free speech.


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Sri Lanka: State Media to Censor News From Egypt · Global Voices
Rezwan

The News Master is reporting that “the news heads of state run television stations: SLRC (Sri Lanka Rupavahini) & ITN (Independent Television Network) have received strict orders from the government hierarchy to ‘filter’ news reports received from Egypt.”


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Zambia: The pact is dead · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Gershom wants the two main opposition parties in Zambia to stop pretending that there is a pact: The UPND/PF, or is it the PF/UPND, Pact has squandered the people’s goodwill with which it was welcomed when it was announced just over two years ago. Truth be told, this political alliance between the two opposition parties is going nowhere.”


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Africa: Will there be “Jasmine Revolution” in Sub-Saharan Africa?  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

This post is part of our special coverage Uganda: Walk to Work Protests.
Ghanaian blogger Osabutey says that West Africa may be hit by Jasmine's smell. Jasmine Revolution is the term used to describe a series of street demonstrations taking place throughout Tunisia since December 2010.
As protestors in Egypt continue to push out dictator Hosni Mubarak out of office after three decades in office, anti dictator activists in West Africa are keeping their fingers under lock to see if the dose of the Jasmine will surely spread across their region.
According to Osabutey countries that may be hit by Jasmine Revolution are Zimbabwe, Gabon, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Morocco, Swaziland, Central African Republic, Uganda, Sudan, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Togo.
Cameroon, he says, needs “the jasmine flavor more than anyone other regimes in the sub-region”:
Though Togo appears to be heading to a somewhat reform, it is all cosmetic. Both Burkina Faso and Cameroon need the jasmine flavor more than anyone other regimes in the sub-region. Cote D’Ivoire’s case is pretty much different, though I’m confident it sure will not that as well. But the two French speaking countries have had dictatorial regimes that are impervious to change and free speech, clamping down heavily on dissent. Corruption, human rights abuses and massive unemployment are very deeply nailed into the hearts of the millions of citizens in these countries who live on less than a dollar a day.
Rosebell Kagumire from Uganda explains why some African leaders are smiling at the storm in North Africa. Unlike many Ugandans, she is not optimistic about the events in North Africa:
Many Ugandans in the social networks have facebook status and tweets warning or wishing the same could happen in Uganda. I have refused to be optimistic about the events in North Africa. However a good look at Zimbabwe, Angola, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville to Uganda  you would understand the excitement.
The first post I made when Ben Ali was ousted by Tunisians was “the African club of dictators has lost a member and they will be doing some rethinking.” May be I should have been more specific on which leaders. So far only Sudan’s Omar al Bashir, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, Algeria’s Abdelaziz Bouteflika and to some extent, the self-baptised Africa’s king of Kings, Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi are feeling the quakes and tremors.
She compares the political and economic situation between Egypt and Uganda:
Almost two thirds of Egypt’s population has been born since President Hosni Mubarak came to power. Unemployment rate is North Africa has been as their leaders live a royalty life. Corruption has been so rampant that the middle class in these countries never saw the reason why they paid taxes.  The living conditions in these countries for most of the population were terrible.  Only one percent of rural people in Tunisia have access to clean water and unemployment was at 14.2 percent as of 2009.
Compare the situation in these countries to Uganda you will find a lot of similarities.
About 77 per cent of Uganda’s population is youth. According to a 2008 World Bank report, Uganda has the highest youth unemployment rate and the youngest population in the world.
The African Development Indicators [ADI] report 2008/2009, showed youth have borne the burden of unemployment with the rate at 83 percent.
Corruption has been well documented and a few examples including the siphoning of the Global Fund money meant for HIV and Malaria interventions. More than $1.6 million was embezzled and misappropriated and we still can’t really point out to any recovery more than 3 years down the road.
Bert Olivier visited Egypt three years ago where he met an Egyption who predicted what is happening today:
He told me in no uncertain terms that a revolution was brewing in the country because of precisely what my question had focused on, namely the conspicuous material, economic disparities in Egypt. He pointed out that the president of the country, Hosni Mubarak, appointed his wealthy businessman cronies to political posts, which they used to enrich themselves and their families even further (sound familiar?) while ordinary Egyptians often had to live in squalor, and even where this was not the case, people had to work extremely long hours to sustain themselves and their families. He — the guide — was a case in point. Although he was a highly qualified man, he had to work for at least 14 hours a day as a tourist guide to look after himself and his family.
Commeting on Bert Olivier's post, die antwoord is worried that protests in Sub-Saharan Africa might be directed towards whites:
Of course, in sub-saharan Africa the politicians always have a convenient scapegoat that they can direct the poor’s ire towards – whitey. Vide Zimbabwe. The truth is that Zanu-PF, and lately in SA the ANC, have conned their supporters in exactly the same way that Nasser’s successors in Egypt have done. What worries me as a white person, is that when the explosion comes it will be aimed in our direction whilst the true culprits – the hypocrites who claim non-racialism whilst using their own brand of racism – BEE – to enrich themselves – go unpunished.
Arie believes that popular uprising will happen in South Africa:
The way the current authorities are going a popular uprising similar to that what is happening in Egypt will happen in South Africa.
I only hope that the uprising will be aimed in the right direction.
Candice Holdsworth draws a comparison between the events in North African and the fall of communism:
An immediate comparison can be drawn between the events unfolding in North Africa and the fall of communism in the later part of the 20th century. The domino effect that the US so feared in the 1960s in South-East Asia, in the end, operated in reverse, bringing about the demise of communism in Europe and not its triumph. Were the totalitarian communist regimes of Eastern Europe a total perversion of Marx’s thought? It would seem so. Although, one could quite plausibly argue that any idealistic philosophy is by nature corruptible. What is constant, however, is the natural human resistance to such overwhelming systems of control and dominance.
She hopes that secular tradition in Egypt will be preserved:
Similarly the freedom that so many desire in Tunisia and Egypt is open to exploitation. In Egypt the biggest concern among secularists is that in the event of Mubarak’s departure and the ensuing power vacuum, Islamic extremists will move in to fill the gap. Or even if Mubarak does conduct free and fair democratic elections, the Muslim Brotherhood could be popularly elected. I know of more than one Egyptian who comes from a mixed religious background. It is in their interest to preserve Egypt’s secular tradition.
She explains why dictators such as Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe have been able to prevent popular uprising:
The revolution will also be stillborn without the support of the armed forces — no revolution in history has ever been successful without their complicity. We know why Mugabe kept his security forces well-fed and watered while the rest of the population were left to scrabble in the dirt.
A reader leaves a comment on her post saying that South Africa should be very afraid:
South Africans should not be smug regarding the events unfolding in the ME.
What we are seeing in Tunisia and Egypt is not an Arab phenomenon – it is the phenomenon of poverty, lack of services and kleptocratic behaviour by those in power.
Once South Africans’ unblinkered support for the ANC ends, as surely it must, the jobless here might also take to the streets to force a regime change.
The ANC needs to understand that its constituency includes the jobless and the poor.
Relaxation of labour laws is the only way to reduce unemployment in any meaningful way. There is no way 5m jobs will be created without doing so.
Stability rests in employment, reduction of poverty and lowering the Geni coefficient.
SA should be afraid, very afraid.
Finally, Gukira from Kenya says that people in Sub-Saharan African should learn from Tunisia and Egypt and extend their political demands “beyond the strange compromises of power-sharing”:
We Africans must also pay attention to the nature of the demand embodied by Egypt and Tunisia, one that extends beyond the strange compromises of “power-sharing” now understood as “imperfect solutions.” Something significant is happening. Something our outcome-driven agendas have no way of understanding or anticipating.
This post is part of our special coverage Uganda: Walk to Work Protests.


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Argentina: 260 Women Killed in 2010; 11 via Incineration · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Erwin in The Latin Americanist reports: “At least 260 women and young girls in Argentina were killed in 2010 including eleven via incineration according to local NGO La Casa del Encuentro. […] last week alone three women were killed via incineration.”


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Australia: Cyber Cyclone Yasi Strikes · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Category 5 mega Cyclone Yasi struck the North Queensland coast late on Wednesday 2 February 2011. Reflecting recent disasters around the world, both new and old Australian  media have played complementary roles during the crisis.
Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere were not just  major sources of information and support for the community, they were readily embraced by the mainstream media, particularly  television, and both the print and online versions of daily newspapers.
Facebook has been a focal point, of course. Many new groups or pages have sprung up. Typical was Cyclone Yasi Update, which has over 90,000 Likes. Their message at 8 am drew 37 comments with 330 people liking it. Thanks to Garrett Wells and team:
More good news, because Yasi slowed down before it hit the coast, it hit on a falling tide, not a rising tide, and the storm surge that was possible did not eventuate and many areas that were expecting innundation were not affected by any surge….Garrett
Online magazine New Matilda followed one indigenous community with a series of updates:
Yesterday we reported that the mostly Indigenous community of Palm Island, off the coast of Townsville, was unprepared for the approaching tropical cyclone.
We spoke to residents on the island who told us they feared for their lives and questioned why the entire island hadn’t been evacuated. They said much of the housing on the island was not built to withstand a storm of Yasi’s strength.
Thankfully the island was not as badly hit by the cyclone as expected. Queensland police have told us that all residents are okay, although power has been cut and the phone lines are down.
Palm Island Pulls Through Yasi
As usual group blog Larvatus Prodeo has been active. This little gem is worth a visit:
The mainstream media coverage of natural disasters tends to filter local, lived experience through a narrow set of affective categories. This is largely because mass media rely on moral narratives: the evil of the cyclone/flood/fire, the goodness of the state in the aftermath, the evil of looters etc. These narratives makes for much more compelling viewing, but they’re often patronizing, self-serving and gloss over the multiplicity of connections between people, their belonging and the stuff of society: roads, electricity networks. Little wonder Bob Katter yesterday complained of media terrorizing residents with fear mongering.
Enter duckhand.
In the midst of ABC News 24 coverage last night, a duck hand moved across the live Townsville webcam.
Disaster Humour
The 8 second video is available here.
Twitter tag #duckhand  has been almost as popular as #tcyasi.
A couple of tweets:
mediahunter Craig Wilson has a poor opinion of mainstream television current affairs shows:
The misery of North Queenslanders has been compounded by arrival of crews from A Current Affair & TodayTonight. #TCYasi
GuidoTresoldi enjoyed the gallows humour:
I would like to propose that #tcyasi #duckhand be nominated for Australian of the Year.
Meanwhile The Age, Melbourne's daily newspaper, is typical of old media who have been running live blogs:
As Cyclone Yasi stormed towards the Queensland Coast, we tracked the news from the ground, the web and around the world.
Cyclone Yasi live blog – Wednesday
As well as regular news updates The Age has a ‘Twitter Conversation’, a feed of several popular tags.
Television stations have relied heavily on Twitter, Youtube and social media such as Facebook for much of their content especially stories, videos and photos. That’s beyond the scope of this post as is the wider blogosphere.
A Google blog search for “cyclone yasi’ found 113,000 results. Be my guest!

author: Kevin Rennie


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Azerbaijan: Life through foreign eyes · Global Voices
Aygun Janmammadova

With the number of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV) growing each year in Azerbaijan, blogs reporting on everyday life in the country continue to appear online. AK in Azerbaijan, for example, expresses its fascination with the landscape, dynamics and opportunities of the capital, Baku, while Janet-in-Azerbaijan waxes lyrically about Baku at night swept by the wind and the Caspian waves and the spirit of its diverse residents. In contrast, Jesskoh's Blog recounts its experience as PCV noting the complexity and hardships of leading an existence in the remote regions of Azerbaijan.

author: Aygun Janmammadova


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Brazil: Tribute to musician Chico Science · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Pierre Lucena from the blog Acerto de Contas, pays  tribute [pt] to Chico Science, deceased 14  years ago. He was the founder of one of the  most influential musical movements in Brazil – Mangue Beat – a blended rock and punk style with traditional beats from the northeast.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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Brazil: “Fat” teachers rejected from schools · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

Ricardo Kotscho asks himself [pt] “why fat  people cannot teach”, after five teachers were  rejected on medical examination to teach in  Brazilian state  schools because of their obesity.


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Cuba: Legalising Prostitution?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Cuban regime does not accept the practice of prostitution”: Iván's File Cabinet makes a case for why it should.


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Cuba: More Questions About Mazorra  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Laritza's Laws notes the decision of the Havana Provincial Court in the case of the deaths, by starvation and cold, of 26 psychiatric patients in January 2010, saying: “So the trial ended. Sentences were handed out, but many questions remain.”


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East Timor: Affordable telephony and collateral outcomes · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Lemi Soares, from the blog IT Forum [tet], shares a video from Linux Conference Australia 2011, where he presented Dili Village Telco – a pioneer open technology deployment that aims to provide affordable telephony and to promote the creation of sustainable businesses for local people.

author: Sara Moreira


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Egypt: Clashes on Video · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
The world has its attention placed on Egypt, going on its 10th day of protests against the regime.  As Internet connectivity was reestablished, a rise in twitter updates, image and video uploads was seen, showing what the situation was like on the Egyptian streets, from Egyptian eyes.
YouTube's Citizentube has begun collectively curating citizen videos, and on their YouTube page they have a submission form for anyone who finds (or uploads) citizen media video of the protests to include it on the site.
Raw footage from individuals on the ground offers a visceral window into the situation in Egypt, where crowds are gathering to demand President Mubarak's resignation.
If you've found videos on YouTube that document what's happening on the streets of Egypt's cities, please add the links here.
Here is a video showing the activity of  Tahrir square from above:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by3NvrMwups
And this next one shows the clashes from ground level:
Other tools being used mobile devices which upload directly to the web, like Ahmed Naguib is doing with twitter and his tumblr account. He also uploaded pictures showing the field hospitals set up for the protesters, like this one showing the medical supplies:
He's also uploaded short videos that give you the sense of what is going on at ground level, like this video showing musicians playing in Tahrir Square:
http://qik.com/video/33502537
Or this next one showing protesters chanting and waving flags at night:
http://qik.com/video/33517720
On Facebook, Ahmad Elhag uploaded a graphic video showing a Military truck running over protesters; a longer version can be found on YouTube:
But not only is the government using trucks to run over protesters: this next video shows how they've also put horses and camels to do their dirty work, endangering not only the dozens of people they plow through, but also the animals. After the initial confrontation, protesters are seen leading off the now riderless animals:
And this next image says it all:
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Egypt: Five Killed in Tahrir Square as Egyptians Day 10 Protests Begin · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Anti-Mubarak demonstrations are continuing for the 10th day across Egypt, with harrowing reports of death and injuries coming out of Cairo's Tahrir Square, where government-paid thugs clashed with protesters all night.
Tahrir Square, the epicentre of a million-man peaceful demonstration before yesterday, which was attended by around 3 million marchers, is now being described as a battlefield. A makeshift medical centre has been set up, with doctors and nurses volunteering to treat the injured, as demonstrators vow to remain in their positions until Mubarak leaves.
@TravellerW is in Tahrir Square and tweets:
Walking through the tahrir battlefield. Number of injuries staggering. Morale impressively high. It really is “La Resistance”! #Egypt #jan25
Here are more reactions from earlier today. Will be translating all the Arabic in a few minutes. Please come back.
@adamakary: Shooting continues in tahrir, cars turning back on the oct 6 bridge, can't believe how much this place has turned into a war zone
@EhCherif:
@manal: After last night brutal battles where many fell dead, we welcomed the new day with this chant: The ppl want to prosecute the murderer #jan25
@AnasAlaoui: A heart breaking interview — Mona Seif, Egyptian Activist from inside Tahrir Square http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSBJwsjakcg
@alaa: eating and resting away from tahrir square, the gunman is still loose shooting at the revolutionaries, 5 by gunshots so far. #Jan25
@Dima_Khatib: Doctor on Tahrir Square was just on air on Al Jazeera, he couldn't help himself. Was sobbing non stop ! #jan25 #egypt
@AzizaSami: Mubarak did not wage a single war,unlike Nasser or Sadat,since he is a man wth no political vision & no enemy -except his own people #Egypt
@moneimpress
@IAbuhesham:
@deena_adel: #Egypt Blood donations needed. If you can, please stop by Resala locations in Maadi, Mohandessin & Heliopolis (10am-3pm) or call 0147872160
@ya7you7: @JustAmira Some people r arranging Et3am for 4000 families who r running out of food. Call Mostafa 0103778585, Marwa 0100057579… Cont.
@ya7you7: @JustAmira Cont for Et3am,,, Aya 0107030903, Dina 0123337815. Pls spread. #Egypt #jan25
@khazelton: CNN's Ben Wedeman [the violence against the protesters] “is state-sponsored” #jan25 #Egypt
@habibh: Wow! Powerful confession “Police offered me money to join pro Mubarak Protests” http://t.co/H88C1Br via @aliveinegypt RT @speak2tweet
@weddady: RT @bencnn: Heard in Cairo “#Egypt military may replace the president, but will never replace the regime,never accept civilian rule” #Jan25
@Firas_Atraqchi: Day 10 and am no less horrified by what is unfolding in #egypt #cairo #jan25
@shmpOngO:
@H_Eid: Today u have seen more than three hundred person with a head injuries and broken arms those thugs we there to kill
@TrellaLB: HELP US GIVE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE WOUNDED IN #Egypt – please check www.stop404.org
@kimo79: This is a revolution for all Arabs as much as it is for the Egyptian people. We should take the streets tomorrow wherever we are. #jan25
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


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Egypt: Sandmonkey Back, Human Rights Activists Held  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Prominent Egyptian blogger and Twitter user Sandmonkey has been arrested today, amid a crackdown on activists and human rights organisations in Egypt. He has since been released, after being beaten up, and medical supplies he had on him to help those in Tahrir Square confiscated.
The arrest was confirmed by eyewitnesses and fellow tweeps at Tahrir Square, which has been the epicentre, of huge anti-Mubarak protests for the 11th day in a row. Wael Abbas tweeted that activists were being arrested at the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre, and another prominent blogger, Alaa Abdel Fattah, said his father, an activist, has been arrested too:
@alaa it looks like the arrest of my father is confirmed, also human right lawyer khaled ali among arrested #Jan25
He later adds:
Not worried about dad he spent 5years in mubarak's prisons, been tortured before, he can handle them #Jan25
In another update, Abbas reports:
Human Rights Watch researcher Dan Williams among those arrested at Hisham Mubarak Law Centre, at least 24 journalists so far, equipment conf
Only yesterday, Sandmonkey tweeted:
Ok, it is official, my @Mobinil line has twitter and facebook blocked on it. They work fine on my etisalat line. F–k you @Mobinil #jan25
And added:
This means the regime knows who i am and where I live. My life is now officially in danger. #jan25
This last tweet was retweeted 73 times. Despite this, Sandmonkey was up and running this morning, trying to deliver aid and medical supplies to protesters, in Tahrir Square, Cairo, where pro-Mubarak thugs have been at work, terrorising the peaceful protesters calling for change.
His last tweets, from six hours ago, are:
I hear reports of Army evacuating the Square from Protesters. Is this true? #jan25
followed by:
Either way, I am heading there with medical supplies. They better not block my entrance. #jan25
In a series of tweets, Sarah Naguib tells the world what happened:
@Sarahngb: Blogger Sandmonkey (www.sandmonkey.org) has been arrested in Cairo, Egypt today Feb 3 2011. #sandmonkey cc: @sandmonkey #jan25 #tahrir
@Sarahngb: Arrest of @sandmonkey is confirmed for those asking. Got one more name ‘Iman’ was also last seen with him. #sandmonkey #jan25 #tahrir
@lizhenry: Hoping to wake up to good news from Egypt. Instead half the people I've been reading for a week have been arrested. Devastating. #jan25
@ioerror: RT @jwildeboer Egyptian authorities forced #Vodafone #Etisalat to broadcasst gov scripted messages. Confirmed. http://ur1.ca/33ndt cc @MarietjeD66 @ioerror
And now, Ramy Yacooub, says that Sandmonkey has been released, after being beaten and his supplies stolen:
Update on #SandMonkey: @SandMonkey been released, was roughed up & all supplies with him were stolen. I'll let him fill you in on the rest
On his blog, which has now been suspended by the host because of repeated attacks, Sandmonkey wrote:
I don't know how to start writing this. I have been battling fatigue for not sleeping properly for the past 10 days, moving from one's friend house to another friend's house, almost never spending a night in my home, facing a very well funded and well organized ruthless regime that views me as nothing but an annoying bug that its time to squash will come. The situation here is bleak to say the least.
The beginning
It didn't start out that way. On Tuesday Jan 25 it all started peacefully, and against all odds, we succeeded to gather hundreds of thousands and get them into Tahrir Square, despite being attacked by Anti-Riot Police who are using sticks, tear gas and rubber bullets against us. We managed to break all of their barricades and situated ourselves in Tahrir. The government responded by shutting down all cell communication in Tahrir square, a move which purpose was understood later when after midnight they went in with all of their might and attacked the protesters and evacuated the Square. The next day we were back at it again, and the day after. Then came Friday and we braved their communication blackout, their thugs, their tear gas and their bullets and we retook the square. We have been fighting to keep it ever since.
We were being collectively punished
That night the government announced a military curfew, which kept getting shorter by the day, until it became from 8 am to 3 pm. People couldn't go to work, gas was running out quickly and so were essential goods and money, since the banks were not allowed to operate and people were not able to collect their salary. The internet continued to be blocked, which affected all businesses in Egypt and will cause an economic meltdown the moment they allow the banks to operate again. We were being collectively punished for daring to say that we deserve democracy and rights, and to keep it up, they withdrew the police, and then sent them out dressed as civilians to terrorize our neighborhoods. I was shot at twice that day, one of which with a semi-automatic by a dude in a car that we the people took joy in pummeling. The government announced that all prisons were breached, and that the prisoners somehow managed to get weapons and do nothing but randomly attack people. One day we had organized thugs in uniforms firing at us and the next day they disappeared and were replaced by organized thugs without uniforms firing at us. Somehow the people never made the connection.
We wanted him gone now
Despite it all, we braved it. We believed we are doing what's right and were encouraged by all those around us who couldn't believe what was happening to their country. What he did galvanized the people, and on Tuesday, despite shutting down all major roads leading into Cairo, we managed to get over 2 million protesters in Cairo alone and 3 million all over Egypt to come out and demand Mubarak's departure. Those are people who stood up to the regime's ruthlessness and anger and declared that they were free, and were refusing to live in the Mubarak dictatorship for one more day. That night, he showed up on TV, and gave a very emotional speech about how he intends to step down at the end of his term and how he wants to die in Egypt, the country he loved and served. To me, and to everyone else at the protests this wasn't nearly enough, for we wanted him gone now. Others started asking that we give him a chance, and that change takes time and other such poppycock. Hell, some people and family members cried when they saw his speech. People felt sorry for him for failing to be our dictator for the rest of his life and inheriting us to his Son. It was an amalgam of Stockholm syndrome coupled with slave mentality in a malevolent combination that we never saw before. And the Regime capitalized on it today.
Unity under Mubarak rule
Today, they brought back the internet, and started having people calling on TV and writing on facebook on how they support Mubarak and his call for stability and peacefull change in 8 months. They hung on to the words of the newly appointed government would never harm the protesters, whom they believe to be good patriotic youth who have a few bad apples amongst them. We started getting calls asking people to stop protesting because “we got what we wanted” and “we need the country to start working again”. People were complaining that they miss their lives. That they miss going out at night, and ordering Home Delivery. That they need us to stop so they can resume whatever existence they had before all of this. All was forgiven, the past week never happened and it's time for Unity under Mubarak's rule right now.
30 years of dictatorship not enough
To all of those people I say: NEVER! I am sorry that your lives and businesses are disrupted, but this wasn't caused by the Protesters. The Protesters aren't the ones who shut down the internet that has paralyzed your businesses and banks: The government did. The Protesters weren't the ones who initiated the military curfew that limited your movement and allowed goods to disappear off market shelves and gas to disappear: The government did. The Protesters weren't the ones who ordered the police to withdraw and claimed the prisons were breached and unleashed thugs that terrorized your neighborhoods: The government did. The same government that you wish to give a second chance to, as if 30 years of dictatorship and utter failure in every sector of government wasn't enough for you. The Slaves were ready to forgive their master, and blame his cruelty on those who dared to defy him in order to ensure a better Egypt for all of its citizens and their children. After all, he gave us his word, and it's not like he ever broke his promises for reform before or anything.
Pro-Mubarak Protesters
Then Mubarak made his move and showed them what useful idiots they all were.
You watched on TV as “Pro-Mubarak Protesters” – thugs who were paid money by NDP members by admission of High NDP officials- started attacking the peaceful unarmed protesters in Tahrir square. They attacked them with sticks, threw stones at them, brought in men riding horses and camels- in what must be the most surreal scene ever shown on TV- and carrying whips to beat up the protesters. And then the Bullets started getting fired and Molotov cocktails started getting thrown at the Anti-Mubarak Protesters as the Army standing idly by, allowing it all to happen and not doing anything about it. Dozens were killed, hundreds injured, and there was no help sent by ambulances. The Police never showed up to stop those attacking because the ones who were captured by the Anti-mubarak people had police ID's on them. They were the police and they were there to shoot and kill people and even tried to set the Egyptian Museum on Fire. The Aim was clear: Use the clashes as pretext to ban such demonstrations under pretexts of concern for public safety and order, and to prevent disunity amongst the people of Egypt. But their plans ultimately failed, by those resilient brave souls who wouldn't give up the ground they freed of Egypt, no matter how many live bullets or firebombs were hurled at them. They know, like we all do, that this regime no longer cares to put on a moderate mask. That they have shown their true nature. That Mubarak will never step down, and that he would rather burn Egypt to the ground than even contemplate that possibility.
The American-Israeli-Qatari-Muslim Brotherhood-Iranian-Hamas conspiracy
In the meantime, State-owned and affiliated TV channels were showing coverage of Peaceful Mubarak Protests all over Egypt and showing recorded footage of Tahrir Square protest from the night before and claiming it's the situation there at the moment. Hundreds of calls by public figures and actors started calling the channels saying that they are with Mubarak, and that he is our Father and we should support him on the road to democracy. A veiled girl with a blurred face went on Mehwer TV claiming to have received funding by Americans to go to the US and took courses on how to bring down the Egyptian government through protests which were taught by Jews. She claimed that AlJazeera is lying, and that the only people in Tahrir square now were Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. State TV started issuing statements on how the people arrested Israelis all over Cairo engaged in creating mayhem and causing chaos. For those of you who are counting this is an American-Israeli-Qatari-Muslim Brotherhood-Iranian-Hamas conspiracy. Imagine that. And MANY PEOPLE BOUGHT IT. I recall telling a friend of mine that the only good thing about what happened today was that it made clear to us who were the idiots amongst our friends. Now we know.
This is not a Muslim Brotherhood protest
Now, just in case this isn't clear: This protest is not one made or sustained by the Muslim Brotherhood, it's one that had people from all social classes and religious background in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood only showed up on Tuesday, and even then they were not the majority of people there by a long shot. We tolerated them there since we won't say no to fellow Egyptians who wanted to stand with us, but neither the Muslims Brotherhood not any of the Opposition leaders have the ability to turn out one tenth of the numbers of Protesters that were in Tahrir on Tuesday. This is a revolution without leaders. Three Million individuals choosing hope instead of fear and braving death on hourly basis to keep their dream of freedom alive. Imagine that.
The End is near
The End is near. I have no illusions about this regime or its leader, and how he will pluck us and hunt us down one by one till we are over and done with and 8 months from now will pay people to stage fake protests urging him not to leave power, and he will stay “because he has to acquiesce to the voice of the people”. This is a losing battle and they have all the weapons, but we will continue fighting until we can't. I am heading to Tahrir right now with supplies for the hundreds injured, knowing that today the attacks will intensify, because they can't allow us to stay there come Friday, which is supposed to be the game changer. We are bringing everybody out, and we will refuse to be anything else than peaceful. If you are in Egypt, I am calling on all of you to head down to Tahrir today and Friday. It is imperative to show them that the battle for the soul of Egypt isn't over and done with. I am calling you to bring your friends, to bring medical supplies, to go and see what Mubarak's gurantees look like in real life. Egypt needs you. Be Heroes.
For more on Sandmonkey's views, listen to his interview with Pajamas Media.
Meanwhile, the hunt is still on for Wael Ghonim, a blogger and Google executive, who has been missing since January 25.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


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Egypt: War Waged on Press, Human Rights Defenders · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
Egyptian protesters are calling for massive anti-Mubarak marches across the country, after the Friday prayers tomorrow. Last week, Mubarak's regime cut off the Internet before Egypt's Day of Wrath. Today, reports continued all day of arrests of activists, and the arrest, bullying and harassment of journalists ahead of “Departure Friday.”
Organisers call for a protest in front of the presidential Heliopolis Palace on 4 February, dubbed the "Friday of Departure". Cairo, Egypt. Image: Demotix copyright Adham Khorshed.
The goal is to leave the marchers without leadership, and bully the journalists into stopping their coverage of the protests, which have been continuing for 10 days. The mood is ominous, with many saying it could be a prelude to a massacre:
@laranasser: #Tahrir Sq. is being evacuated from all journos&media reporters! The Regime is planning to trap protesters away from eyewitnesses! #tahrir
@hammametsou: Traitor mubarak planning Fri massacre. Last time he used phone/internet blackout 4his crimes this time arrested majority journalist #egypt
@ANaje tweets:
uwe_a continues:
@uwe_a: #egypt local anchor quitting,foreign journalist handcuffed & blindfolded, newspapers attacked, blogers arrested, fullscale blackout #jan25
Others are asking what is happening:
@Suo_Fei: What is happening to journalists on Tahrir Square is a scandal!! #jan25
The Committee to Protect Journalists has already issued a statement, condemning the attacks:
“This is a dark day for Egypt and a dark day for journalism,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “The systematic and sustained attacks documented by CPJ leave no doubt that a government-orchestrated effort to target the media and suppress the news is well under way. With this turn of events, Egypt is seeking to create an information vacuum that puts it in the company of the world's worst oppressors, countries such as Burma, Iran and Cuba.
“We hold President Mubarak personally responsible for this unprecedented action,” said Simon, “and call on the Egyptian government to reverse course immediately.”
In the past 24 hours alone, CPJ has recorded 24 detentions, 21 assaults, and five instances of equipment having been seized. In addition, plainclothes and uniformed agents reportedly entered at least two hotels used by international journalists to confiscate press equipment. On Wednesday, CPJ documented numerous earlier assaults, detentions, and confiscations. Mubarak forces have attacked the very breadth of global journalism: Their targets have included Egyptians and other Arab journalists, Russian and U.S. reporters, Europeans and South Americans.
“The attacks on journalists, which began last week, have now intensified to levels unseen in Egypt's modern history,” said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. “We are concerned for the safety of our colleagues, and we're alarmed at the prospect of these witnesses being sidelined at this crucial moment in Egyptian history.”
The CPJ also provides an up-to-date list of the attacks journalists have been subjected to.
Meanwhile, the reports continue on Twitter:
@draddee: Greek journalist stabbed while covering Tahrir sq. #jan25 Via AJ
@khnidk: reports of reporters being confined to their hotel rooms, no cameras no phones, prelude to massacre? #Jan25
@AymanM: 3 #aljazeera journalists arrested in #egypt 1 #aljazeera journalist still missing #jan25 #tahrir
@Salamander: Egyptian security seize BBC equipment at Cairo Hilton in attempt to stop us broadcasting.
@economistjane: #Egypt state TV has labelled some foreign journos “Israeli spies”; one was said to have been trained by Israelis in Qatar!
@marwarakha: RT @ReemNour @BilalElbazz I refuse to work as long as EgyTV is the way it is.I wont lie to people or myself. If it doesnt change, I'll quit.
@Tantoune: @AymanM: Two dozen journalists unaccounted for, arrested, attacked in #egypt on Thursday #jan25 #tahrir
The missing journalists have not gone unnoticed.
@draddee: AJA hasn't shown live images of Tahrir in a while, have their cameras been confiscated again?
Activists, lawyers and human rights defenders too, have had their share of today's crackdown.
@monasosh shares a personal detail:
They arrested my father & all brave human rights lawyers, called them spies for hamas & iran so the ppl would turn against them #Jan25
Others quote mainstream media:
@Jnoubiyeh: Al Jazeera: Security forces have assaulted two human rights organizations and have arrested at least 2 people. #Egypt #Jan25 #Mubarak
And the arrests continue. Wael Abbas notes:
@waelabbas: Human Rights Watch researcher Dan Williams among those arrested at Hisham Mubarak Law Centre, at least 24 journalists so far, equipment conf
Will this effect the morale of Egyptians readying themselves for tomorrow's march?
@rdeancutting: Watching leaderless people organize themselves on AJE stream. Hospitals. Food. Security. Who needs leaders? Authoritarians? #Jan25 #Tahrir
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.


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Fleeing refugees in Thailand-Myanmar border · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Women's League of Burma is asking the govenrment of Thailand to give temporary shelter to Myanmar civilians who are fleeing from the fighting in the Karen State of Myanmar.

author: Mong Palatino


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Georgia: Blogger action in support of evicted IDPs · Global Voices
Mirian Jugheli

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.
Four months ago, on 11 October 2010, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled the wars over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia began to protest government indifference towards them. Tented in the yard of the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, several IDPs have been demanding that the government halt evictions, which have so far seen over 80 families removed from temporary accommodation, and to provide them with proper housing.
However, not a single official has come to talk to them about these issues and their concerns that alternative accommodation offered by the government is located in villages isolated from regional centers and which lack proper schools and hospitals. Online publications such as EurasiaNet have already reported about conditions in such locations, noting that the new housing often lacks windows and basic amenities such as water, electricity and gas.
As a result, bloggers Besik Liparteliani and David Chikhladze have created a Facebook group called One night in a tent with IDPs, attracting 387 people in one week.
Every night approximately 3-5 bloggers stay in a tent with IDPs. They bring food, clothing and medicines with them, writing their impressions and posting them online when they return home.
Georgian bloggers at an IDP tent in Tbilisi, Georgia. From http://gabo.ge/archives/1294
So far, solidarity from the bloggers has only received exposure from the online media with Netgazeti [GE] regularly  reposting their impressions, Liberali [GE] featuring it, and major online TV outlet itv.ge reporting in video [GE].
One of the bloggers involved in the action, Lilac.ge [GE] writes:
უკვე 4 თვეა ასე, ღია ცის ქვეშ ცხოვრობენ და არც იციან, ამას ბოლო როდის მოეღება. ხანდახან ძალიან შიათ, ამ დროს კი ”ლტოლვილთა და განსახლების სამინისტროს” თანამშრომლები საკვები პროდუქტებით დატვირთულები მშვიდად და გულგრილად უვლიან გვერდს.
შეშა არ ყოფნით, კარვებში წვიმა ჩასდით, მათი მინისტრი კი შორიდან უთვლის: ”არაუშავს, არც ისე ცივი ზამთარიაო”.
Indeed, Gabo.ge [GE] writes about the case of one woman who killed herself in desperation.
4 თვის განმავლობაში ამ საპროტესტო აქციის შესახებ მწირი ინფორმაცია ვრცელდებოდა. ეს ფაქტი მედიასაშუალებების ყურადღების მიღმა დარჩა. მიუხედავად იმისა რომ მოხდა ერთი უბედური შემთხვევაც. სამინისტროს მხრიდან გულგრილი დამოკიდებულების გამო ერთმა ქალბატონმა თავი ლტოლვილთა და განსახლების სამინისტროს ეზოში დაიწვა და 25 დღის შემდეგ გარდაიცვალა.
Blogger Tiko Gabunia [GE] also writes about the conditions of IDPs.
არის დევნილი, რომელსაც ორივე ფეხი ომში აქვს დაკარგული, ერთ ბატონს ცალ ფეხში ძვლის მაგივრად რკინა აქვს(დანარჩენები ამბობენ, რომ ღამე ეყინება, პარკებს იხვევს და ჩანთაში დებს). კარგ მდგომარეობაში ნამდვილად არც ერთი მათგანი არ არის, მაგრამ ზოგის მდგომარეობა გაუსაძლისია.
ღამით გავიგეთ, რომ ყველა კარავში წყალი ჩადის. ასევე, არ აქვთ საკვები, საჭიროებენ ჰიგიენურ ნივთებს, შეშას (შეძლებისდაგვარად იქნებ დავეხმაროთ).
Vakhushti Menabde [GE] writes about the desperation and hopelessness in the IDP camp.
უკვე რამდენიმე საათია აქ ვართ და პირველივე, რაც შევნიშნე სრული უიმედობაა. დევნილებს არ სჯერათ რომ მათი ბედი ვინმეს ანაღვლებს. ყოველდღე უყურებენ სამინისტროს თანამშრომლების ნაწილის (თავად ასე ამბობენ) ცინიკურ დამოკიდებულებას, გული წყდებათ, რომ ნაციონალური მედია არ აშუქებს მათ პრობლემას. მათ  შესახებ რამდენიმე კვირის წინ გახდა ცნობილი, არადა უკვე მეოთხე თვეა აქ არიან. აღარც უფლებადამცველი ორგანიზაციების სჯერათ, არც საერთაშორისოების.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that in the fall of 2008 at a donor conference in Brussels $4.5 billion was raised, of which €74.5 million ($102.7 million) was earmarked for housing displaced persons. The European Commission also allocated €51 million ($70.3 million) in the summer of 2009 for the permanent housing of IDPs. (source). Amnesty International has also issued a statement urging the Georgian government to comply with international standards on eviction.
Global Voices will continue to cover the protest and updates will be posted shortly.
This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

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