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Cuba: Diaspora Blogs About Dissidents · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The plight of prisoners of conscience is a front-burner issue with Cuban diaspora bloggers. This week, they are talking about two in particular: Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, a former member of the Black Spring “Group of 75″ and Andres Carrion Alvarez, the man who was detained after shouting, “Down with Communism!” prior to the start of a mass during Pope Benedict XVI's recent visit to the island.
Uncommon Sense chose Ferrer as this week's “Cuba Political Prisoner of the Week”:
Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia knew the risk he was taking last year when he decided to remain in Cuba instead of taking exile overseas after he was released after eight years as a “Group of 75″ political prisoner. He knew that the Castro regime was reserving the right to return him to jail at less than a moment's notice, especially if he resumed the type of activities that had landed him in prison in 2003.
Since his release, Ferrer has become one of the more active and vocal leaders in the Cuban opposition, leading the Patriotic Union of Cuba and reporting on events in Cuba as an independent journalist. He has been arrested and detained numerous times, most recently on April 2.
As of this morning, he remains in jail, and Amnesty International is again listing him as a prisoner of conscience.
The blogger also noted that:
The repression suffered by Ferrer and some others of the Group of 75 who remained in Cuba belies the notion that their release signified a major shift in how the Castro dictatorship treats its opposition. It was only a tactical maneuver designed to move continued repression out of the glare of international attention, which had made the Group of 75 powerful symbols and into the shadows.
Pedazos de la Isla posted details about Ferrer's latest arrest, even publishing testimony from his wife, who is a member of the Ladies in White:
‘Jose Daniel has not committed any crime, he has no reason to be detained’, said his wife, Lady in White Belkis Cantillo…from Palmarito de Cauto. The former political prisoner Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia has been jailed in the Versalles Police Unit since last April 2nd after a number of armed Cuban agents raided his home, confiscating various recording devices, a laptop, CDs, USB drives, and other materials.
Uncommon Sense noted that…
Ferrer was facing numerous charges, including ‘public disorder’ and accepting money from overseas and that he was at risk of having his parole revoked.
…and also made a connection between the arrest of Ferrer and the re-arrest of the second dissident, Carrion:
Before Cuban Papal Mass protester Andres Carrion Alvarez was released from jail late Friday almost three weeks after his arrest, he was required to sign a document noting that he would be re-arrested if he gave interviews with foreign journalists or if he met with opposition activists.
So it was no surprise when on Monday, a day after he was interviewed by Radio Marti, Carrion was arrested in a park in Santiago de Cuba, where he had gone to participate in an opposition demonstration to demand the release of former Group of 75 prisoner of conscience Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia.
Pedazos de la Isla gave additional details by quoting an activist from the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU):
Carrion was ‘forced to sign a document which prohibits him from leaving his municipality and/or province, Santiago de Cuba.’
In regards to the conditions of the young Cuban, Chaviano said that ‘he is physically well but is very nervous, dazed’ considering that he was subjected to countless interrogations and was confined to a hermitically sealed off cell in inhumane conditions.
The blogger uploaded a video of Carrion's arrest, and added his own perspective:
The international community should remain attentive over what may still occur to this brave Cuban, considering that the forces of the communist Cuban regime will, without a doubt, keep surveillance over him and will impede him from moving freely throughout his own country. All for expressing what he felt.
Finally, Capitol Hill Cubans posted an image of yet another dissident, Morales Gonzalez, who had previously spent 12 years as a political prisoner and was released in 2005:
Last month, the Castro regime's secret police brutally beat pro-democracy activist and former political prisoner, Julio César Morales González.
He was essentially left for dead in front of a Methodist church near his mother's home in the eastern Cuban town of Holguin.
Here's a picture of him after the beating.
More ‘reform’ you can't believe in.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Egypt: Campaign Against Compulsory Military Service Gains Momentum  · Global Voices
Ahmed Awadalla

This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.
Since the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has been supervising the transitional period to democracy, and its performance has come under much scrutiny and criticism. At a time when Egyptians are preoccupied with the drama of the presidential race and the performance of parliament, many are organizing themselves and speaking up about their rights. A discussion against conscription or compulsory military service is emerging.
In Egypt, males of age 18-30 years old are obliged to serve 1-3 years in the military according to their educational level and other factors. There are a few exceptions such as males with no brothers, dual nationals or for medical reasons.
A few days ago, Emad El Dafrawy declared his objection to submitting to compulsory military service and posted a video to outline his reasons [ar, with en subtitles]:
El Dafrawy also wrote a statement on his blog in both Arabic and English:
I’m pacifist and anti-militarist, which means that the military activities including holding weapons and using violence contradict my beliefs. I’m a conscientious objector to the military service. I refuse to obey military orders and I consider all wars to be crimes.
We refuse to serve in an army that kills us! Image from the No to Compulsory Military Service Movement.
Emad El Dafrawy is not the first to conscientiously object to military service. Maikel Nabil Sanad was the first to take such a move and is the founder of the No to Compulsory Military Service Movement. The movement was established in April 2009 and according to a blog post by Nabil, it aims to “abolish compulsory draft and replace it by optional conscription.” In addition:
We are aiming to reform the relation between citizens and military institutions, ending any authority of militarists over civilians, deepening the civil state, and evolving qualifications, organization and standard liberties and rights in the Egyptian army.
In October 2010, Nabil issued a statement on his blog saying that he would not serve in the army and that he would bear the consequences. The following month, he was arrested from his house and taken into military custody. However, he was granted a medical exemption of military service a few days later, which said that he was suffering from a character disorder, in a possible attempt by the military to avoid further criticism.
Nabil was also the first blogger to be imprisoned after the revolution when he posted his famous post “The army and the people weren't ever one hand”, in which he documented the military's abuses and violations. The No to Compulsory Military Service Movement was revived following his release in January 2012 and it uses Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to campaign for their cause.
Recently, videos have been made such as “Why We Reject Military Service” [ar]:
Another is entitled “Would You Like to Serve in This Army?” [GRAPHIC CONTENT].
A debate took place on Twitter recently under the hashtag #ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري  (“against compulsory military service”), and many Twitter users weighed in on the matter.
Fatma Wagdy tweeted:
@Fatma_Wagdy: #ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري عشان الدفاع عن قضيه مش بالإجبار
Ahmed Said wrote:
@singer_twitts: #ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري لانه بيزرع مبدأ امشي جنب الحيط واوعي تعارض او تفتح بقك في الشباب
Motaz Ahmed said sarcastically:
@mezzo812: رأيي لازم يبقى فيه خدمة مدنية إجبارية لظباط الجيش كل فترة, أول مرة أشوف مؤسسة كاملة عايزة علاج نفسي لكل أفرادها #ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري
Ibrahim Mady tweeted:
@DrHumHum: أنا#ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري لأن الجيش مهمته حماية الوطن ، مش قهر أبناؤه
Mina Diaa added:
@MinaDaPharaoh: #ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري لا تعني إنك ضد خدمة الوطن أو التضحية من أجله,,بالعكس.لكن إنك تنتهك بسبب قواعد بتخدم اللي فوقك دايما يبأة دا ظلم
Ziad Adly wrote:
@ziadadly: ليه ابناء الفقرا يترموا في الاماكن البعيدة ف الصحاري و الجبال لمدة 3 سنين .. في شرع مين؟ #ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري
Activist and writer Nawara Negm said:
@nawaranegm: ولما لقيت بقى ان بنات طولهم متر ونص ووزنهم حوالي اربعين كيلو اشجع الف مرة من ظباط وعساكر بقيت ضد التجنيد الاجباري فشخ
Some people had different opinions. Mohamed Hany tweeted:
@mohamed_hany87: إلى حين تعديل وتحسين ظروف التجنيد أنا ضده .لما يكون في دورة تدربية مكثفة مفيدة أول واحد هنضم
Nermeen Bedair wrote:
@Nermbed: مش#ضد_التجنيد_الاجباري اطلاقا.. ممكن أرفض ان المجندين اجباريا يشتغلوا في الفنادق والنوادي خصوصا انه شغل سخرة.. تجنيد يعني معسكرات جيش
A conscription map of the world reveals that many countries indeed have moved beyond compulsory conscription. The coming days will reveal if the Egyptian movement can gain more momentum. Already another blogger, Haitham El Kashef, has declared that he will not submit to compulsory military service. Both El Kashef and El Dafrawy may face imprisonment for three years on charges of evading military service, or further charges may be added.
This post is part of our special coverage Egypt Revolution 2011.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ahmed Awadalla


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France: The March of the Suburbs · Global Voices
Suzanne Lehn

The website Marche Paris 2012 [fr], emanation of the Indignados and Occupy movements, details the organization and the stages of the March of the Suburbs, which leaves from Saint-Denis on April 14, and proposes to go through the Parisian suburbs in 27 stages, as punctuated by the People's Assemblies Network, before ending up at the Place de la Concorde on May 12th. A Facebook page [fr] and a Twitter account [fr] link with similar movements in other cities.

author: Suzanne Lehn


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Honduras: Campesinos Reclaim Land on International Day of Peasant’s Struggles · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

On April 17, the International Day of Peasant's Struggles, Adrienne Pine reports: “campesinos from all over Honduras are reclaiming land that was stolen and/or illegally taken from them in contravention of the stipulations and spirit of Agrarian Reform. One of those actions is happening right now in San Manuel, Cortés. 1500 families in the Movimiento Campesino de San Manuel, Cortés have retaken over a 3200 hectares of land there.” Read more in her blog Quotha.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Indonesia: Popular Minister Starts His Twitter Account · Global Voices
Agung Harsya

Dahlan Iskan, State Enterprises Minister, has caused another hype in the virtual world, especially among Indonesian Twitter users.
Last March 19, Dahlan caused a commotion at a tollgate in Jakarta after becoming upset by the long queue blocking his way. Dahlan had earlier instructed that there should be only five cars queuing at each ticket counter. That morning, he became upset finding many cars queuing and only two out of the four booths were open. Dahlan got out from his car and then lifted the barrier blocking the way to allow the vehicles, at least 100 cars, to pass without paying.
His action might be considered as excessive, but Jakarta's heavy traffic in the weekdays still remains a main issue in the capital so good traffic management is needed. His action generated a lot of buzz especially on social media.
Last week, he repeated the same trick but he targeted the wrong toll booth because the operator is a private corporation. He has apologized for that, but he still has public sympathy. Before the toll incident, Dahlan grabbed attention when he attended a minister meeting in Bogor (approximately 60km from Jakarta) by riding a train and ojek (a hired-motorbike) last December. He even spent a night in a farmer's house in Central Java last month, after helping out the farmer to gather eggs.
A few days ago, Dahlan launched his own twitter account, @iskan_dahlan. Six hours after posting two tweets, Dahlan is already being followed by almost 18,000 netizens.
And here are some reactions on Twitter
@TE8270: @iskan_dahlan selamat pa atas resminya akun twitternya, berarti sdh ada tempat kami rakyat utk langsung mengadu tentang pelayanan BUMN.
@aforasri: Selamat datang di Twitter,pak @iskan_dahlan! :) Sudah banyak warga Twitterland yg menunggu kehadiran Bapak. *bahagia*
@NajwaShihab: Pak @iskan_dahlan lagi buka akun twitter di @MataNajwa :D lockerz.com/s/200631892
@jetsilvers: ayo pak Dahlan kuatkan stamina, lawan terus , gunakan media > people untuk lawan @iskan_dahlan #janganmenyerah aturan ga bagus ganti sj
@mamanyamilo: Pak @iskan_dahlan sekali2 naek commuter saat jam sibuk dong pak,biar ngerasain gmn padat n panasnya krn ac sering mati plus gangguan sinyal
After a week on Twitter, Dahlan is still quite coy in using his new account. He has posted only 25 tweets but he already has more than 50,000 followers. It is understandable due to his full-day activities as a minister, but he found time to reply to a news item about the House of Representative (DPR) intention to use their interpellation rights to ask his policy.
@iskan_dahlan [replying to his follower's mention]: @rizalcalvary: Nih Dia ‘Dosa-Dosa’ Dahlan Iskan Versi DPR: http://suarapengusaha.com/2012/04/13/nih-dia-dosa-dosa-dahlan-iskan-versi-dpr/” Tambah satu lagi: interpelasi!
Some netizens gave their support to Dahlan regarding the interpellation issue:
@DyanMeti: @iskan_dahlan saya salut sama Bapak yg membuat gelisah para oportunis d DPR yg kayak taman kanak-kanak ..hehehe
@Sugito_btm: @DahlanIskanNote @iskan_dahlan interpelasi ini justru akan semakin menaikan pamor pak dahlan…lanjutkan dah interpelasinyahahahha

author: Agung Harsya


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Iran: Turning a Page on Racism Against Afghans · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several bloggers expressed their disgust at learning that Afghans living in Isfahan, Iran were banned from a park by the authorities on April 1, 2012, the 13th day of Nowruz New Year celebrations. It is customary to mark this day by spending the day outdoors picnicking.
Although an official in Isfahan denied [fa] that Afghans had been targeted, a Facebook event was created to encourage Iranians to fight racism. The logo on the page says, “We are all Afghans”. Nearly 4000 people supported the campaign.
Aside from many legal Afghan immigrants and refugees, over one million undocumented Afghan refugees currently live in Iran, according to some reports.
Iranian blogger Sepid and Siah (meaning White and Black) says [fa]:
My Afghan brother and sister I am ashamed. I am ashamed that my country where you took refuge, is not a good host to you… But what can I expect from some people within establishment who try to humiliate you for years, they have already humiliated Iranians. But I am ashamed that my own people do not understand you.
Khorshidneshan writes [fa]:
Racism is one of the characteristics of Iranians. The problem is not only the Islamic Republic and a stupid official in Isfahan who orders to ban Afghans from gathering in park. The problem comes from us, [Iranian] people because we support it and do not protest… The discrimination against them is not a new thing. It is very difficult or impossible for Afghans to get an Iranian identity card even after living for long years in the country or marrying an Iranian.
Shahin Shar blog says [fa] let's end racism against Afghans today in Iran. The blogger has published several photos showing, in one case, how Afghans are banned from a swimming pool.
Because of the heavy censorship in Iran may we never know what really happened that day in the park. Meanwhile we can be sure that many Iranians know there is persistant discrimination against Afghans, and they wish to turn a page.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Mali: New Interim PM and Microsoft Corp’s Chairman for Africa C. Diarra’s Thoughts on Crisis  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

As Mali names Microsoft Africa chief Cheick Modibo Diarra  as interim prime minister, here are his latest thoughts (fr) on his personal website (also in Bambara) regarding the political crisis in Mali. Meanwhile, the military junta have arrested several members of the former government of ousted President Amadou Toumani Toure.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Mauritania: The Plight of Two Slave Girls · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Read Lissnup's blog post titled “Mauritania Slavery: The torment of Selama and Maimouna”: “At the age most girls are concerned with passing their school diploma, 14 year old Selama Mint Mbarek is already the mother of a son, born to her after being raped while serving as a farm hand for her former owner. Her younger sister, just 10 years old, has never experienced the inncocence of childhood, and was regularly beaten by her master.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Morocco: Opposition to Mawazine Festival Grows · Global Voices
Salah Almhamdi

As the the world struggles with the global economic crisis, Morocco's Mawazine festival may be affected [ar] by growing resentment at its cost. Mawazine is an annual international music festival held in the Moroccan capital Rabat, which in 2012 will take place between 18 and 26 May [fr].
In the past international stars including the late Whitney Houston have performed at Mawazine, and tourists flock to watch the concerts. The opposition to the festival is not new; last year, activists pushed for the cancellation of Mawazine but failed. Protesters say the festival is a squandering of public money, demanding that its lavish budget should be invested in more pressing issues, but organisers argue that the main part of the budget comes from sponsorship and ticket sales. As the festival draws near, there are growing concerns that protests may break out.
Syrian singer Mayada El-Hanaoui performing at the Mawazine festival in 2011. Photo from Flickr by Magharebia (CC BY 2.0)
The blog The View From Fez posted:
It seems like 2012 will be a repeat of previous years as the 11th edition of the Mawazine Festival (18- 26 May) is again being criticised, not for the morals of the performers, but for excessive payments to artists. According to reports, Mariah Carey, is due to receive more than $830,000 for her gig at the closing ceremony of the festival in Rabat.
University teacher Talal wrote in a blog post entitled “Mawazine ou Mahazine” meaning “Mawazine (rhythms) or sorrowful people”:
J'aimerais pouvoir partager cette joie avec nos patients qui meurent aux urgences en attendant qu'un infirmier arrive, après 6 heures d'attente. J'aimerais tellement partager cette joie avec ce pauvre licencié en droit qui fait 3 fautes d'orthographe par phrase à cause du systèmes éducatif défaillant dans lequel il a grandi, ou avec cette fillette qui doit parcourir 3km pour 4h de route pour aller à l'école. J'aimerais tellement la partager, cette joie dont vous parlez, avec ces habitants des montagnes de l'Atlas qui sont morts de froid à cause d'un Hiver un peu trop dur, et de conditions de vie médiocres, sans électricité ni eau potable.
A meeting of the National Campaign for the Cancellation of Mawazine. Photo from Flickr by Magharebia (CC BY 2.0)
The festival is sensitive political issue. Marketing manager Insouciant tweeted [fr]:
@yucefj: Benkirane ordonne la chabiba du PJD de ne pas se manifester contre Mawazine…Vive l´expression libre quoi!!
As opposition grows, the music festival seeks to become financially independent to counter the criticisms. Safae El Mansouri argued:
@safaemansouri: Mawazine funds: 57% SMS games, TV broadcasting ads, 34% #sponsorship, 8% from #Moroccangovernment. STOP blaming #Government for #MAWAZINE.
The following video [ar] by the National Campaign for the Cancellation of Mawazine documents the year-long efforts to get the festival cancelled:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EwmZ-YGeXw
This video from MegaMawhoub features an anti-Mawazine song:

author: Salah Almhamdi


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Nigeria: Was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s Candidacy Symbolic? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nigerian Finance Minister and former World Bank Managing Director, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala (NOI) was the only African and woman who wanted to succeed the current World Bank President, Robert Zoellick, who is stepping down at the end of his term on 30 June, 2012. She lost to Dr. Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American physician who was elected on 16 April.
Netizens have received the news of Dr. Jim's selection with mixed views. Some bloggers and tweeps are of the view that this was the best time to change the tradition of producing American World Bank presidents since its foundation.
Despite Ngozi's loss, CP-Africa, an African business, technology and culture blog, highlights Ngozi's observation that her candidacy set a strong precedence for future emerging markets candidates:
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s Finance Minister. Image released in the public domain by www.imf.org/
….she stated an important point highlighting that her candidacy sets a good precedence for future candidates from emerging markets.
Olise disagrees with Ngozi's observation:
Alot of pple [people] might not want to hear this, but its a fact that no one can change. Coming from a country wth so much natural endowments and yet in abject poverty, I think it absolutely illogical for any one to want to give any support to our dear finance minister who apparently has not bn able to tackle the pitiable economic situation of her own country but yet is gunning to become the president of the world bank.
She should quite the folley by trying to ride on the wings of her experience as charity they say begins @home. If she can‘t tackle our own issues back home then she should resign.
As far as I‘m concerned, that woman is too high up there to understand let alone relate wth our perculiar Nigerian situation.
Another reader identifies five lessons for Ngozi to learn from her loss:
This is the golden moment for Ngozi to appreciate nigeria, emmerging economies and africa in general, for the support she enjoyed prior to the selection of world bank president. There exist lessons to learn for mrs Ngozi; which include: 1. America can use and dump you. 2. Competence is not a criterior in international politics. 3. Africans are third citizens. 4. Nigeria is all that she has and no place like home. 5. What next: quick reversal of her traditional economic policies that are too ideal for a nation that lacks economic foundation. It is time for her to be local champion in her domain. Let her pay nigeria and africa through reversal of her euro – american policies to real economic reforms that will reduce tension and hardships to the average Nigerian. Ngozi, i pray for ur success not because i like you or you did anything good to my country but because you are the most competent among the contenders. Health and economic trends are two different issues and World bank is not WHO!
The video below is from @cpafrica explaining why the World Bank didn’t pick Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the World Bank president:
On Twitter, as one might expect, there is no consensus even among Nigerian tweeps. Some Nigerian tweeps wonder how a mismanaged economy like Nigeria can produce a World Bank president while another one argues that her candidacy was merely symbolic:
@rosanwo: The fact that most Nigerians do not understand the history of the World Bank and how it operates contributed to their thinking NOI [Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala] could win
@Yillande: A competent woman like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was not choosen when she has all the Qualification to head it…
@Tejiriaren: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala… What an inspiration, this woman! Unfair what the US did in the selection process…. But then again, its d US!
@nigerianblogger: Allowing African countries to determine who becomes WB President would be like allowing debtors to select the MD of a Bank.~Usman Bala
@rosanwo: Allowing a Nigerian to take charge of the World Bank is like putting North Korea in charge of Human Rights ~ Bolingo Turary. Hian!!!
@BBC_AudreyB: Ngozi Okonjo Iweala says she celebrates the fact that Jim Yong Kim got the World Bank job she wanted. Really Ngozi? So you're not bitter?
@SaneleZondi: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala contesting for World Bank presidency was more a symbolic gesture than ‘real’.
@nnamdiarea: …But if these Nigerian officials are so world class, why is Nigeria such a shitty country?
@rosanwo: Chai, all those our people wey don dey dream of World Bank Ngozi
Ankara, business don spoil
@Yadomah: BREAKING NEWS: Boko Haram claims responsibility for Ngozi Okonjo Iweala's world bank race kick out….
@ged: Tomorrow morning or later this night, we'll start reading some fictional reasons why Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala lost in the W/Bank Presidency race.
@omonational: @OccupyNaija @rosanwo @ogundamisi It would have been the most shameful thing if she has been elected. NIGERIANS! TOP POST IN D WORLD?
@OccupyNaija: Soon @NOIweala will come home to tell us how she bowed out of WB Presidency Race to focus more on Nigeria her 1st love!!..
@nnamdiarea: Then what we are going around dragging international positions for, when more than half our people can barely feed? What is wrong with us?
@djudje12: WBP: NOI :I know what it is 2 carry water on bare head,vote for me! West:We've seen ur president who went to school on barefeet,no votes pls
On her Facebook page, Ngozi congratulates the new World Bank president and adds:
With regard to the selection process, it is clear to me that we need to make it more open, transparent and merit-based. We need to make sure that we do not contribute to a democratic deficit in global governance.
Nevertheless, by our participation we have won important victories. We have shown what is possible. Our credible and merit-based challenge to a long-standing and unfair tradition will ensure that the process of choosing a World Bank president will never be the same again. The struggle for greater equity and fairness has reached a critical point and the hands of the clock cannot be turned back.


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Overhyped Elections in Myanmar? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The world rejoiced after Myanmar election officials announced the victory of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her party National League for Democracy in the recent by-elections in the country. NLD remains a minority in the Parliament but its landslide victory inspired many citizens who are hoping for the country’s full transition to democracy.
But according to some netizens and political observers, the euphoria over NLD’s victory must be tempered by the fact that the junta-backed party is still the dominant force in the local politics. This was echoed by Fifty Viss:
The elections didn’t change the scheme or the pace of reforms. Perhaps the most important outcome was that the NLD and Suu Kyi were specifically accommodated so they would contest the elections (laws were amended so they would participate). I also thought the speed with which the Union Election Commission announced results was surprisingly fast. Results for most constituencies were available within a day.
The author isn’t surprised why NLD was allowed to succeed in the polls:
But these numbers are just a drop in the water. The fact that by-elections went to smoothly was simply because so much rides on this particular election, especially the coveted prize of abolished sanctions from the West. If the NLD had won any less, it would have cried foul and unleashed a storm of criticism. It is obviously in the government’s best interests to ensure NLD’s victory.
Even some citizens feel that Suu Kyi is being used by the junta to legitimize its rule:
The feeling of many in the overseas Burmese community is that Suu Kyi is being used as a pawn to legitimize the authority of the current government, plain and simple.
Wagaung comments about the game plan of the junta:
Some of us see their game plan from the start. Some are simply in denial, a small victory served on a platter reinforcing their desperate optimism. There are others who never accepted the sanctions as positive in any way. The international business class of banks and corporations typically sees it as a large untapped market of vast natural resources and cheap labour. The carrot and stick approach of the West never loses sight of the former’s interests.
Shan Herald explains why the recent electoral exercise was called by some people as ‘sell-elections’:
The by-elections, which was dubbed by some as “sell elections,” meaning they were held for the purpose of selling to the international community the idea that Burma has turned over to a new leaf (better still, that the tiger has all of a sudden become vegetarian), have prompted several comments from Burma observers, both at home and abroad.
Apart from the apt choice of All Fools’ Day to hold them, which have naturally given rise to the inevitable question, “Who is Myanmar out to fool this time?,” there are some facts that I think are of major significance:
The said elections were not so much about whose policies the people support and which candidates they like. It was rather a fight between the three sacred institutions: that of the Old Guard, One Dominant Personality and Ethnicity.
The ‘old guard’ refers to the government-backed party; the ‘dominant personality’ is Aung San Suu Kyi; and ‘ethnicity’ is the Shan Party.
Street celebration after Opposition candidates were declared winners in the by-elections. Photo from dawn-1o9
dawn_1o9 shares her observations during election day:
Yesterday, I went to Mingalar Taung Nyunt with a few of my friends to watch the vote-counting. Mingalar Taung Nyunt is one of the townships in Yangon where the by-election took place.
My township wasn't included in the election process so I came and watched at another township.
There were such a crowd near the poll stations. It was just like there was a festival!
ClimbUpTreesToLookForFish is happy with the results:
So overwhelmed with hope and love for the people who have waited so long for this day to come. I am holding on hope that we are indeed out of the woods, and onto the fair and just path to democracy.
Here’s a report from an election monitoring team:
A soldier from a battalion, based in Lashio, says his freedom to exercise his right, like others in the unit, was forfeited when his superiors took the responsibility to tick his ballot paper.
One SNDP monitor commented that many Shans don’t have ID cards, because they used to be expensive and also many Shans didn’t think they need to go anywhere outside Lashio. “Now that the IDs are cheaper, about 5,000 kyat, and we need their support, the people must be encouraged to obtain ID cards from now on,” he said. “On the other hand, ethnic Chinese, both native and alien, are buying ID cards at more than 100,000 kyat each. This trend will grow, if it is not kept in check.”
The Asian Network for Free Elections suggests several electoral reforms:
Large discrepancies in the voters’ list, attempt to misuse official machineries at the village and district levels by some ruling party candidates, lack of voter education all added to the list of apprehensions, which puts a question mark on the efficiency and management of the electoral process.
Moreover, despite the presence of international observers irregularities still occurred. This indicates the importance of a full-fledged and well-prepared “independent” international observation mission in 2015 general elections.

author: Mong Palatino


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Pakistan: Hazara Community Targeted for Killings · Global Voices
Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman

The capital of troubled Balochistan, Quetta was closed on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15, 2012. This time the call for protest was not given by the Baloch separatists but by the minority Shia Hazara community.
In the recent past, targeted violence against the Hazara community in Balochistan has increased. In the last 9 days, 30 Hazaras have been killed. Banned sectarian militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has taken responsibility for the latest attack. Last year Lashkar-e-Jhangvi distributed pamphlets threatening Hazaras to leave Pakistan by 2012.
The Hazara members were travelling by bus before the shooting attack occurred in Quetta. Image by RFE/RL RFE/RL, copyright Demotix (04/10/12).
Hazara People blog writes:
It is systematic genocide in the complete silence and negligence of international community. There are over 600,000 Hazaras living in Pakistan. They migrated from Afghanistan in 1880′s as a result of persecution by the Afghan ruler Amir Abdul Rehman Khan.
Why aren’t the authorities taking action against the militant groups who are openly attacking the Hazara community? Journalist and blogger Amir Saeed answers the question at Guppu.com in this way:
Baluchistan is bleeding. The massacre of Hazara community continues with complete impunity while the most intriguing is the eerie silence prevalent in the corridors of power – both at federal and provincial level. Perhaps, it is not on agenda of political bigwigs to speak for the community and do something viable to protect them from extremists and bigots having a field day in the province. The role of security agencies is also dubious but ‘fortunately’ they operate under civil authority.
Baloch journalist and blogger Malik Siraj Akbar also points finger at the Pakistani authorities for not taking action against Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
The persecution of the Hazara community is unlikely to end in the near future until the Pakistani security establishment fully abandons its covert support to Sunni fundamentalist groups such as the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. There is ample evidence of contacts between the Pakistani authorities and these terrorist groups. In addition, the legislature, judiciary and the executive branches of the government have still not included the plight of the Hazaras in national policy debates.
Rafia Zakaria in her column calls it a dark Spring for Hazaras. They are caught between the fire and the frying pan as the International community only knows the Baloch separatist movement.
For the Shia Hazara of Balochistan, who are seeking not independence but their rights under the Pakistani constitution, the dearth of local sympathy and the brashness of global generalisations have colluded to produce a landscape where hope seems as elusive as justice.
Topics like #ShiaGenocide, #Hazara and #Quetta were trending on Twitter in Pakistan on Saturday. The main discussions were focused on whether to call the events ‘Shia Killings’ or ‘Hazara killings’.
@Hazarapatriot (Ali Hazara): Sad – people are debating on killings to call it Shia killing or Hazara killing. Ask the victim families if it matters for them.
@Baqwaas (Baysharam): It is not a ShiaGenocide or a SunniGenocide. It's Human Genocide. #InterFaithUnity
@Chiltan (salma jafar): #Shame on those who gave ethnic color to #Shiakilling in Quetta. Due to which 100s of innocent Baloch arrested /victimized
Many condemned the killings and accused the right wing Sunni religious groups:
@alisalmanalvi (Ali Salman Alvi): Atrocities on Shia Muslims are not restricted to a specific locality. Mosques are spewing venom against Shias, Ahmadis & other minorities.
Leading Hazara activist M. Saleem Javed tweeted:
@mSaleemJaved Hazara protester: ‘We are anti-Taliban and we will remain so, even if nobody remains alive.’ #Quetta #Pakistan
Hazara protests. Image by author
There were country wide protests by the Hazara community over the weekend but mainstream TV channels and radio didn’t touch the issue extensively. There was hardly any participation from other groups of the society.
@beenasarwar (beena sarwar): Ignoring peaceful protest also sends the msg that if you want to make the headlines, be violent and loud #shiagenocide #pakistan #media
@Razarumi (Raza Rumi): 2) Mainstream media black-out of 000s of Shiite Muslims who have been protesting aganst Shiite killings in Gilgit,Chilas Karachi and Quetta!
The Baloch tweeples criticized the Punjab for being quiet.
@BalaachMarri (TheBaloch): Punjabi media actors playing it smart on Twitter. Condemning the terror attacks but reluctant to speak against the attackers.
@gedrosian (Gedrosia): #Balochistan is at war , #Pakistan is too blind by it's fashion week #hazara #baloch

author: Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman


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Russia: An Interview With Two Astrakhan Protesters · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

At OpenDemocracy.net, a translation [en] of Svetlana Reiter's Esquire.ru interviews [ru] with two activists who have spent the past month hungerstriking in Astrakhan, protesting the results of the disputed mayoral election together with ex-candidate Oleg Shein. (An earlier GV text is here.)

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Serbia: May 6 Parliamentary Vote Roundup · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Bill Kralovec posts a short roundup on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Serbia, scheduled for May 6, and shares his “political platform,” asking Serbian readers to help him “match which party most resonates with [his] opinions.”


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South Africa: New Album by South Africa’s Jazz Giant · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tete Mbambisa, one of South Africa’s jazz giants, has a new album titled “Black Heroes”: “Mbambisa’s career spans fifty years and he can be heard on numerous recordings by many giants of South African jazz. His 1976 album Tete’s Big Sound is a classic in the annals of local jazz. Mbambisa is featured in the 2003 movie Sophiatown and his compositions have been covered by the likes of Chris McGregor, The Blue Notes, McCoy Mrubata and Adam Glasser.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Review of Bagoo  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean Book Blog publishes a review of blogger Andre Bagoo‘s first book of poetry: “One [has] to have ample amounts of time and quiet to properly ponder and appreciate the complexity of ideals, both subtle and raw, that are presented within.”


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Zambia: On the Ban of Popular Cheap Spirit ‘Sachets’ · Global Voices
Gershom Ndhlovu

Two years ago, a blogger called for the banning of the sale of very potent alcoholic spirits packaged in 60 ml sachets which have come to be known as “tujilijili”. Whether government officials saw the blogger’s appeal or not, at least the Minister of Local Government and Housing, Professor Nkandu Luo on March 15, 2012, did just that.
These spirits are mostly sold by street vendors in informal outlets known as “tuntemba” but are consumed by both the poor and well-to-do. The satchets can easily be concealed in in palms and sipped surreptitiously.
Tujilijili on sale on a kantemba. Picture courtesy of nKani.com.
Blogger Henry Nasilele wrote at the time:
In our towns and cities the availability of alcohol for sale is common. Anyone can walk into many bottle stores and bars to buy beer or spirits without questions asked.
The latest problem has been the availability of spirits that are sold in 60ml plastic satchets commonly known as to “Tujili jili”. These are even sold on the streets and the youths are the major consumers of this type of alcohol.
This 60ml empty satchet of brandy, found thrown after consumption, is a common sight on roadsides and footpaths.
Through their packaging, “Tujilijili” have not only been an environmental hazard through littering with the empty packets but also a cause of deaths of consumers through alcoholic poisoning or through accidents caused by drunkenness.
Writing on his Facebook page after the ban, Nasilele said:
Nearly two years after I wrote on the notorious “Tujilijili” our Lord has answered our prayers for the killer drink to be banned by the Govt.
One wonders who was benefiting from this vice ?
Reacting to Nasilele's remark, Lizzie Mubangalala Mumba said:
It was long long overdue!
Winstern Banda agreed:
Indeed the govt should ban this so called tujilijili coz its very cheap n strong.
Reacting to the story on Lusaka Times, Sharon wrote:
Folish thinking, you don’t ban, you regulate and phase out slowly, what happens to all jobs, what happens to all stocks still available? What happens to the machines? Poor planning, if you gave pipo a license, you also need to give them time to re direct their businesses,meanwhile u increase on taxes to ten fold, so that the product become expensive immediately, that’s how we ran a country..
Another contributor, Veteran, brought an unequality element to it:
Absurd!, Zambia can make millions exporting Tujilijili to the world! What is needed is just improved packaging and certification. The same woman baning Tujilijili will be drinking imported spirits and alcohol ! Unbeleivable!
On Twitter, a tweep thought that this was the second time government was banning the sale of tujilijili:
@luchi7: GRZ bans tujilijili…..is it just me or isn't this the 2nd time #Zambia
Another tweep added some humour to the banning of the cheap but popular alcoholic beverage:
@Sali_Fyanji: lmao there there, its gonna be okay RT @mwimbu: Tujilijili banned! Im inconsolabe, cant stop crying #zambia
Currently, there are two anti-tujilijili groups on Facebook: STOP TUJILIJILI DRINKING CAMPAIGN FOR THE GOOD OF TOMORROW LEADERS and youths against tujilijili.

author: Gershom Ndhlovu


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Argentina: Bloggers React to Announcement of Nationalization of Oil Company YPF · Global Voices
Jorge Gobbi

The announcement of the nationalization of the oil company YPF, controlled by Spain's Repsol, and the transfer of 51% of its shares to the Argentinean government, sparked many reaction on the Argentinean blogosphere, both in favor and against. In general, as with other issues in Argentina, opinions are divided between those in favor and those opposed to the government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
In ArtePolítica [es], a blog close to Kirchner party, Sebastian says that “Repsol-YPF was always a shame” and states that,
El modelo Petrobras parece a priori el más adecuado: capital mixto y parte en la bolsa, gestión muy profesionalizada, y control accionario mayoritario por parte del estado nacional y de las provincias petroleras.
Photo by Flickr user Christian Córdova (CC BY 2.0)
In IndiePolitik [es] they make a selection of quotes by politicians and newspaper columnists that are against the measure, although in an ironic context based on the question,
¿Qué dudas caben de que la expropiación de YPF es una medida, además de histórica, correcta, si los que se oponen son el FMI, Macri, Carrió, La Nación, la UCR dependiente, De Narváez y Clarín?.
The Agenda Digital [es] blog, from the official news agency Telam, summarized the impact of the news on Twitter.
At Saber Leyes no es Saber Derecho [es], some of the consequences of the nationalization are discussed, particularly from a legal point of view of the corresponding bill the President sent to Congress, which is currently under discussion.
Economía Posible [es] indicates that during the Kirchner governments there was a significant drop in production, and wonders if “the same responsible people for the energy policies of the past nine years say they're going to ‘save us'”.
Among the blogs linked to the Union Civica Radical (Radical Civic Union), a traditional Argentinean party and the opposition today, Hernán Haynes [es] said that the nationalization of YPF goes against the Argentinean Constitution.
In Comunicación Ambiental [es] Eduardo Soler wonders why the announcement of nationalization had no further reference to clean energy while it did mention “unconventional oil”, which usually requires more complex technology for extraction.
Finally, looking beyond the impact of the nationalization of YPF on Argentina, Vaca.org [es] analyzes the case in the context of changes in the global economic system from the rise of China and developing nations.

author: Jorge Gobbi


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Bahamas: Election Discussion  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bahamaians go the polls on May 7 in the country's 2012 general election.  Bloggers have already started talking about it.  In this post, the discussion continues…
Blogworld, in a post in which she summarized her Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-15, responded to a Twitter user wondering about whether or not to vote:
@nicobet: RT @KnowlesAsh Should I even vote? All 3 parties seem inadequate. >>> My dilemma exactly. We still have one more document to go though #PLP #
In fact, much of her highlighted tweets in the post focused on the upcoming elections, dealing with everything from the quality of party manifestos to the need for political debates.  As an educator, she was also interested in other key issues, which she drew attention to using the hashtag #DemandDebates.  Other observations from Blogworld about how the elections race was developing included:
@nicobet: Disappointed. No real faith in people expressed. A conservative, cautious manifesto when we need radical vision. Train citizens not servants #
@nicobet: Looking for some real alternatives in the economic arena but saw more of the same. Investment in servitude not creativity. #DemandDebates #
@nicobet: Are we going to see governance in next 5 years rather than continued political point scoring? Not an auspicious beginning #DemandDebates #
@nicobet: #DNA talking issues. #FNM Manifesto up. #PLP we're waiting – #DemandDebates #
Which brings us to the three political parties who will be fighting it out with the hope of emerging victorious come May 7.  The two main contenders in the parliamentary democracy are the incumbent Free National Movement and the opposition Progressive Liberal Party.  But this year, it may just be a three-party race with the Democratic National Alliance, which, whether or not some like its style, at least seems to be getting attention.  Bahama Pundit made a few election forecasts here, but with a few weeks to go before polling day, it remains to be seen how everything will play out.
In the interim, bloggers are looking at issues.  At Weblog Bahamas, Rick Lowe wondered about the opposition's ability to deal with crime:
I'm usually wary when people in the political class keep repeating that a programme they've designed worked as planned but the country just needs more of it. Just more resources (taxpayer money) are required for the bureaucracy to solve all our problems.
And this is the case with the PLP's Urban Renewal 2.0.
I'm not a sociologist nor a psychiatrist, but I know the rhetoric we're getting is not the solution. If political parties must get involved all they need to do is agree that crime is a national issue that affects all Bahamian's, FNM's and PLP's alike and work together for possible solutions.
Maybe a joint political rally on crime? There will be lots of people there at least.
How about starting neighborhood crime watches in constituency offices?
I don't think Urban Renewal 2.0 will solve crime just as Urban Renewal 1.0 didn't.
The country deserves more than cute slogans.
The blog also questioned policy recommendations, and compared the pros and cons of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and Leader of the Opposition, Perceval Christie.
As expected, the Internet and social media have been facilitating important discussion about the elections (quite apart from the political entities themselves making use of micro-blogging sites like Twitter to get their message out).  The site Bahamas Elections 2012 allows netizens to make their picks for the successful candidates, and this post examined how discussion on Facebook could impact the outcome.


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Botswana: Love in the Shadows · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Love in the Shadows is a new book by Lauri, a writer and blogger living in Botswana: “For the first time I'm trying my hand at a thriller/romance. Here's the blurb: Songbird Kedi Taukobong is living her dream. Enormously successful as an Afro-pop musician, she travels the continent performing to adoring crowds. However, fame comes at a price – a sinister stalker is watching her, intent on making her his. Kedi’s management team is determined to hire the best private investigator in the business, her ex, Sefhemo Phaladi.”


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Brazil: Aquarium Project Sparks Transparency Debate · Global Voices
Débora Medeiros

In Fortaleza, the fifth largest city in Brazil, the recent start of construction on an aquarium has prompted discussions over public resources, state government priorities and the city's future, as well as some creative forms of protest.
Estimated to cost 250 million Brazilian reais (approximately 136 million US dollars), the project promises to become the world's third biggest aquarium. On January 30, 2012, the State of Ceará tourism secretary shared a preview of what Acquario Ceará will offer to the public once concluded:
As promising as the project might seem, its high cost has been subject to criticism, mainly by citizens who believe the budget should be deployed in the areas of education, security, and health, in which the state of Ceará features several deficiencies.
Harboring similar doubts about the project, artist Enrico Rocha published a photo [pt] on Facebook on February 5, 2012 of the planned construction site, ready for construction, and subsequently triggered a debate which extended to 150 comments.
"As long as the Acquario remains a model, there will be time". Illustration by Yuri Leonardo, used with permission.
Ten days after Enrico Rocha's photograph, the Facebook page for the movement opposing the aquarium, Quem dera ser um peixe (I wish I were a fish) [pt], was created. The group is named in reference to the song Borbulhas de amor [pt], by Ceará-born singer and composer Fagner, whose verses “Quem dera ser um peixe/Para em teu límpido/Aquário mergulhar” (I wish I were a fish/To dive in your/Limpid aquarium) go hand-in-hand with the movement's criticisms.
The blog page Why We Question It [pt] features reasons to oppose the aquarium, specifically the lack of transparency surrounding it.
Among the objections, there is no evidence that the companies Imagic [pt], which designed the aquarium, and the North American ICM Reynolds, which is building it, were hired through public bidding. Critics question the irregular building permit granted to the project, given that “mandatory archaeological reports, which must be analyzed and approved by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (Iphan)” had not been conducted.
Furthermore, the bill of such enterprise will go “beyond the debt, with a monthly cost estimated at 1,5 million Brazilian reais (815,000 US dollars)”, and clings to a business plan that remains unknown:
Não foi apresentado um plano de negócios que mostre, detalhadamente, como iremos saldar a dívida que teremos com o banco norte-americano Ex Im Bank of United States, com quem o Governo do Estado está negociando empréstimo de aproximadamente US$ 105 milhões. O restante dos gastos sairia diretamente dos cofres públicos no valor de US$ 45 milhões.
Carnival parade and weekly meetings
On February 22, revelers during Carnival who shared a critical view toward the project came together in a small parade called Unidos Contra o Acquario (United Against the Aquarium), which snaked throughout the streets of the Benfica neighborhood alongside the traditional parade, known as Sanatório Geral. Revelers dressed up as fish and walked under a vast blue cloth mimicking the sea.
Bloco Unidos do Acquário (Aquarium United Block). Photo by Quem dera ser um peixe, used with permission.
In previous years, the Sanatório Geral parade had already played a carnival march called Fortaleza Aquática (Aquatic Fortaleza) [pt], which mocks the project and mentions previous controversies regarding Governor Cid Gomes’ administration.
Another kind of mobilization taking place are meetings known as Inundação (Flooding), shared under the hashtags #OcupePI (Ocuppy Praia de Iracema) and #DesocupeAcquario (Desert Acquario) and organized  and attended on Saturdays by supporters of the Quem dera ser um peixe movement, in the Praia de Iracema neighborhood, which is set to host the aquarium. The first meeting occured on March 10, and gathered citizens opposed to the project as well as residents of Poço da Draga, a century-old community that will face forced evictions to open space for a parking lot for the aquarium's visitors.
#OcupePI. Photo published with permission of Quem dera ser um peixe.
The State government's reaction followed shortly after the first meeting. The then recently created institutional Twitter profile @acquario_ceara responded [pt] to the controversy not with facts, but with accusations instead:
@acquario_ceara: Quem está contra o #AcquarioCeara trabalha contra o desenvolvimento do Ceará. Parece que são pessoas a serviço de outros estados.
Also on Twitter, student Débora Vaz linked to [pt] the video shared by the historian Andréa Saraiva on the blog Chafurdo Mental [pt], denouncing the start of the construction before such a permit was granted. She said:
@deboravaz: Enquanto isso, aqui em Fortaleza, a estúpida obra do Acquário começa sem alvará, além de ter sido contestada pelo Iphan http://youtu.be/PUtNBHg27FQ
Lack of transparency
The Quem dera ser um peixe movement published [pt] documents denouncing irregularities in the project's bidding on April 11:
Dentre os nossos pedidos está o de cancelar imediatamente o processo de contratos já efetuados. Veremos que na surdina o governo tem contratado e licitado ao arrepio da lei e que já está superando o numero milionário de R$ 250 milhoes iniciais.
Veremos também que já foi pago R$ 876 mil reais que ninguém sabe pra quem e nem pra quê, pois o governo não publicou os termos como seria de sua obrigação.
Among our requests is the immediate revocation of contracts already in effect. We will see that on the sly the government has authorized and hired disregarding the law, so far exceeding the original millionaire sum of 250 million Brazilian reais.
We will see that 876,000 reais have been deployed to pay no one knows who and nobody knows the reason, since the government hasn't published the terms of the transaction, as it was supposed to.
Facebook user Alexandre Ruoso shared his comments on the news, writing [pt]:
#AquarioIlegal #GovernoFazdeconta
Se isso acontece em obras como esta, que tem toda a visibilidade, imagina nas obras menos importantes.
The attack of the Aquarium Men. Illustration by Yuri Leonardo, used with permission.
Considering the government's lack of transparency in mobilizing 250 million reais to build the Acquario Ceará, many have questioned the arguments used by Governor Cid Gomes during recent strikes by military police officers and teachers, occasions in which he refused to comply with workers’ demands.
Protests have taken place in other cities of Ceará as well, not only Fortaleza, as Professor Tiago Coutinho reported [pt] on his Facebook page on April 2:
Neste momento estudantes da Urca ocupam as ruas do Crato e cantam “é ou não é piada de salão, tem dinheiro pro aquário mas não tem pra educação?”.
Andréa Saraiva questioned [pt] the model of tourism reinforced by the Acquario on her blog, arguing that it ignores cheaper and more interesting alternatives for the communities:
O turismo é uma atividade econômica como outra qualquer, portanto ela não é neutra. Aqui no Ceará várias comunidades sofrem pelo turismo predatório, grande aliado da especulação imobiliária, das empreiteiras e do turismo sexual que vem sendo aplicado em sucessivos governos que investem em modelos que só favorecem a industria do turismo. A concepção Tasso-Cidista [referência ao ex-governador Tasso e o governador Cid] de desenvolvimento no Ceará baseado na industrialização se mostrou fracassada e só melhorou a vida de grandes empresários, o número de miseráveis só aumentou. Há outros modelos de turismo exitosos no mundo e até aqui no Ceará que é referência internacional em turismo comunitário. Mas não há investimento porque estes não financiam campanha, esse tipo de turismo não é ‘montado no cimento’.
The project's sustainability has sparked questions [pt] as well, mainly after reports of cultural centers in town being in disrepair, such as the Centro Dragão do Mar de Arte e Cultura.
Local mainstream media coverage has proven itself to be ambiguous, but an article [pt] written by journalist Adísia Sá highlighted the need of a public consultation on the project. She said:
Volto a insistir: a população tem o direito de ser não só informada como consultada. E não venham me dizer que deputados e vereadores sabem de tudo e que eles, sim, são a opinião pública. Todos foram eleitos com os nossos votos, sim, mas não lhes foi dada carta de alforria para falar, agir e decidir por nós – em qualquer assunto. Há limite na representação popular. E, pelo visto, isto não está sendo considerado.

author: Débora Medeiros


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China: Crackdown on Large Dogs Again · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The city of Harbin in northeastern Heilongjing province in China has enforced a new regulation that prohibits residents from raising dogs which are over 50 cm tall and 70 cm long. Many dog owners in Harbin have tied signs reading SOS around their pets’ necks to protest the ban. (More from Ministry of Tofu)

author: Oiwan Lam


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Colombia: Closing of Community Radio Station Sparks Debate · Global Voices
Cati Restrepo

Community radio station Café Líbano, from Líbano [es] in the Tolima department, denounces its closing by the government, pointing out that it was carried out arbitrarily. According to Cesáreo Gálvez, one of its founders, the closing is “an affront to the right to information and communication embodied in community radio.” On Twitter, Arlovich Correa (@arlovich) questions [es] the government's argument of closing the station due to the station's failure to present certain paperwork.

author: Cati Restrepo


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Cuba: Youth Film Festival Marked by Controversy · Global Voices
Rafael Gonzalez

Known until 2011 as the Muestra de Jóvenes Realizadores [Festival of Young Filmmakers], the 11th Muestra Joven del audiovisual cubano [Youth Festival of Cuban Audiovisuals] took place this year from the 3rd to the 8th of April. The festival was marked by poor media coverage and the resignation of its coordinator, director Fernando Pérez.
In “La Muestra”‘s opening speech, Fernando Pérez mentioned the main defining features of this year's festival: the deeply journalistic feel of the presented documentaries; the great presence of photographic directors; the (not always successful) attempts and searches in the fictonal material; and the absence of experimentation in the few animation works submitted.
Eighty-six films were selected from more than 200 submitted, divided into fiction, documentaries and animation. The winners of the three respective categories were: “Camionero” (Sebastián Miló), a tale of intense rawness that addresses violence in a boarding school; “De agua dulce” (Damián Saínz), which according to the website Cubacine ‘poetically relates the turbulence of a contaminated river water to the dark past of a man who bears witness to his actions'; and “Uvero” (Arian Enrique Pernas), which ‘invokes a disappeared community during a trip where places, characters and situations come to life’ (Cubacine). The prize for risk-taking and artistic passion went to “La piscina” (Carlos Machado), a long yet daring film that relies on sound and photography for much of its dramatic effect.
According to Fernando Pérez, his resignation was the result of the ICAIC's [Cuban Institute of Art and Cinematographic Industry] refusal to show the documentary “Despertar” (Fernando Figueredo y Anthony Bubaire). The renowned filmmaker stated that the film was not good in artistic terms, but that it should be included precisely for that reason- to encourage debate on audiovisual production.
The documentary in question deals with the life of rapper Raudel Collazo (S4drón Patriota), who in his songs regularly criticizes social reality in Cuba and who has been censored in his country. A similar situation came about in 2010 with the film “Revolution” (Maykell Pedrero), based on the popular hip hop duo Los Aldeanos.
Fernando Pérez's resignation shocked many in Cuban film circles. It led to an exchange of emails, in which mostly young filmmakers expressed sadness because of the absence at “La Muestra” of a man who is considered by some to be the best living Cuban director, and they called for a reflection and rejection of the reasons behind his departure. Many of these emails can be read on the audiovisual critic Juan Antonio García Borrero's blog, Cine cubano, la pupila insomne.

author: Rafael Gonzalez


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East Timor: Presidential Runoff Election Accomplished With Stability · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Following the presidential runoff election in East Timor, April 16, Fundasaun Mahein (a security sector watchdog) published a note on “the smooth and peaceful” ballot, celebrating the strengthening of the country's “democratization and developmental process”. According to the Electoral Management Body, Taur Matan Ruak will be the new president. The Court of Appeal has yet to proclaim the final result.

author: Sara Moreira


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Egypt: Country’s First Research University At Risk · Global Voices
Salah Almhamdi

Since last year the fate of Nile University, Egypt's first research university, has been uncertain. Its purpose-built campus has been “conceded” to the Zewail City of Science and Technology, an initiative of renowned Egyptian-American scientist and 1999 Nobel Chemistry Prize winner Ahmed Zewail.
Nile University had been scheduled to move to the campus at the beginning of 2011, but when Mubarak was toppled from power, it was announced that the land and buildings would instead be allocatd to the Zewail City of Science and Technology.
Nile University has suffered because of its association with Ahmed Nazif, a former prime minister who last year received a one-year suspended sentence on corruption charges. It has been argued that by reallocating the land the state was “rectifying” the situation. However, Egypt's netizens are almost unanimous in their condemnation of the move.
Nile University, Giza, Egypt. Image by Mahmoud Allam, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
In a recent post blogger Zeinab Mohamed outlined the situation:
In 2000 The Zewail city of science and research’s corner stone was set up in a location in 6th of October area and 300 acres were allocated to that project. It was too good to be true then the project faced a lot of red tape and bureaucracy and in the end Zewail left and returned back to the States. […] Now after the ousting of Mubarak and during the good old days of PM Essam Sharaf, we found out that the old project of Zewail is resurrected again in which for sure is something great but there was a price: wiping out the Nile University (NU) and merging it inside the new Zewail city without even recognizing its achievements. Zewail will take the NU, its students and researches for no price at all!! The buildings of those 127 acres re-allocated to NU are now part of Zewail city. Not only that, but the buildings and the NU facilities were closed for months in front of the NU students with no regard for their researches!!
Image from the Facebook page of Save NILE University: Don't Kill Research in Egypt
Nile University teacher Mahmoud Allam commented [ar]:
Journalist Salamah Abdulhameed added [ar]:
However, Egyptian poet Farouk Goweda supports Zewail City and wrote [ar]:
Logo of Save Nile University campaign. Image from the Facebook page of Save NILE University: Don't Kill Research in Egypt
Zeinab Mohamed linked to the online campaign:
The students and the researchers have launched a big campaign to Save NU whether online or offline through protests and sits in. Here is the official Save NU website and its official FB page. They do not want to be a part of the Zowail city.
Assistant researcher Heba Shalaby stands by the position of Nile University, and addressed its faculty and students:
@HebaShalaby: As long as your cause is righteous, and you're doing your best, you have nothing more to worry about.


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Egypt: The Other Homeland · Global Voices
Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni

Al Jazeera World broadcasts a small film entitled “Egypt:The Other Homeland”, narrating the history of the once thriving Greek community in Egypt through personal interviews and archive material. At the beginning of the 20th century,there were about 200,000 Greeks in Egypt. Today, the Greek community there has approximately 1,000 members.

author: Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni


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Ghana: Shinning Light on Akan/Twi Movies · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

African Movie Critic shines light on Akan/Twi movies from Ghana: “I have always said local movies in both Ghana and Nigeria (e.g. Yoruba movies) ALWAYS seem to have a better story line. Why is that? Is it because the actors and actresses are able to perform better and let the story shine when acting in their own local dialect? And if so why not maybe do more of such movies with confidence that nonetheless it will still make international film festival.”


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India: Professor Arrested for Forwarding “Defamatory” Cartoon in West Bengal · Global Voices
Sanjukta

The week has seen a lot of backlash and protests on the Indian social media scene against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the tyrannical attempts to gag any criticism against her or her governance. One trending topic on Twitter #ArrestMeNow is the fieriest of them all.
The Twitter tag #Arrestmenow is the Twitterati’s open challenge to Ms Mamata Banerjee to come and arrest everybody who dares to make fun of her in public. As it turns out that’s a lot of people with a lot of daring, since the tag is currently trending at number one in India.
To briefly mention the background of this trend, earlier this week, a chemistry professor of Kolkata’s premier Jadavpur University was arrested for  forwarding a cartoon by email that poked fun at Mamta Banerjee and her administrative actions. The cartoon made reference to Ms Banerjee’s recent coercive role in the ousting of the Central Railway Minister Mr Dinesh Trivedi and his replacement by Mukul Roy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee. Image by Dipyaman Sarkar. Copyright Demotix (04/02/12).
While the initial reaction came largely from the Bengali community of intellectuals and artists fraternity, today Indian Twitter users have joined the protest with their best weapon: humor. Hundreds of tweets are being floated by seconds and minutes with pot shots at Mamta Banerjee.
In addition there are tags like #didigiri #cartoon which are also being regularly used by Twitter users to express Mamata's ongoing controversial administration in the state of West Bengal.
Follow the latest trend here. Below are the ones that I thought stood out.
@harqblack: Why did Mamata Banerjee cross the road? To see if the chicken was making fun of her.
@rameshsrivats: Dear Mamata, Normally, the cartoonist tries to capture the subject. Not vice versa.
@acorn: “In bourgeois society capital is independent & has individuality, while the living person is dependent & has no individuality”
@twilightfairy: I suggest we all make cartoons of Mamata. i.e. cartoons of the cartoon. Fill in cartons & cart them to the cartoon.
@Purba_Ray: Dear Mamata Di, Poschim Bongo is not a school that needs disciplining. The state needs direction, not caning.
@bhalomanush: Son was smiling. I sternly warned him- “if you laugh at dushtu jokes then the Kolkata police will arrest you.” He is crying now.
@ibnebattuta: Jadhavpur Univ Prof arrested for forwarding Mamata Bonkerjee cartoons in email. Welcome to the North Korea of West Bengal.
Serious concerns are being raised by several key players regarding Ms Mamata's autocratic style of governance in the state of west Bengal during the last ten months of her coming into power after more than three decades of CPIM rule. There is a general feeling of disillusionment among masses who had pinned high hopes of seeing great positive change in West Bengal with Mamata's win.
Fellow Jadavpur University Professor, Rimi B Chaterjee asks:
So what is this new Bengal Didi wants to build? Does it involve cartoons, or creepy text messages? Transferred police officers or five streetlights per square foot? The other political parties have kept a low profile so far, waiting for Didi to implode under the weight of her own ego. I don’t think they’ll have to wait long.
Rimi also further observes that:
Isn’t it odd how tyrants always start out being funny? All bullies do, I guess. Then they want to wipe the grins off people’s faces. Thus the pogroms begin. But on a more serious note, perhaps this is indicative of hte fact that DID doesn’t really care about the press, the intelligentsia or the ‘sushil samaj’ (civil society) that helped bring her to power. Like the Left before her, she wants to create exclusive rural pockets of power which she will protect as rotten boroughs. Kolkata is just a showpiece to her.
A question posed on Facebook:
“Arrest of the Jadavpur professor for sharing cartoon-what is your reaction” was answered by “pure and simple fascism” by the majority.
An anonymous blogger compares the situation with an overall intolerance towards freedom of speech in India:
And this on the same day that an author has to leave the country because he’s written a biography of Aurobindo that somebody somewhere has a problem with. And on the same day that Raj Thackeray tells the sitting Chief Minister of Bihar that he had better not visit Bombay. (Nitish Kumar apparently retorted that he doesn’t need a visa to visit Bombay.)
As a society, we seem to be collectively going in entirely the wrong direction on the right to free speech.
Indian social media users have always been vocal against any of the governments attempt to censor freedom of speech, online criticism, creative freedom, etc. In the past, similar reactions have been meted out to Kapil Sibal, Central Minister of Communication and Information Technology (See Global Voices story on Kapil Sibal).
Whether or not a series of short lived humorous Twitter updates would deter the government from taking further arbitrary actions, is a hard question to answer. But in all likelihood with India soon to become the second largest country on the internet, with over 130 million of its population already on it, they would really think twice.

author: Sanjukta


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Iran: Mad Graffiti Week for Political Prisoners · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

From April 1-7, 2012 the Facebook group Mad Graffiti Week Iran called on everyone, to stencil in honor of hundreds of Iranian political prisoners.
People left their marks  on shirts, fences, their homes and clothing.
The effort was inspired and supported by the Egyptian “Mad Graffiti Week” which drew thousands of followers in protest against the current military regime.
Linking the virtual world to the real
Here is a step by step guide on YouTube explaining how to make a stencil and use it in real world.
There are several photos from around the world shared in the Mad Graffiti Week Facebook photo album  showing how people around the world supported the initiative.
Amsterdam
Oakland, California
Washington DC
Graffiti on behalf of Iranian prisoners has appeared in The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Egypt, many United States cities and beyond, bringing the faces of political prisoners we have grown accustomed to seeing online into a real world environment.


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Macedonia: Ethnic Tensions Rise Following Murders at Smiljkovci · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

At TOL's East of Center, Barbara Frye writes about the situation in Macedonia, following the recent murder of five men outside the capital Skopje.


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Mozambique: Police Detain Blogger During Mayoral By-Election · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Mozambican human rights lawyer and blogger Custodio Duma was detained by the police during mayoral by-election in Inhambane, on April 18, allegedly due to taking photos. Five hours later, he was released. According [pt] to @Verdade newspaper, 53 citizens (mostly supporters of the opposition party, MDM) were arrested during the scrutiny.


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Nigeria: Nigerian Bloggers and Tweeps #SavedOke          · Global Voices
Nwachukwu Egbunike

Ighiwoto Okeghene John is a young Nigerian who nearly lost not only his feet but his life to diabetes. Better put, #Oke almost “embraced” his ancestors because his financial state prevented him from getting basic medical attention.
The #SaveOke campaign was ignited by some Nigerian bloggers and tweeps – spearheaded by Linda Ikeji to save Oke’s life. #SavedOke cyber-advocacy is one more proof of the rising power of social media in Africa’s most populous country.
Who is #Oke?
The protagonist of this story in his own words:
Ighiwoto Okeoghene John (Oke). Photo courtsey: Lindaikeji.blogspot.co.uk)
My name is Ighiwoto Okeoghene John. I attended Federal Government College, Warri. Gained admission into Obafemi Awolowo University. Like many young people but unlike most, I could not finish. I was diagnosed with Diabetes 1 and 2. My health started failing. My legs failed me. I had this wound that ate my toes that refused to heal.
Just like many of you, in January 2012, I was angry with the country that didn’t have the best health care services, a country where I had to pay so much for my injections of insulin which I took daily. I was angry I could hardly keep to the diet my doctor gave me because it was expensive. I was angry yet I could not go out to march. I could not even walk. For six years now, my legs have failed me, they cannot move me; I cannot move them. My health is failing me but I keep up all hope that I will be fine.
There are some things you do not choose in life; the family you are born into; the country you are born into; your genes; the sicknesses passed through those genes. I cannot change these. You cannot change this but, there is something you can change. Something you can save; my legs; my life.
I need 5million naira for an operation in India. I need you to get me out of this couch. Truth is the couch is getting tired of me too. The wood from the edge that I use as pillow now pains me in the head, from wear and tear. Truth is my body is getting tired, getting weak. I need to get my life back. I need your help.
The Focus of #SaveOke campaign
Omojowa summarises:
Oke has been diagnosed with Diabetes type 1 and 2. The wound on his toe has taken his feet. It threatens to take his life. Oke needs your help. Oke needs 5 million naira for an operation in India. Oke needs this money fast.
There are two things that you can do to save Oke: Donate: You can donate any amount to save Oke’s life. 5 million naira is a long way. It would be great if one person gives that. But 5m is just 5,000 people giving N1,000 each. Please try to give a minimum of a N1,000. More is better.
How the campaign went viral
The strategies as best expounded by Fairy GodSisters Blog:
Twitter:
I looked at the amount he needed for surgery, 5 million naira only. Pere! Immediately I thought of the probe going on at the National Assembly, the almighty N850, 000 meal, and I knew that either one person wrote it off with a cheque or all of us would gather our pennies together. Either way, 5million naira was doable.
I went on Twitter, and with a ‘warning because of the gory photos’, started asking people to first publicise, and then donate. This is where my first set of thank you’s start. To @KathleenNdongmo, @4eyedmonk, @omojuwa,@MrBankole, @ykprojects
who not only ran with the story but helped out in their own way, may all the help you will ever seek never be more than a message from you!
@KathleenNdongmo (as if on cue) DM’ed me to get in touch with the CCHub guys. I hadn’t heard of them before that night but apparently they’d successfully spearheaded a campaign to fix the blown off roofs of the Yaba Barracks using a webpage. Sounded great, and is the second rung up the appreciation ladder. I rang Tubosun, one of the founders of CCHub past midnight (Nigerian time), and not only was he pleasant, he agreed to help! This was despite the fact that his company was in the middle of a pretty hectic event. A big thank you also goes to Stanley, a developer with the company who was detailed to our cause and was very patient with Oke and I in all the emails we had to exchange.
Blog Post:
On Sunday morning I did a blog post on his story, and on Monday a more descriptive one. By this time people in the diaspora were all over us, asking how they could pitch in. God bless you guys!
You Tube Documentary
That same night I thought about making a video to connect us with Oke; not one of the silly ‘£/$3 a day will save 1 million children in Africa’ kind of videos, I just wanted him to tell his story. I got in touch with Onye Ubanatu (because only the best would do), and again, it was closer than further to midnight. After I pitched it to him, he agreed! He was billed to be out of Lagos the entire week but promised to get on it the day after he got back which in my opinion was good because it would provide new momentum for the campaign that week. Thank you Onye! Mwah!
Getting Government Involved (Mobile Telephony):
I got a call yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. Ejiro Gegere (God bless you richly for your tenacity) called to say theDelta State Government got in touch and would cater to Oke. At the time she rang, they’d already gotten him admitted in a hospital on the Island for tests, and as you’re reading this he’s been to Immigration and is back with his passport! They have said they’ll cater to everything, and they’re well on their way to that.
#Oke has since been flown to India where he is currently receiving treatment. @KathleenNdongmo confirms:
@KathleenNdongmo: YAY! So glad to see Oke's getting the treatment he needs RT @seunfakze: another picture from #Oke from india #SaveOke http://pic.twitter.com/LZZsnBdh
The moral of the #SaveOke story
Emmanuel Udumah in Virility is a Cause propounds three lessons thus:
Oke in an Indian hospital (Image by @seunfakze, April 11, 2012)
And it is therefore clear, that seeking to #SaveOke, we are accepting the ease of categorization. Understanding that it is either he’s on his feet again, or not. Grey is not our colour of choice.Recall that Russell and his cohorts became famous by advocating a cause. #SaveOke, too, is a cause. A cause with endearing practicality, and tangible consequences. In this case, we do not have to grope for ethical implications or stumble in the cocoon of debates.
If we retain these questions in our head, and take no action, we lose the opportunity to enjoy the bliss of spontaneity. One of the tools being employed in this cause is social media, which suffices, as KONY 2012 did, for the republic of the webosphere. If this republic can cast aside all doubts, which legitimately exist, and act without thinking, I think we would have saved not just Oke, but ourselves.
In Lessons from the #SaveOke Campaign Fairy GodSister’s gave four categorisations:
Social Media is Powerful
I’ve never doubted the power of social media (wouldn’t have studied it if I did) but if I did, this campaign would have forever put paid to those doubts. The speed with which the blog posts spread and the amazing functionality called the ‘retweet’.
Nigeria is in Trouble
Oke’s story was just another instance pointing to a problem we (Nigeria) haven’t gotten past. Unfortunately, even in 2012 we are still in the ‘reaction’ rather than ‘proactive’ mode. No one thinks to plan for the future, hell we’re barely getting through today!
Who Sings for the Unsung?
How many people die every day because they have no access to qualitative healthcare? How many ‘trivial’ cases transform into life threatening because they were not nipped in the bud with adequate treatment? Who sings for the unsung?
We are still the World
Social media has always and will always revolve around people. Social media without human involvement can be compared to a beautiful car without a driver: it is nothing without our input. It is one thing to sit in the comfort of your home and moan every day about everything going wrong with the country, how the government doesn’t care, how we need a ‘paradigm shift (lol), etc. It is a totally different (and more profitable) thing however to do your civic duties, know your leaders (local and national), and then hold them accountable by getting informed, asking them questions, you know the drill.

author: Nwachukwu Egbunike


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North Korea Timeline in Storify · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

In the midst of North Korea's failed rocket launch, @StandfordCISAC posted a storify story with a summary of North Korean major events happened during recent decades.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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North Korean TV Announcer Appears with Double “Kim Pins” · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

North Korea Tech wrote a post on a new lapel pin made for the country's young dictator, Kim Jung-un. The “Kim pins” with the face of North Korean former leaders, are worn almost all the time by North Koreans and the new version debuted on its state TV.


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Russia: Astrakhan in Turmoil · Global Voices
Rikki Brown

Alexander Alyimov is the director of a self-created PR firm, Tochka Otsheta, and one of the most popular youth bloggers [ru] in Astrakhan. He can often be seen with Igor ‘Astranin,’ the local leader of Nashi. Astranin is also a popular local blogger [ru], whose election-season activism included a visit [ru] to Moscow to attend pro-United Russia rallies last December.
Both bloggers have remained closely connected to politics, and Alyimov attended both pro-Kremlin and opposition demonstrations in February. Defending one pro-Putin rally, Alyimov wrote [ru]:
Митинг организовали профсоюзы, ожидаемых сгонений всех и вся на митинг не случилось. Оно и понятно, ведь чиновники не имели к нему никакого отношения.
Alyimov gave a speech at the same rally, describing a recent encounter with, as he explained it, a rather unfortunate soul:
[…] общался с одним “оппозиционером” в жж и спросил его, что они планируют. Он ответил, что надо сметать власть. А что будет когда сметем? спросил я. И мне ответили,потом разберемся,  а пока будет временный президент. Так вот я против такого подхода. Такое “потом разберемся” уже было.  Оппозиция прежде чем звать нас на баррикады должна точно знать куда нас поведет. Иначе все может обернуться очень плохо. Есть гражданское общество, нет достойных лидеров в оппозиции. И поэтому я поддержу на этих выборах Путина. Хоть я постоянно и борюсь с прооизволом чиновников, я не хочу рисковать страной ради таких лидеров “оппозиции”.
Alyimov noted the low attendance at opposition protests, estimating that about half of the people who came were politicians. His blog post ends with the following emphatic denunciation:
Вы спросите почему так мало людей вышло “против” и почему очень мнгого тех кто недавно был “Против” пришли на митинг “ЗА”? Причина в лидерах, которые выводят людей на улицу. Слишком мало доверя им в современном обществе.
From apathy to awareness?
Navalny with a local student in Astrakhan, Russia. (14/5/2012). Photo by Anastasiya Simonenko. (Used with permission from author.)
April 10 brought unexpected change to Astrakhan: activism, famous Moscow politicians, and sizable rallies. The commentary on VKontakte [ru] was mixed:
Ничего особенного! голодовка-провокация! Шеин ничем не лучше Столярова […] вообщем шило на мыло менять нет смысла.
Шеин – лучше Столярова. Факт. Но голодовка – бессмысленна. Она ничего не изменит.
Такого митинга никогда не было! За нами следит вся страна и к субботе будет много иногородних.
An Astrakhan pro-Shein group has grown on Vkontakte, as well, with people offering their homes to visitors in town for the demonstrations.
The VKontakte backlash
As commentary posted to VKontakte grew more intense, cynical Internet memes appeared mocking the arrival of Muscovites in Astrakhan, implying foolish or sinister plots in the works. The complaints often targeted Aleksei Navalny, alleging a foreign infiltration of Astrakhan by outsider activists and politicians.
One typical post [ru] read:
У нас в Астрахани москвичи кричат: “Это наш город” […] жесть […]
A number of image macros and Photoshops also appeared, often ridiculing the arrival of “the Muscovites,” as well as deriding Oleg Shein for his hunger strike:
“You're not a mayor when you're hungry. Don't wait: have a Snickers.” (14/4/2012) An anonymous image widely circulated online.
Muscovite American Pie Meme. (14/4/2012) An anonymous image widely circulated online.
Zhirinovsky Duma meme. (14/4/2012) An anonymous image widely circulated online.
In the first image above, Shein is implanted into a Snickers advertisement, encouraging him to break his hunger strike. In the next mockup, an advertisement for the latest American Pie film is transformed into “Astrakhanskii Pie: Reunion,” equating Muscovites’ trek to Astrakhan with a fatuous high school reunion. Finally, we find an example of a popular Zhirinovski meme. This iteration alleges that Astrakhan's protests are an import from Moscow — and that locals do not attend: “There's Navalny. There's Udaltsov and Yashin. And Sobchak is flying in, too. But where are the Astrakantsi?”
Short anecdotes have also emerged, again mocking Shein's resort to a hunger strike. VKontakte user Vasily Kamaldinov published the following joke [ru]:
“Почему Шеин голодает?” ~А Вы его фамилии наоборот прочитайте.~
(A note to non-Russian speakers: “Shein” read backwards is “ni esh,” or “don't eat!”)
A more active activism
All week long, Navalny traveled around Astrkahan, encouraging locals to attend the April 14 rally and tweeting pictures as he met students, civil workers, and government employees. On the day of the demonstration, opposition leaders relied on social media to mobilize and coordinate protestors after police blocked off the square originally intended for the rally.
Technology, however, is not a panacea for Astrakhan's struggling opposition. Many in the city are still strangers to Internet technology, and remain equally unaware of both the Twittersphere and the political atmosphere. Traditional outreach efforts are still underway — the mid-April events were littered with the winter's signature white ribbons, and activists enthusiastically handed out buttons and flyers. Even a local night club added to the propaganda effort (as well as the confusion), by trying to use the April 14 protest as a marketing tactic.
Protest in Astrakhan, Russia. Masks depicting Astrakhan Mayor Stoliarov and Governor Bozhenov. (14/5/2012) Photo by Rikki Brown
Protest in Astrakhan, Russia (14/5/2012) Photo by Rikki Brown
“He's tired! Thievery, Promises, and Lies. On May 6, the Million Man March for honest government!” in Astrakhan, Russia. (14/5/2012). Photo by Rikki Brown

author: Rikki Brown


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Russia: Writer Yuri Dombrovsky’s Biography · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Faculty Of Useless Knowledge writes about Yuri Dombrovsky, “one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.”


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Somalia: Hands Off Somalia · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Hands Off Somalia is a campaign originally organised to oppose any upcoming corporate, political and military intervention in Somalia by the British government, which was signalled at their conference held on 23 February 2012.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Sweden: Culture Minister in ‘Racist Cake’ Art Controversy · Global Voices
Julie Owono

News website grioo.com reports that on April 15, 2012, Swedish Culture Minister, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, attended a exhibition preview at Museum of Modern Art of Stockholm to celebrate ‘World Art Day’.
The highlight of the show seems to have been the tasting of the ‘Painful Cake’ representing the body of an African woman, as the following video uploaded by Pontus Raud on YouTube shows:
The showpiece is the Work of Makode Linde. The author posted a picture of the event on his Facebook profile, and explains:
Documentation from my female genital mutilation cake performance earlier today at stockholm moma. This is After getting my vagaga [vagina] mutilated by the minister of culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth. Before cutting me up she whispered “Your life will be better after this”
Art Installation – Makode Linde's Facebook page
According to ‘The Local‘, an online news portal, the video caused outrage among Swedish citizens, including that of Kitimbwa Sabuni, spokesperson for the National Afro-Swedish Association who pleaded for the resignation of the Minister.
On Facebook, user Lyly Souris [fr] wonders:
Pardon, quel est le nom de l'artiste car j'aimerais comprendre sa démarche?
Cette recherche de compréhension n'annule pas mon sentiment d'indignation. Je ne veux pas me réfugier derrière l'idée qu'au nom de l'art on aurait le droit de tout faire. Je ne pense pas que c'est une polémique inutile qui est en train de se créer mais juste faire prendre conscient à cet artiste, à cette ministre de la culture et à tous les autres, qu'il est fini le temps où on laissait faire pour ne pas se faire remarquer et pour être accepté dans la société. Aujourd'hui nous sommes plutôt dans un mouvement : respectons nous!
theddyralf comments on YouTube [fr]:
Des blancs bouffant du negre a Stockholm. Jusqu ou les leucodermes vont-ils pousser leur haine contre le negre et la chosification du negre. Le comble est qu il y a toujours les negres de services qui se prettent a se jeu, en mettant leurs …service a la disposition de ces sales besognes.
Linde also received public messages on one of his Facebook profiles, like Damone Moore who encourages the artist:
I love your last work. It makes people think and talk about what happened to slaves in a VERY LITERAL sense….
A 2009 article published on UrbanLife.se, a website on Afro-Caribbean culture, evoked the provocative aspect of Linde's work:
With deceptive ease and humour, Makode Linde's work shows western conceptions of the good man and the good life in junction with the perception of the Other. A whole army of small mutations are formed that demonstrates a totally romanticized vision of the part of western history that is characterized by violence, slavery and racism.
For Maxette Olson [fr], a Guadeloupian based in Sweden, such justification does not clear the artist:
Makode est un jeune homme noir. Il n´a peut-être rien contre les noirs mais est un noir suédois qui se croit immunisé contre le racisme comme beaucoup de noirs ici.

author: Julie Owono


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Video Highlights: Syrian Activism, Children’s Issues and Dolphin Deaths · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Middle East, North Africa:
As part of the special coverage on the Syria Protest 2011/12, these two posts sadly deal with the detention of yet more bloggers and activists.
Syria: Ali Mahmoud Othman, the “Eyes of Baba Amr”, Detained
Video activist Ali Mahmoud Othman, was seized by the Syrian Government. Othman, the head of the media office of Baba Amr, used to be a vegetable vendor who started documenting unrest in Homs when the revolution started, and continued assisting those covering the conflict. His detention is seen as a huge blow to citizen journalism in Syria, and the activists from the Baba Amr office are possibly at risk.
The following video [ar] shows Othman, fondly known as the “eyes of Baba Amr,” telling the world about the suffering of the population of Baba Amr. He talks to the camera without concerns for his identity. He believed his message would be more reliable and reach a wider audience if he showed his face:
Syria: Activist Rima Dali Arrested in Damascus for Calling for End to Killing
From Sunday 8 April, 2012 to Tuesday 10 April, 2012, Rima Dali was detained,  Saffana Baqle and Assem Hamsho, who were with her at the time of the arrest, are still missing.
“Stop the killing. We want to build a country for all Syrians.” These were the words on the banner that Rima Dali held in front of the Syrian Parliament in Damascus on Sunday, April 8. Activists say she was arrested right after that. The following video shows Rima bravely holding the banner in front of cars while a group of women applaude [sic] her gesture.
Two other activists, Ali Dahna and Hussam Zein, were arrested 10 April, 2012 for holding the same banner during a sit-in near Qasr el-Adli, in Damascus.
South Asia and East Asia
Videos: Female Gendercide and Infanticide in India and China
In China and India, the strong cultural preference for male children instead of female children has resulted in a gender imbalance, brought on by female infanticide and selective abortions of female fetuses. A wide sample of videos, documentaries and even songs show the different implications of this problem: for the female children who are abandoned, for the women pregnant with female fetuses forced to abort or give the child for adoption, for those women who decide to raise daughters in spite of the cultural and economic hardships attached and for the people and organizations trying to change this phenomenon.
With the tagline of “The three deadliest words in the world”, the “It's a Girl” documentary is one which through interviews and on-location filming is figuring out why 200 million girls are “missing” in India and China, and why there has been no effective actions to this problem.
Latin America
Mexico: Children in Viral Video Shake Up Presidential Campaign
In the presidential race in Mexico, the Uncomfortable Children became viral through a video [es] showing young children inhabiting a city full of crime, violence, corruption, kidnapping and other problems that have become issues for Mexicans while asking for candidates to actually do something to change the situation and guarantee a better future for the children.
Reactions have been varied, between citizens who agree that the situation is unacceptable and is more like reality than people would comfortably admit, to others who would like to know who is behind the making of this video, and who criticize the use of children for this type of political message.
Si éste es el futuro que me espera, no lo quiero. Basta de trabajar para sus partidos y no para nosotros. Basta de arreglar el país “por encimita”. Doña Josefina, don Andrés Manuel, don Enrique, don Gabriel, se acabó el tiempo, México ya tocó fondo. ¿Sólo van a ir por la silla o van a cambiar el futuro de nuestro país?
Peru: What Is Killing the Dolphins?
The death of more than 625 dolphins in 135 Km of beach to the North of Peru has made the headlines and has the international community concerned. Evidence seems to link the Sísmica 3D underwater exploration for oil and natural gas to the death of dolphins, due to the damage evidenced in the dead marine mammals which match with acoustic decompression. Dr Newborns, calves, juveniles, lactating females, pregnant females, adult males and female dolphins have all been affected. Links in this post lead to Spanish articles unless otherwise noted.
Dolphin and baby by Vincent Teeuwen CCBy
Hardy Jones, the founder of BlueVoice.org [en], filmmaker and activist for the conservation of marine life, went to Peru to experience Dr. Yaipén-Llanos’ primary reports of the 25th March. Already on Peru's northern coast, he tweeted [en] on the 27th March:
Found 615 dead #dolphins on 135 kilometers of beach N of San Jose, Peru. Tragedy unspeakable. Please retweet. This must be investigated.
Meanwhile, environment and fishing ministers met on the 10th April to report on the link between oil exploration and the deaths of the dolphins. They also had to report on the measures being taken to avoid greater environmental impact on marine fauna, now that a report has shown that approximately 20,000 dolphins, as well as other species, are in mortal danger. Inquiries into the use of Sísmica 3d have been planned along the entire Peruvian coastline.
The producer of this video, Hardy Jones, has just returned from video taping the tragic die-off of dolphins along the coast of Peru. BlueVoice, working with the marine mammal rescue team of ORCA Peru, ran 135 kilometers of coast from San Jose north. We counted 615 dead dolphins. Dr. Carlos Yaipen Llanos, director of ORCA, conducted necropsies of several of the dead animals.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


text:
Video: Worldwide UN Youth Competition for Short Films on Human Rights · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Students between the ages of 10 and 20 worldwide are invited to produce short films (max. 3 min) on the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a special focus on sustainability, migration / refugees and global warming for the Video competition for the 2012 this human world Film Festival in Vienna. via YPMN