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Egypt: Blogger Blocks Nawara’s Blog · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

It seems that it is not only third world regimes who block people's blogs. Apparently, Google's Blogspot has decided to join the bandwagon, and has blocked Nawara Negm's Blog (Tahyees [Ar]), without specifying any reasons. And Ahmed Shokeir writes here about the incident:

author: Tarek Amr


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Iran: Discover Davar Yousefi’s paintings  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

You can discover Iranian art Instructor Davar Yousefi ‘s paintings here.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Italian Images of Iran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In Iranian.com we can watch beautiful clips of Iran made by an Italian traveler.


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Japan: A girl in the Pro Baseball League · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Yuko Shimonakamura at Yuko no Jinsei to Tigers [勇皇の人生とタイガース] comments with enthusiasm [jp] on the birth of a new baseball heroine, Eri Yoshida, the 16 y.o. high school student who will likely debut as a pitcher in the Kansai Independent League (関西独立リーグ) starting next spring and will play together with her male colleagues. Like many other bloggers [jp], Shimonakamura-san is forward to admiring the feats of the “new Yuki Mizuhara”, whose specialties include the “knuckleball” and the “underhand pitch”.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Japan: Full-speed ahead for Christmas and New Year’s Eve · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Blogger at Techtech to Tuzuru Nichijô Essay Book (テクテクとつづる日常エッセイブック) [jp] describes how, since the first week of November, Tokyo is already lit up for Christmas, everybody seems to walk faster, all the shops are already selling gifts and the big department stores are already displaying special dishes for the New Year. The blogger writes that it's almost as if, in this period of the year, someone has pushed down hard on the accelerator pedal, everything is moving so fast.


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Korea: Why are you still single?  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Autumn… fallen leaves and colorful trees, and a romantic season. Autumn is regarded as a season when you feel lonely, you feel a good appetite, and feel a strong reading desire. And winter is coming. Cold season and white snow. This is the moment that people strongly feel lonely if they’re single. Nobody is next you who can warm you physically and mentally. Every year around this time, netizens share information and opinions on how you can remove the stigma of being ‘single.’
Do you belong to these categories for why you’re still single? A netizen introduces a witty explanation.
연애못하는 솔로들의 특징
날씨가 추워지는만큼 옆구리의 빈자리가 크게 느껴지는 요즘 커플이기를 갈망하는 솔로부대들이 자주하는 질문이 있다. ‘다른 사람들은 애인을 어디에서 만드나요?’ “애인이 생기려면 대체 어디서 어떻게 해야하나요…’ 등의 가장 기본적인 질문이다.
그럼 한국남녀들이 사랑하는 사람을 처음 만난 곳은 어디일까? 며칠간 몇가지 장소를 놓고 설문조사를 해봤는데 각각 소개팅과 학교나 직장에서 현재애인이나 남편, 와이프를 만났다는 의견이 33.7%로 동률로 제일 많았고 신세대들인만큼 온라인게임, 채팅의 순이었다. 이번 커플들의 설문조사에서 볼수 있듯이 애인을 만나는 장소는 특별한 곳이 아니고 솔로들도 항상 존재하고 있는 곳이다. 그런데 왜 유독 나는 솔로일까? 답은 연인을 만날 수 있는 장소가 중요한게 아니라 그 장소에서 내가 어떤 모습을 하고 있느냐에 달린 것 같다. 솔로라면 혹시 난 이런 모습을 하고 있는 건 아닌지 생각해보자.
Then where did Korean men and women find their lovers? I had a survey regarding this question. Through a blind meeting or through schools or companies, the same number, 33.7 percent, met their boy friends or husbands, or girl friends or wives. Through online games or chatting, the new generation had a chance to find their partners. As you can see, the places are not so special. The current singles also go to these places. But why are you still single? The answer shows that places are not so important and how you look and prepare in those places is more important. If you’re single, think whether you belong to categories below.
솔로인 사람들의 특징
소개팅에서 주말에 소개팅 기회가 생기면 ‘뭐 괜찮은 사람 나오겠어? 뻔하지 뭐…”하고 소개팅 자체를 귀차니즘과 과거 폭탄을 만났던 기억을 떠올리며 거부하고 집에서 낮잠을 즐긴다. 소개팅에 나가서는 맘에 드는 사람이 있어도 소심함에 애프터신청도 제대로 못하고 단지 그날 하루 재미잇게 논다는 생각으로 놀다오거나 다른 사람들 작업하는데 분위기 메이커 역할만 하고 온다. 어느 구름에서 비가 내릴지 모른다… 이번에 혹시 킹카, 퀸카가 나올지 누가 알겠는가? 소개팅 기회는 적극적으로 놓치지 말고, 소개팅에 가서는 분위기를 띄워야 한다는 강박관념에 사로잡혀 농담따먹기만 하며 남좋은 일만 시키지 말고 때론 진지하게 때론 유머러스하게 강약 조절을 잘해가며 실속을 챙기자. 또 미리 애프터ㅡㄹ 안받아줄것같다고 혼자 판단하지 말고 과감히 맘에 드는 사람이 있음 애프터는 하고 본다. 자존심? 어차피 거절당하면 다신 안 볼 사이인데 웬 자존심? 거절당하면 장난이였던척하면 된다. ㅋ
직장 학교에서
직장이나 학교에서는 공사를 구분해야 한다고 생각하고, 대쉬하기도 전에 직장이나 학교에서 이별후 난처해질것을 먼저 걱정하고, 직장에서 ‘김대리는… 미스김은… 왜 애인하나도 없어?’ 직장동료가 물으면 자존심도 상하고 귀찮은 마음에 ‘생길 때 되면 생기겠죠…” “관심꺼주실래요?”하고 말한다. 신중한건 좋지만 미리잇을지 없을지도 모를 미래의 이별을 걱정하며 조심스러워 대취조차 안한다면 차라리 하늘이 무너질까 걱정하고 밖에 외출하지 말것을 권하고 싶다. 공과사를 구분해야 한다고? 공과사 다잡으면 일거양득인데 왜?? 솔로들은 솔로인 생활들이 길어지다보면 이젠 누군가가가 왜 아직 혼자냐는 말도 듣기 싫어하고 자존심상해한다. 귀찮다는 듯이 관심꺼주실래요? 이런말보다는 ‘글쎄요…저도 왜 저처럼 괜찮은 사람이 아직 솔로인지 불가사위네요…’ 뭐 이렇게 가볍게 농담으로 맞대응하면서 소개팅해준다는 약속을 어떻게든 받아내는게 더 현명하다.
인터넷채팅이나 게임
‘뭐 이런데 오는 사람들이야 뻔하지…;하는 생각을 하고 진지하고 재미있는 채팅보다는 자극적인 농담과 사진을 주고 받는 방을 즐겨찾고, 채팅보다는 빨간여우나 이쁜여우라는 이름으로 수시로 들어오는 야릇한 쪽지에 관심을 갖는다. 인연이란건 아무도 모른다. 주변에서 나이트 부킹에서 만나 결혼했단 얘길 가끔 들었을 것이고, 내주변에서도 채팅을 통해 결혼하고 결혼예정인 사람들도 몇 쌍있다. 만남이란 어디에서 만났느냐가 중요한게 아니라 어떻게 알아가느냐가 중요한 것이다. 내가 상대방을 이런데 오는 사람들이야… 뭐 이렇게 생각하듯이 상대방도 나를 그렇게 생각할 수 있으니 온라인 게임이든 채팅이든 대화할 기회가 생기면 솔직하고 진솔하게 대화하는 자세도 필요하다.
만남주선업체나, 사이트
다른건 안보고 그냥 청순하고 섹시한 여자면 되요..
별 것 없고 그냥 맞벌이할 수 있고 키는 165정도에 얼굴 착하고 예쁘고 집안 반듯함 돼요…
흔히 이런곳까지 가서 솔로탈출을 원하는 사람들을 보면 어차피 돈들이고 만난 것
마치 본전이라도 뽑으려는 듯 현실에 있음직하지 않을법한 사람들을 찾는 경우가 많다. 그러기전에 나를 한번 되돌아보고 눈높이는 한단께씩만 낮루면 만날 사람들은 무궁무진하다. 또 이사람이 아니여도 다른 사람을 소개받은되지…다른사람도 만나봐야지 하는 생각에 제법 괜찮은데도 거절했다가 후회하는 사람들도 많은데 다음이란 없다… 첫 만남에서 100% 내마음에 드는 이성을 찾으려고 하기보다는 70-80%만 맘에 들면 다음번에 만나서 그 사람이 다른 매력을 확인할 필요가ㅏ 있다.
If you’re under this circumstance, you already invested your money to be the member of these companies or websites. Considering your investment, you become unrealistic to have conditions of your future partner. Before that, look at yourself first and if you lower your appreciation a little bit you will have more chances to meet candidates. Or after you meet one person, you reject him (or her) with the expectations that the next one might be better. I saw so many people who regretted later. But there is no next. Rather than finding 100 percent perfect person at a first meeting, you should try to find more attractions with the person who had 70-80 percent satisfaction at the second meeting.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Skin colors in Cambodian society · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Inside my Heart writes about how skin colors are viewed in Cambodian society.

author: Mong Palatino


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Thailand: Funny toilets · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Bangkok Guru posts funny pictures of toilets in Thailand.


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The Egyptian Hospital in Bagram · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Egypt operates a small military hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan. The Press has just got wind of it – and a blogger wonders why such inspirational stories take a while for mainstream media to report on.
Jessyz tagged the following post as inspirations on her blog Chocolate Mints in a Jar:
Al Ahram printed this article today, on the Egyptian Hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan.  It is a small millitary hospital in Bagram which treats Afghan patients for free, providing artificial limbs and performing opthalmology operations.  Led by Ahmed Ashry, the hospital has grown from seeing 100 patients a day to seeing and treating whoever walks in.  This is a beautiful story of what Egyptians can actually do.
Jessyz was upset by how the media handled this piece of worthy news:
The article was first reported by Air Force Senior Airman George Cloutier for the American Forces Press Service in the begining of October.  Why did it take our media over a month to report something so special and inspiring?  And why isn’t our millitary doing the same thing in Egypt?  With all due respect to the Afghans, Egyptian patients need just as much help and deserve it from the government they pay taxes too.
In the end she says:
I wish we could see more hospitals like this one and more people like the colonel who are willing to go the extra mile for people who need it.

author: Marwa Rakha


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Armenia: Investigative Journalist Assaulted · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Although the precise circumstance are still unclear, Unzipped comments on news that Edik Baghdasarian, an investigative journalist and editor of an online publication, was attacked today. The blog posts a video of Baghdasarian receiving medical treatment in a local hospital and writes that the attack was most likely connected to his investigations into high level corruption in Armenia.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Violence against Women  · Global Voices
Simon Maghakyan

The world’s oldest Christian nation may have many things to be proud about, but when it comes to women’s rights the ex-Soviet Armenia is possibly in denial. With widespread human trafficking as its worst manifestation, violence against women in Armenia is alarming the world. Will a recent Amnesty International report detailing domestic abuse and government inaction bring about change?
Bloggers react by sharing their own stories of violence against women and one even mocks a report that he suggests doesn’t reflect the Armenia he knows. My own post on Blogian, however, provides a background to the problem of domestic violence in Armenia.
An 8-page report by Amnesty International documents widespread domestic violence and sexual abuse of women in Armenia. According to the findings, while one in four Armenian women are physically violated by family members, many more are psychologically abused.
Worst of all, violence against women is a taboo in Armenia, with all-male government agencies reluctant to investigate “private matters” and women afraid to report abuse in the first place. Moreover, the report says that many women in Armenia help perpetuate the widespread abuse by treating violence as normal. Amnesty quotes an infamous Armenian saying that translates, “A woman is like wool; the more you beat her, the softer she’ll be.”
[…]
The England-based Armenian blog Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts Amnesty’s report, adding information about upcoming awareness events in Yerevan.
Women’s Resource Centre in Armenia organises march against violence against women on 25 November 2008.
[…]
There will be round-table discussion on sexual violence against women in Armenia on 27 November. Also, thanks to the initiative and cooperation of the U.S. Embassy and other organisations, Armenia's first-ever walkathon to raise awareness about domestic violence issues in Armenia is being organized in connection with the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence,” spanning from November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women, to December 10, International Human Rights Day. Walkathon for a Violence-Free Future for Women is on Sunday, November 30, 2008.
Another England-based Armenian blogger, Mark Grigorian [RU], posts the official Russian version bringing about a lively discussion. Russia-based blogger Besyonya, was the first to react to Grigorian’s post and leaves a comment detailing her own family’s tragic story.
Мою тетю избивал муж, когда за нее заступился отец (мой дед), то муж полез и на отца. В итоге дедушка убил этого мужа, это была самозащита. Сейчас уже нет и дедушки, но когда я приезжала домой, то там до сих пор женщины терпят от мужчин всё, пытались шикать на меня, когда я некоего пьянствующего родственника отправила выпроводила за двери.
Aregjan, a US-based Armenian blogger, also reacted.
… С домашним насилием надо боротся. Меня больше раздражают в таких случаях когда люди начинают ссылатся на
“традицию” и на “крепкость семьи” (великолепная семья, ага, где дети растут видя как отец каждый день избивает мать).
[…]
The blogger later reminds people not to forget the big picture, the culture of violence in Armenia (saying that it’s not a big deal when young men, for instance, engage in physical fights).
Armenia-based blogger Pigh, however, writes sarcastically that he is going to hit every fourth woman in Armenia in order to support Amnesty International’s claims that one in four Armenian women are physically abused.
Earlier this year, on my Blogian, I translated  parts of my column for the Azg Daily. Talking about human trafficking as an extension of general oppression of women in Armenia, I discussed the denial of violence.
There is some “pride” in the denial of (the fact of) oppression against women. And if there is denial, then [men] know they are wrong. Last year, when several NGOs found out that about half of Armenia’s women had been subjected to physical brutality in the past year, a member of the 95% men-controlled parliament said that these non-profits simply seek grants and hurt Armenia’s image for the sake of their pockets. “They shouldn’t present Armenia as some African tribe where people eat each other.”

author: Simon Maghakyan


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Bahamas: Censorship  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Simon at Bahama Pundit blogs about “the sensitive issue of censorship.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bangladesh: Bargaining in Dhaka Bazaars · Global Voices
Rezwan

Life as a Tai Tai, an expat wife's blog gives some tips about buying quality cloths at low prices in various Bazaars of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

author: Rezwan


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Bangladesh: Intrusion by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) · Global Voices
Rezwan

Onnesha reports that some members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) sneaked into Bangladesh soil and started firing when they were intercepted by the villagers. Three Bangladeshi villagers including an infant and the mother were killed.


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Bermuda: Identifying Expats · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

FreshieBlog, Bermuda Longtail and Breezeblog all comment on the government's intention to issue ID cards to expats “so that immigration can track down illegal immigrants.”


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Caucasus: Public Media Potential · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The American University’s School of Communication Center for Social Media posts an entry on the potential to counter a constrained and often politicized or controlled media in the South Caucasus and especially to promote peace-building in the war torn region. Blogs are included as one of five key areas that need to be developed in order to do so.


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China: Blogger Conference · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

David Feng from China Review reports on various presentations at Chinese Blogger Conference, including: Michael Anti's presentation on his old / media experience, Ping Ke's presentation on ir/rational online debate, Hecaitou's presentation on the challenge for digging true information online.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Checking IDs · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Mutant Palm blogs about the Identity card verification system recently launched in China. The blogger points out that the Chinese system of local registration and documentation has been far less comprehensive, or effective, than Western societies.


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Cuba: Havana Film Festival  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Havana Times is pleased to announce that “the 30th Havana Film Festival (Dec. 2-12) is right around the corner.”


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Egypt for Sale · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Word is out that every Egyptian citizen who is over 21 years old will own a part of Egypt's public sector companies and factories. The announcement has been the core topic of talk shows and has made its way to the blogosphere.
Zeinobia wrote a post titled “To sell your country in an auction” saying:
First of all I apologize for my misunderstanding of the huge surprise, or rather the shock, of the outcome of this year's NDP Conference. Pardon my bad economic information but to be honest I did not get the real idea of the NDP's plan except when I read it several times in the Newspapers. I read it several times because I wanted to know if it was real; does the NDP want to destroy our economy completely this time?
The blogger summarized the announcement as follows:
1 – The government would privatize public companies and factories and distribute free shares through vouchers to all citizens.
2 – Those Citizens are Egyptians citizens above the age of 21 years.
3 – The parliament will start discussing that plan next week.
4 – The shares will available to the pensioners and public sector employees
Then she wonders:
What about the private sector employees, what about the citizens who work as “farmers”?!
She continues with the summary:
5 – No Foreigners are allowed to buy these shares except if they are listed in the Stock Market!
The she addresses Egyptians saying:
Now my dear friends you have to know that this kind of privatization – The Privatization voucher system – was implemented before in different countries around the globe but it did not work in all countries as it should be.
It proved to be a big failure in Russia when it was implemented in 1992, people there used to sell the vouchers to get money without any considerations to the consequences and in the end a minority of people bought most of the shares and some of that minority was the Russian Mafia.
Till now the ministers and the NDP officials do not seem to understand the project or the plan as they should; their statements are contradicting one another – for example Mr. Gamal Mubarak as far as I recall said that our shares as total population above 21 years will reach max. L.E. 2000 – yes L.E. 2000 !! The Minister of Investment Mahmoud Mohi El-Din in the newspapers today said that the share of the citizen will be more than L.E. 2000.
People are more confused than the officials and they do not understand how this plan will be good to the economy and will improve their living. Several newspapers like Al Dostor and Al Badeel asked the people about the plan and their answers were fearful. They said that they would sell those vouchers to get food and pay bills while others wondered if the government is going to sell the Nile and the High Dam.
Her final word on the matter was:
From now to March many things can happen – who knows!
On Facebook, several groups were created objecting to the proposal like Gamal Mubarak – we will not let you sell Egypt to Israel (Ar) and The New Privatization Law is a Trap – Be warned! (AR)


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Egypt: Internet Freedom in Egypt · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Tunisian blogger, Sami Ben Gharbia, published a video explaining the role of the Egyptian blogsphere in exposing human rights abuses and the role of the social-networking website Facebook and the micro-blogging platform.
Here's the video:
And here's what Ben Gharbia, who is Global Voices Advocacy editor, wrote:
Here is a great video explaining the role of the egyptian blogsphere in exposing human rights abuses and the role of the social-networking website Facebook and the micro-blogging platform Twitter in organizing demos and strikes, such as the April 6 strike and the May 4th General Strike.
The video features, among others, blogger and activist Noha Atef, editor of Tortureinegypt.net blog, Gamal Eid, the executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, blogger and journalist Abdel Monem Mahmoud, and Facebook activist, Ahmed Maher.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


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India: Islam is not a nationhood · Global Voices
Rezwan

M. J. Akbar opines: “As Maulana Azad repeatedly emphasized…Islam is a brotherhood, not a ‘nationhood’. If Islam were sufficient to create a modern nation state, the Arabs would not be divided into 22 countries. They even have a language in common.”


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India: Terror stalks Kolkata · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

Recently, Kolkata (or Calcutta, as it is still referred to by some) woke up one morning and its heart skipped a beat as it read the headlines of the day – Terror alert in Kolkata. Apparently, terror attacks can be carried out in the city, anytime between November 15-30th. Oh no! the city groaned and then went about the rest of the day wondering how it would cope, if terror indeed came calling at its doors.
Not everyone had lost their sense of humor though. Blogger Sayantani writes:
I thought it's remarkable that the authorities can now pinpoint a terrorist attack projection to that acute a point. Fifteen days!! That almost gives you time to pack your bags, picnic hampers and your bedding, put in your toothbrush and air your monkey caps and muffler, so that you can make it warmly out of the city.
Terror alerts are not new news to Kolkata. Ever since the bomb blasts in other Indian cities, authorities in Kolkata had attempted to step up the security. This has been a herculean task, given that the month of October-November is the festive season in West Bengal and therefore Kolkata.
First there was the week long celebration of Durga Puja, the biggest festival in West Bengal. This is the time when thousands of people, from far and near, throng the streets of Kolkata to take part in the celebrations and festivities.
This year, the festivities were in full swing, yet there was a slight difference – yes, more security. More then 20,000 police personnel were deployed across the city. News on India quoted from PTI :
“All pujas, particularly the major ones have been requested to install close circuit television cameras to monitor movement of the people,” Home Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty said. Hand held metal detectors, emergency exits and electronic information boards have been made mandatory and the organisers have also been asked to erect watch towers to monitor movements, he said.
Quoting from IANS, IndiaID provided further details about the never-seen-before security arrangements in the city.
Watch towers, hidden cameras and commandos trained in combating militant strikes are the novel features as the city was wrapped in a thick security blanket for the Durga Puja – the main festival of West Bengal…
And yet, as Kolkata celebrated with a gusto (after all, it had waited one whole year to celebrate this week) under the watchful eyes of police personnel, trained volunteers, QRTs (automatic gun weilding Quick Response Teams), CCTVs et al, there was that little sprinkle of anxiety in some dark recess of the mind that was voiced by Upasana Mallick in The Viewspaper:
Fortunately, my city Kolkata has not witnessed any serial bombings recently, though I am certain that our serene days are counted. I might get blown out at this very moment while I am writing this to you all… It is an unnerving feeling that wakes me up every morning and puts me to sleep each night…
October and November in Kolkata also brought along three other major festivals of 3 others forms of the mother Goddess – Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth), Kali (the destroyer of evil) and Jadaddhatri (the protector of the world).
As Bengalis continued in their revelry, the authorities attempted to keep up the vigil. However, it must be admitted that all of this was taking a heavy toll on the leisure-loving, laid back Bengali mindset. How long could we continue being on “high alert”? The solution? Kolkatans decided to come up with their own arguments as to why Kolkata was a safe haven, where one could continue to live a complacent life amidst all sorts of warnings and dire predictions (after all, we had almost perfected the art of blithely ignoring weather predictions from the Met office, hadn't we?). Sayantani elaborates on her blog:
The general consensus on the impending terrorist insurgency in kolkata, is that it will not happen. because the terror mongers live in Kolkata and they happen to make regular trips to the capital and all over India to do there jobs, like say a normal factory worker would on a regular basis, travel to far out places by local trains, to earn his daily bread. Hence who gives a damn about what  the local nostradamus's say? As it is the Met office can't predict the weather.
This view of the average Kolkatan is summed up in the words of Sayantani's father who confidently says, “They're not going to attack. No one attacks there own house.”
But who are these “they”? Do we know? And is our house really safe, or is it being eaten away by borers from within? Perhaps only time will tell.
Photos: by Aparna Ray

author: Aparna Ray


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Jamaica: Schoolboy Murdered  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

A Jamaican schoolboy is sodomized and murdered, prompting Carlos King at Abeng News Magazine to write an open letter to the Prime Minister and Long Bench to address the issue of “the sexism and deep-seated and destructive hatred of homosexuality that pervades this society” with “people pandering to the notion that some kinds of sexual violence are more important than others, based on which sexual acts were deemed acceptable.”


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Miami Book Fair · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp blogs about his experience at the Miami Book Fair.


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Japan: 2008 Neologisms and Trendy Words · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Presenting this year's 60 neologisms and trendy words [jp], among which only one will be elected representative for 2008, Kôgetsu describes briefly[jp] the events that influenced the choice and Japanese public opinion on the topic this year. His “best three” words are: subprime, tainted rise (事故米) and “Ponyo Ponyo, sakana no ko”. His “best three” news stories are: the resignation of PM Fukuda, the crisis following the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, and the election of Obama. Lastly, Kôgetsu stresses that one of the neologisms, saiban'inko (サイバンインコ) [“lay judge guy”], which he had never heard before, sounds unnatural to him, and he guesses that the Minister of Justice had a hand in its inclusion.


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Japan: Japanese Language in the Age of English · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

The Fall of the Japanese Language in the Age of English [ja], the latest book by Japanese novelist and essayist Minae Mizumura [水村美苗] [en], roused debate among many Japanese bloggers recently over the fate of their national language. In this book, the writer, who had the opportunity to live and receive an education both in Japan and in the U.S., examines the role and future of the Japanese language. Mizumura contextualizes her discussion of this language, used for centuries by many literates and intellectuals to produce works of great literary value, in a modern age in which English is invading all fields of knowledge, to the point of becoming a universal written language used by everyone across the world to communicate.
The first blogger who wrote about the book in enthusiastic terms was Mochio Umeda, who expresses his hope that the work becomes the basis for any future debate over the relationship between English and Japanese. At his blog  My Life Between Silicon Valley and Japan, Umeda-san writes:
この本は今、すべての日本人が読むべき本だと思う。「すべての」と言えば言いすぎであれば、知的生産を志す人、あるいは勉学途上の中学生、高校生、大学生、大学院生(専門はいっさい問わない)、これから先言葉で何かを表現したいと考えている人、何にせよ教育に関わる人、子供を持つ親、そんな人たちは絶対に読むべきだと思う。
一言だけいえば、これから私たちは「英語の世紀」を生きる。ビジネス上英語が必要だからとかそういうレベルの話ではない。英語がかつてのラテン語のように、「書き言葉」として人類の叡智を集積・蓄積していく「普遍語」になる時代を私たちはこれから生きるのだ、と水村は喝破する。そして、そういう時代の英語以外の言葉の未来、日本語の未来、日本人の未来、言語という観点からのインターネットの意味、日本語教育や英語教育の在り方について、本書で思考を続けていく。
少女時代から漱石に耽溺し「続明暗」でデビューした水村の問題提起は、「たとえば今日、2008年11月7日、漱石と同じくらいの天賦の才能を持った子供が日本人として生を受けたとして、その子が知的に成長した将来、果たして日本語で書くでしょうか。自然に英語で書くのではないですか」ということである。放っておけば日本語は、「話し言葉」としては残っても、叡智を刻む「書き言葉」としてはその輝きを失っていくのではないか。「英語の世紀」とはそういう暴力的な時代なのだと皆が認識し、いま私たちが何をすべきか考えなければならない。
Disagreeing with the author of the essay,  blogger id:fromdusktildawn attributes the fall of the Japanese language to the poverty of contents that have been transmitted over the past few years in Japanese, especially by the mass media. He stresses, moreover, that more so than studying Japanese literature, it would be useful if Japanese studied economics, in order to gain the basic knowledge necessary to acquire political awareness:
今後、世界中の、あらゆる価値ある知識は英語で生産され、英語で流通する。
インターネットの普及が、その流れをますます加速している。
世界中の知的にパワフルな人々は、ますます母国語よりも英語で読み、英語で書き、
英語で議論しながら、価値ある学術的成果・文化・商品・サービスを創り上げていくだろう。
[…]
そうして、日本語圏は、三流芸人が軽薄にバカ騒ぎするバラエティー番組や
スポーツマンや芸能人の下半身の話題をさも重大事件のように扱うゴシップ雑誌、
知性のかけらもない動物的で脊髄反射的なネット書き込みばかりがあふれる言論空間に堕ちていく。
書店の本も、ネット上の文章も、日本語のものは、ますます知的に貧弱になり、
英語圏のものは、ますます豊かで豊饒で活力に満ちたものになっていくだろう。
[…]
日本近代文学大好きな小説家である彼女は、以下のような主旨のことを主張する。
「国語」としての日本語の衰退を防ぐために、
日本の学校教育の国語の時間数を増やし、
全ての学生に日本近代文学を読み継がせることを
日本の国語授業の主眼にすべきだ。
[…]
文化のために個々のリアルな人間が存在するのではなく、
個々のリアルな人間の生を豊かにするために文化が存在するのだ。
個々の人間のリアルな生が輝くのなら、日本文化など亡んでもかまわない。
[…]
そもそも、現在の多くの日本国民は、
有権者としての最低限の知識すら身につけていない。
どの政治家に投票すれば、自分たちの暮らしが良くなるのかを
判断するための基礎知識が決定的に欠落しているのだ。
どの政治家に投票すれば暮らしが良くなるのかを知るには、
夏目漱石や芥川龍之介を読むより、
現代経済学の教科書を読む方が、何百倍も効果的だ。
Another blogger, id:repon, disagrees with Mochio Umeda (the first blogger introduced in this article), explaining that he doesn't feel the same sense of crisis about the Japanese language  reported by Umeda-san and also described by [ja] blogger Dan Kogai:
僕には、id:umedamochioさんやid:dankogaiさんが「日本語が危ない」と「危機感」を持つ、その危機感とやらがさっぱりわかりません。
英語は道具、日本語は「国語」。そうなっていくだけのことですよ。
それは危機でも何でもありません。
英語は「国語」にはなりませんよ。
「国民とはイメージとして心に描かれた想像の政治共同体である」とベネディクト・アンダーソンはその主著「想像の共同体」で述べています。
国民という概念は近代になって創造されたものなんですよね。
その「国民」概念を支えているのが、共通言語として作られた「国語」なんです。
「国語」は、簡単には衰退しませんよ。
グローバリズムが簡単に国民国家や民族や宗教を駆逐するどころか、かえって強化したように。
Blogger id:essa (Taku Nakajima) agrees at with id:repon in the belief that the Japanese language, if it were to face a crisis, would come up against a centripetal force that works to conserve language as a symbol of the nation:
確かに、グローバリズムに対抗する形で、民族や宗教の力は強まっている。でも、基本的にはその力は国民国家を解体する方向へ作用すると見るべきだと思う。どこの国でも、国民国家は内と外に引き裂かれて消滅しようとしている。
[…]
日本という国は、明治以降になってから明確に外国の存在を意識して人為的に作られた国であり、江戸以前の日本とは別の国だ。夏目漱石は自分が生まれた頃に新しく作られた、その近代日本という国において、どういう言語を使ったらいいかということを生涯のテーマとした人だ。
[…]
だから、明治維新で作られた近代的な国民国家としての日本が消滅した時に、何が出てくるか予想つかない。それがイメージできない分だけ私にも実感がわかない所もあるが、国民国家としての日本は消えつつあり、漱石に象徴される一つの言語が亡びつつあるのだと思う。
そういう意味で、「あたし彼女」はやはり象徴的だ。あれは、夏目漱石の使った言葉とは違う言語だけど、枕草子には接続できるような気がする。


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Malaysia: Are the police being too brutal? · Global Voices
Daniel Chandranayagam

Last year, on November 10th, 40,000 Malaysians attended the BERSIH Rally, the civil society coalition for a clean and fair elections. The coalition started out as a Joint Action Committee for Electoral Reform, formed in July 2005. Now, the coalition’s objective is to push for a thorough reform of the electoral process in Malaysia, including a freer and fairer press.
According to a blog report:
Whatta day!! If you were expecting a cool “Walk for Justice”-type scene, you were in for a big surprise!! It was no walk in the park….
- 40,000 people
– 4000 Police – Dataran Merdeka was sealed off by a wall of Policemen.
– Police fired water cannons and tear gas at Masjid Jamek.
– Roadblocks on ALL roads leading into KL.
– 29 people arrested, 24 released
– The cops could not stop 40,000 people from marching from KL city centre to the Istana Negara to hand over the memorandum to the Agong [the King].
An anniversary rally was organised this year, not only to commemorate one of the biggest protest marches held in Malaysia, but to also celebrate the release of Raja Petra Kamaruddin (RPK), who had been held in detention without trial. What transpired that evening turned out to be much more than just a candlelight vigil that had been planned.
According to blogger Antares:
Got a call from a friend who said the cops had forced her to turn back at a roadblock, so she decided to go home… Polis patrol cars were cruising up & down and the crowd started walking slowly towards the PJ Civic Center. Decided to WALK WITH RPK (literally) and when I got to the Civic Center, the Red Helmets were already lined up and beating their shields to scare people. Polis sirens were wailing just for effect. It appeared they had been instructed to intimidate & terrorize the peaceful rakyat gathered there simply because we value democracy and love this nation too much to allow it to be turned into a pirates’ lair by a bunch of Scumno scoundrels.
Apparently, there were roadblocks throughout Petaling Jaya, the suburbs on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. A vigil to free Raja Petra Kamaruddin had been held in a field in the suburbs every week since his detention. Since his release, the vigil was to be held together with the BERSIH one-year rally.
KKitSam says:
… i realized that the police had roadblocks all over PJ, blocking cars to the field in front of Amcorp Mall. I then parked my car near MBPJ building and walked there. Apparently the police didn’t stops me going there but i saw them questioning those who wore FREE RPK/I AM WITH RPK shirt.
Many had gathered at the field. Angela told us that the police had asked us to disperse because we didn’t have permit to gather at the PUBLIC PARK. The police also said we need to be at a closed area, not OPEN AREA. The turnout was very good, even with roadblocks closing all the roads for cars, a few hundreds managed to walk there and gathered in front of the Amcorp Mall at the car park. By 9pm, FRU  [Federal Reserve Unit] has lined up and pushed the peoples into the mall.
News reports state that the crowd dispersed from the field to a nearby commercial area, where a popular multi-purpose hall, the Civics Centre, was located. At the Civic Centre, blogger and witness Chin Yau Chia wrote:
Reached Civic centre, greeted Marina, and the short ceremony begun. Both of us was standing outside the crowd. We heard Tony [Pua – Opposition MP present at the rally] said that if there's no BERSIH rally, he will probably not been elected. Then we started singing “Negara Ku” [Malaysia's national anthem], when we are about to finish, FRU charged us. It seems that they have specific targets. I saw them chasing after a young Indian guy, and got him finally. We quickly walked away as we are not able to help at that instance. A few FRUs passed us by, but they did nothing to us. Some plainclothes, one Chinese plainclothes, was shouting at us chasing us to leave the venue. So now I know, our Police force is used against the orderly people, people who are seeking for justice, not to combat crime.
The pandemonium appears to have occurred while a crowd of about 100 citizens were singing the national anthem. The police walked into the crowd to disperse them midway through the song. ICFJ trainee citizen journalism vloggers, Lesly Lee and  Christine Chan, caught the following clip.
What followed was the arrest of twenty-three people, including Opposition MP, Tony Pua, state assemblyman, Lau Weng San, a Malaysiakini video journalist and activist, Angela Ooi . According to Sivin Kit:
A 53-year-old woman named Dian Abdullah was attacked from behind by a few policemen, causing her to fall and injure the back of her head. A bystander took her to the hospital where she received four stitches for the cut.
MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, Tony Pua and Kampung Tunku state assemblyman Lau Weng San were manhandled and punched respectively. A PAS member was set upon by six police officers on the five-foot-way right outside Lotus Restaurant.
Blogger Melvin Mah reports:
We established that 24 were arrested. Angela Ooi, the girl actively in the anti-ISA vigil in Seremban was one of them, Augustine, Arif Abdull – a fellow blogger, the priest Father Paulino from the [Divine] Mercy church in Shah Alam. We thought Ronnie was also arrested. He was released immediately becuase the police apparently saw him trying to approach them to request for time before dispersing.
Tony [Pua] was dragged by Special Branch into the Black Maria truck. Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San was assaulted by a special Branch man whom he managed to identify, but the man responsible was rude, refused to reveal his identity. Some of the organizing team for the vigil in Penang including were arrested as well.
… Chris’ friend, Dian was dragged behind and fell down, her son arrested and her husband dragged by the Special Branch. The bleeding was so profuse that she was taken to the Assunta hospital, requiring 4 stitches. Another woman, while attempting to run away from the melee, struck her head onto a pot plant, head bleeding profusely.
The Malaysiakini videographer, who was there to record the event was also arrested. He also recorded RPK's word or two at the Civic Centre before he was taken away.
All but one of those detained were released the following day. In addition, news reports quoted Chief Police Officer (CPO) Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar as saying that he did not hear the national anthem being sung when his men moved in to disperse the crowd which had violated the law by taking part in an illegal assembly.
Blogger Haris Ibrahim responds:
Now, Khalid, if you did not hear the Negaraku being sung at the impromptu Dewan Sivik vigil, why did you not react with ‘What anthem? No-one was singing Negaraku?’ when told that vigilers had complained that your men charged into them whilst they were singing Negaraku, rather than “That is what they are claiming”, as reported in Malaysiakini.
If Khalid truly did not hear the singing, it could be for only one of two reasons.
He wasn’t at the scene.
Or he’s stone deaf.
…From the moment I got there until we began to disperse at about 9.40-9.45pm, the national anthem was sung only once, a little after 9.30pm.
Civil society groups condemn the arrests, especially on the use of force, the repression of assembly and expression and the disrespect shown to the national anthem, and Malaysian bloggers are up in arms on the whole episode.
Master Wordsmith writes:
For some of us, we may be telling ourselves that we may not ever dare to venture to a candle light vigil. Some may opine that the more they suppress us, the louder will be our voices resounding through whatever space that we can use.
For what it was worth, the recent arrests have left the IT savvy English speaking segment and some of the Bersih crowd and their networks seething with rage. I was very angry too but is anger alone enough? You see, that is the very reaction that our enemies want to create in the hearts and minds of the citizens. Do we then succumb to their conniving plot?
… many more need to rise above the induced fear and anger. The mass consciousness in Malaysia is constantly being manipulated by those in power to believe that we have no other choice than what is being thrust on us now.
Master Wordsmith was arrested for organising an anti-ISA rally in Penang, another Malaysian state, on 15th November, a week after the arrests in Petaling Jaya. A parallel event near the capital took place on the same evening without incident.

author: Daniel Chandranayagam


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Morocco: Rustic Picnic  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan blog My Marrakesh takes us on a rustic picnic and here are the photographs.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Myanmar: Long prison terms for dissidents · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

This was not a good week for Myanmar’s democracy movement. During the past week, more than 60 people were sentenced to many years of imprisonment for participating in activities deemed subversive by the ruling Junta.
On Monday a popular blogger and young entrepreneur was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for keeping defaced images of national leaders in his email inbox.
On Tuesday about 39 activists, including five monks, and 14 members of 88 Generation Students group, were handed prison terms of up to 65 years. The 88 Generation Students group is a loose grouping of Myanmar's most prominent human rights activists Last August 2007, the group organized a non-violent protest walk against high oil prices. The protest was successful. Hundreds of ordinary Burmese people joined the protest. The 88 students group members were immediately arrested by the Junta.
On Thursday 19 dissidents were sentenced to up to eleven years imprisonment on charges of “disturbing public order, resisting officials on duty and illegal assembly.” The defendants included 11 members of the opposition party National League for Democracy.
The prison list is expanding. Some of the prisoners have been transferred to remote jails.  Rule of lords cites some of the cases of the detained activists:
Saw Wai – A poet was sentenced to two years for “upsetting public tranquility.” His crime: He wrote a concealed anti-dictator message into a Valentine’s Day poem.
Ma Su Su New – He was sentenced to 12 years and six months for leading the protests against the government last year.
Bo Bo Win Naing – He got eight years for joining the protests.
Win Maw – A musician who got six years “for sending false news abroad, even though it wasn’t false, and there wasn’t any evidence against him to correspond with the elements of the charge.”
A young female journalist from Econ Vision Weekly Journal has been sentenced to two years in jail for covering the Nargis cyclone news.
What is the motive of the Junta for handing out these ridiculously long sentences? Khun Tun explains:
“These are brutal shock tactics. Clearly the junta is determined to ensure that the elections it plans for 2010 as part of its roadmap to democracy suffer no disruption and that the population will be sufficiently cowed not to repeat what happened in 1990. That was when it organized multi-party elections but refused to honor the results after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won an overwhelming victory.”
Clearly, the aim of the Junta was to intimidate dissident groups and warn the people that if they join the protest actions or write something that embarrasses the Junta, they may face a jail term of up to 65 years.
Blogger sentenced to 20 years
Popular blogger Nay Phone Latt was given a sentence of 20 years and six months “for having defaced images of national leaders, writings and cartoons in his email inbox, and for having had contact with other people involved in the protests.”
But Nay Phone Latt is not a political blogger. He owns several internet shops. The Junta may be sending a strong message to other internet shop owners about the need to cooperate with the government. Since January, the Junta has increased its surveillance of the internet:
“The Burmese authorities have stepped up their surveillance of the Internet since the start of January, reportedly pressuring Internet café owners to register the personal details (name, address and so on) of all users and to program (and save) screen captures every five minutes on each computer. All this data is apparently then sent to the communication ministry.”
Melody clarifies that her friend, Nay Phone Latt, is not very political.
“He is only an artist/author who did write poems, articles about his opinions and ideas without interference through his blog. We just know him as ordinary youth but he has been to be NLD youth member once. And he never persuaded any bloggers about politics. This electronic act is really really unfair treatment upon youth and all Myanmar people who are in IT field.”
She is referring to the 12-year-old law which was used to justify the government’s case against the blogger. The 1996 Computer Science Development Law contains provisions that are so broad that any internet activity can be deemed illegal. New Mandala highlights these provisions:
“The first article of Chapter XII, Offences and Penalties, reads as follows:
33. Whoever commits any of the following acts by using electronic transactions technology shall, on conviction be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend from a minimum of 7 years to a maximum of 15 years and may also be liable to a fine:
(a) doing any act detrimental to the security of the State or prevalence of law and order or community peace and tranquillity or national solidarity or national economy or national culture.
(b) receiving or sending and distributing any information relating to secrets of the security of the State or prevalence of law and order or community peace and tranquillity or national solidarity or national economy or national culture.
Clearly, just about anything could be a violation of this section. If you’re one of the estimated 300,000 people in Myanmar who now goes within reaching distance of a computer with an online connection, then you can be found guilty of something.”
The Irrawaddy quotes a lawyer who believes that the new law was invoked instead of the usual Section 5(j) of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act so that the Junta can tell the international community that Myanmar has no political prisoners in the jails, only criminals.


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Nagorno Karabakh: Insular View · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Security in the Caucasus comments on the recent declaration signed by the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian presidents in Moscow regarding the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh. The blog finds it ironic that opposition and nationalist groups have reacted to it in the way they have and wonders what they propose instead.


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Pakistan: GEO TV News Blocked? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Teeth Maestro is reporting that the transmission of Geo News, a Dubai based Pakistani news channel and other channels of the GEO TV network have been blocked in most parts of Karachi.


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Pakistan: Mother of Dolls · Global Voices
Rezwan

Light Within portrays Dr. Senta Siller, who mobilized the women in a remote Pakistani village and led them from the front to make hand crafted dolls in traditional Pakistani attires for collectors’ delight and for the gift market.


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Peru: Art Exhibit Depicting Saints Causes Controversy and Possible Censorship · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Approximately one month ago, the exhibit “Migration of the Saints” was inaugurated at the gallery Vértice located in the Lima neighborhood of San Isidro.  The works by the artist Cristina Planas are iconoclastic in nature, and portrays the saints in an unconventional format. In the blog Palabras Van y Vienen II [es], M. Isabel Guerra interviews Planas, where she talks about why she chose this subject matter:
Los santos están en los altares, pero antes de estar allí fueron seres humanos y vivieron en esta tierra … Estoy disponiendo la galería como si fuera una gran iglesia antigua; en lo que sería el altar principal está en Señor de los Milagros … al lado derecho, “a la diestra del Señor”, a San Martín y Santa Rosa, los santos que son, digamos, oficiales, y a la izquierda está Sarita Colonia, la santa popular pero que no ha sido reconocida por el Vaticano.
en la actualidad ya no matan a nadie con espinas ni con clavos, sino más bien con armas de fuego, entre otras cosas. Por eso al Cristo Moreno lo he retratado como clavado de fusiles, en vez de coronado de espinas; a Sarita la he ubicado en su combi; a San Martín lo he caracterizado como un muchacho de barrio; y a Santa Rosa como a la mujer apasionada que es capaz de disfrutar de su proceso vital.
The saints are located on altars, but before they arrived there, they were human beings and lived on this earth … I am arranging the gallery as if it was a great antique church; and on the main altar is the Lord of the Miracles … “on the right hand side of the Lord” are Saint Martín and Saint Rosa, the saints, who are ‘official’, and on the left there is Sarita Colonia, the popular saint that has not been recognized by the Vatican.
Nowadays, they no longer kill people with thorns or with nails, but with firearms, among other things.  That is why the Black Christ was portrayed as being nailed with rifles, instead of being crowned with thorns; Sarita was placed in her combi (public bus); Saint Martín was characterized as a man from the neighborhood; and Saint Rosa as a passionate woman capable of enjoying her vital processes.
The manner in which the saints were portrayed was not the only thing that attracted attention, but also because the saints were dressed only in their undergarments.  This generated a wide variety of reactions, from those who were in favor of showing another side to the saints, one of being more human, to those who were offended because they considered that it was irreverent the way that the sacred figures were portrayed. However, the events took on another turn when prior to the exhibit's conclusion, the Municipality of San Isidro closed the gallery [es] alleging that there were problems with the operating muncipical license.  The Director of the gallery, Rosario Wenzel, published a note in the blog Arte Nuevo [es] where she refuted some of the claims:
6. Debemos señalar que no es cierto que la Galería Vértice carezca de la respectiva Licencia de funcionamiento ni que no cuente con el Certificado emitido por Defensa Civil, aún cuando podrá haber existido un problema administrativo de actualización del RUC, el cual ya ha sido solucionado.
7. Es evidente que el cierre físico de la Galería Vértice se ha llevado a cabo por la presión de un grupo ultraísta, que no representa a la comunidad católica, de la cual somos respetuosos, y lo que es más grave, las personas que han expresado su disconformidad no han visitado la muestra y se han dejado llevar por la opinión tendenciosa de gente desinformada, fanática y llena de prejuicios, que estamos seguros no comparte la mayoría de las personas pensantes.
6. It is not true that the Vértice Gallery lacks the proper operating license or lacks the certification given by Civil Defense, and there could have been an administrative problem with the current validity of the RUC, but it has already been addressed.
7.  It is apparent that the physical closure of the Vértice Gallery was caused by the pressure from a radical group, which does not represent the Catholic community, of which we are very respectful towards, and the most serious aspect of this matter is that those persons that have expressed their discomfort had not even visited the exhibit and allowed themselves to be swayed by the opinion of misinformed people, who are full of prejudices and we are sure that they do not share the opinions of the majority of people.
Amazilia of Perú Apartheid [es] does not see the basis for the scandal:
En principio no entiendo por que encuentran estas figuras ofensivas, aunque presentadas en forma poco convencional se les guarda el respeto debido, estan como estarian en cualquier otra iglesia, no se que es lo que les molesta más: la ropa interior o las expresiones faciales. Pero en los 2000 años de arte cristiano no ha habido trasgresiones mas bizarras?
I don't understand why they found those figures to be offensive, and even though they were presented in an unconventional format, they were still presented with the proper respect, as if they were in any other church.  I don't know if they were upset for the underwear or for their facial expressions.  In the past 2000 years of Christian art, hasn't there been more bizarre examples?
Some other bloggers see the other side, such as Guille of Pueblo Vruto [es] who writes:
O la señora Planas ignora el valor de los santos para las personas religiosas o intenta burlarse de ellas. Es obvio que para los fieles y devotos la gracia del santito radica en que se trata de un modelo de vida espiritual que no solamente reduce la importancia de lo físico (material) sino que, incluso, combate su centralidad… No se trata del simple afán de proponer una estética “alternativa”: claramente se subvierte la estética “corriente” (oficial, canónica, etc) con un anti-valor. Los santos de Cristina Planas no “migran”: se trastocan hasta la negación y el (auto) rechazo.
Either Mrs. Planas ignores the value of saints for the religious persons or she tries to make fun of them. It is obvious that for the faithful and devoted, the grace of the saints are found in that they are model for the spiritual life.  This also includes the physical (material) aspect, which is important for their centrality… It does not deal with simply proposing a simple aesthetic “alternative”: clearly it subverts the “ordinary” aesthetic (official, canonical, etc.) with an anti-values aesthetic.  The saints of Cristina Planas do not “migrate”: they alter towards the negation and the (self) rejection.
Many are left wondering about the cause-and-effect aspect of the closure of the gallery. Luis of Bloodyhell [es] writes:
Aún no tengo los suficientes elementos de juicio para saber si lo de Vértice fue una censura o no. Pero sí tengo los suficientes elementos para comprender que sería más interesante que los artistas se animaran -a la luz de estas expresiones últimas de, según se dice, intolerancia o ignorancia estética de los mal llamados “fanáticos religiosos”- no a decir que la religión es importante para el “pueblo peruano” o a admirarse del fervor de esta nación “católica”, sino a alertar y pensar sobre todo lo chueco y malsano que una religión es capaz de producir. O sea, es hora de ofender a la religión.
Hay un comentario que leí por ahí que me pareció muy lógico. Dice lo siguiente, parafraseo: “¿cómo así me piden respetar el arte cuando los artistas no respetan mis creencias?”. Muy cierto. Súper cierto. 100 bonus points. La respuesta es así: no, nadie pide que respetes el arte. Es más, nadie pide que respetes nada. Tu irrespeto es ilimitado, sin fronteras y puede contener toda la ira y el desprecio de lo que tu cerebro es capaz. Solo hay una restricción: cumplir la ley, escritas, aunque te parezca increíble, por los hombres, que pensaron cosas muy diferentes a Dios. Por lo tanto, no puedes ir a una galería de arte y quemar aquello que te parece ofensivo y que no respetas. Serías detenido por eso. Pero sí puedes decir y escribir sobre el arte todo lo que tú quieras. O, mejor, podrías ser un artista religioso y dedicar tus obras al Señor, obras que, claro, lo respeten. Dudo mucho que le importe, pero bueno, eres libre. ¿Y sabes qué? Esa libertad de expresarte no te la dio Dios: te la dieron los hombres.
I still don't have enough evidence to judge whether the (closure) of Vértice was censorship or not.  I do, however, have enough evidence to understand that it would be more interesting if the artist would be willing to – in light of the latest intolerance and ignorance of the so-called “religious fanatics” – not say that religion is important for the “Peruvian people” or admire the fervor of this “Catholic” nation, but alert and reflect about all of the twisted and unhealthy aspects that religion is capable of producing.  In other words, it is time to offend religion.
There is a comment that I read that appeared to be very logical.  It says, paraphrased, “How can they ask me to respect art, when the artists don't respect my beliefs?”  It is true, very true.  100 bonus points.  The answer is the following: no one asks you to respect art. It is more, no one asks you to respect anything. You disrespect is unlimited, without borders, and can contain all of the anger and disdain that your brain is capable of.  There is only one restriction: follow the law, even if it seems to be unbelievable, as man thinks differently than God.  You cannot go to an art gallery and burn all that you think is offensive and that you don't respect.  You will be arrested for that. You can, however, say and write all that you want about art.  Or better, you can be a religious artist and dedicate you work to the God, works that would be respected. I doubt that it matters to you, you are free. You know what?  That freedom of expression is not given to you by God, man gave it to you.

author: Juan Arellano


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Saudi Arabia: Marriage Restrictions  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi Jeans is annoyed his country's 150-member Shura (consultative) Council rejected a law to simplify the regulations of Saudi marriages to foreigners. “I do not understand the harsh restrictions enforced on citizens who want to marry foreigners. Why should the government bother with who one chooses to marry?” he asks.


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Syria: Art of Dialogue  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“An argument in olden Arab times was like a dance. People wooed each other, rejected or accepted, negotiated, insulted and convinced each other using subtle messages & connotations, all applied courteously,” notes 50% Syrian.


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Syria: Misquoted  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian blogger Rime Allaf says she was misquoted in a Press interview. “I have been misquoted in the past, about more “serious” issues resulting in strange statements, but I think this one takes the lead as the most ridiculous misquote,” she notes.


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Syria: No More Bab el Hara · Global Voices
Razan Ghazzawi

Ayman Haykal [Ar] links to a report published on Haaretz that says the Israeli cellular provider, Cellcom, made a profit of approximately 400.000 shekels per month this year from the Syrian soap opera, Bab El Hara (Neighborhood Gateway).

author: Razan Ghazzawi


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Trinidad & Tobago: Accountability  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“More than three years have passed already since the Saturday morning in October 2005 when thousands of Trinidadians marched through the streets of Port of Spain to protest the Manning government's failure to deal with spiralling murder and kidnapping rates, widespread public anxiety, and the profound social inequalities behind these”: Nicholas Laughlin thinks “it is time to get angry again.”


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Bahrain: Playground politics? · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Bahraini blogger Yagoob is not impressed with the behaviour of a member of parliament who followed another member to Kuwait to make sure he didn't taint Bahrain's reputation at a conference: “What next? Is he going to give out spankings for any MPs who say something he doesn’t like?…Now if he were to snitch to a teacher back at school, he would probably have got a monster wedgie during recess…“

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Bangladesh: First Heritage Lodge · Global Voices
Rezwan

Mikey Leung at JoyBangla.info reviews the first heritage accommodation property in Bangladesh.


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Barbados: Arrests Made in Russian Girl’s Murder  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Keltruth Corp. reports that “two St. Philip men have been arrested and charged with the murder of Anna Druzhinina which occurred at Palmers Plantation House in St. John, Barbados.”


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Barcamp Saigon 2008 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

David attends the 2008 Barcamp Saigon. It was his first time to participate in a Barcamp.


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Bermuda: Identify Yourself · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

More on the Bermudian Expat ID card issue here and here.


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Bhutan: On Thimphu · Global Voices
Rezwan

Most Beautiful Cities in the World describes about Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan: “It's expensive to visit Bhutan, and expensive to stay here – a deliberate policy to keep tourism at a low level. Bhutan is poor in material goods, but boundlessly rich in other qualities contentment, inner peace and dignity.”


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Bolivia: Challengers in Next Presidential Elections · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Miguel Buitrago of MABB speculates on some possible challengers to Evo Morales in the presidential election scheduled for December 2009 in Bolivia.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: Reflections of a Bridge Blogger · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Roland from ESWN posts his presentation, “reflections of a bridge blogger”, for Chinese blogger conference in his blog. (He failed to attend the gathering because of family emergency.)


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Costa Rica: Free Trade Agreement Ready For Implementation · Global Voices
Roy Rojas

The approval of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States passed through a long process, which included a nationwide Referendum in which the “Yes” vote emerged victorious. In order to put the agreement into action, the Costa Rican Legislature had to pass a series of 13 laws so that the FTA can be implemented.  However, there were delays due to the fact that the Assembly was unable to come to consensus, and many point to the actions of those in the opposition, who supported the No position for blocking the process.  However, the laws were passed last week and the Agreement takes effect January 1, 2009.
To fully understand why the agreement was complicated, especially since there have been so many opinions that have been expressed, some point to the information campaigns. Citizens often are not 100% sure whether it will be beneficial or not, which is something that Cristian Cambronero of Fusil de Chispas [es] said during the campaign season:
A estas alturas, el texto del TLC es como el de los Salmos, significa una cosa o la otra según el predicador que la anuncie
At this point, the FTA text can be read like the book of Psalms.  It means one thing to one person, and another to the preacher.
Possibly that is why it is taking so long to approve the laws. However, for some, that is unacceptable since the people approved the FTA through a vote, and the Assembly should fulfill the will of the people.  JP Zuniga thinks that those who do not want to recognize the vote should be punished.
Yo creo que hacer una petición para una renegociación del TLC con Estados Unidos en nombre de Costa Rica es sedición.
I think to make a petititon asking for the renegotiation of the FTA with the United States in Costa Rica's name is sedition.
The article mentioned by Zuniga involves several syndicate and political organizations, primarily from the left, who are asking for a renegotiation of the Agreement. As mentioned in the petition, they are asking the incoming government of president-elect Barack Obama to renegotiate some of the polemic topics, such as the ones dealing with the environment, labor, intellectual property, and food security.
Cristivilla's blog is critical [es] in his blog:
No seamos ilusos, a la potencia del norte nunca le hemos importado, ni Costa Rica ni Amèrica Latina, a no ser que esto convenga a sus intereses…
En el plano de Costa Rica, el TLC no es ni mas ni menos que una jugada polìtica para abrir las telecomunicaciones y los seguros, o sea, entregar a manos de las multinacionales, el patrimonio de todos los costarricenses.
Let's not be deceived, we have never mattered to the power from the North, not Costa Rica or Latin America, for not being something that is not in their interests…
In the plan of Costa Rica, the FTA is not more or less a political move to open up the telecommunications and insurance sectors, or in other words, to hand the national wealth of Costa Ricans.
La Suiza Centroamericana [es] writes:
El TLC SI es una herramienta que, junto con un proyecto más amplio de desarrollo económico impulsará, un crecimiento sostenido que redunde en beneficios para todos.
YES, the FTA is a vehicle, combined with the wider economic development plan will propel a sustained growth that will benefit everyone.
Finally, with that chapter behind them the Costa Ricans can think about the future and work together for a common good, in spite of the differences as demonstrated in the long process to approve the FTA, as The News Star [es] writes:
En fin, ahora a los costarricenses independientemente de la postura que tuvimos en el referendo, ya sea a favor del Si o del No, tenemos que mirar hacia una misma dirección, y luchar por una Costa Rica mejor.
In the end, now independent of the position that the Costa Ricans took in the Referendum, whether it was supporting the Yes or No, we must look towards the same direction and fight for a better Costa Rica.

author: Roy Rojas


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Egypt Ranks High in Corruption · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Egypt ranks 115 in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index, which tracks 180 countries by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.  The rankings are in ascending order, with the more corrupt countries scoring higher ranks.
Transparency International, Donzella writes about her country's ranking, in Arabic:


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Guyana: A Snake Story  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal says that her life sometimes feels “like endless days of stories, anecdotes, drama, comedy, tragic-comedy, punctuated by…ssssssssnake!”


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India: Podcasts · Global Voices
Rezwan

Here are links to some podcasts by Indian bloggers. Kiruba Shankar interviewed Benjamin Wegg Prosser, the director of LiveJournal. Kamla Bhatt interviewed Yogen Dalal of Mayfield Fund, Mitchell Baker of Mozilla and Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn which were broadcast in LiveMint Radio.


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Indonesia: Earthquake displaces thousands · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit north Sulawesi in Indonesia last Monday displacing thousands of residents. A tsunami warning was also issued by the authorities.


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Indonesia: Pesta Blogger 2008 · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Five bloggers from different countries have joined Indonesia's Pesta Blogger 2008, a blogging trip and festival.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Poetic Obama · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaicans Geoffrey Philp's Blogspot and Poet in Wisconsin both post poems in honour of Barack Obama.


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Japan and the U.S: Debt Crisis · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Observing Japan comments on the debt crises in Japan ad the U.S.: For the past two decades, Japan has fallen from a great height, and barring adjustments, it may have further to fall. The US may yet experience a similar decline.


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Japan: Prostitution history · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

nj from neojaponisme blogs an interesting episode on the history of prostitution in Japan.


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Another Separation between North Korea and South Korea  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

North Korea has announced that it will close the land border and cut non-military phone links with South Korea [BBC News]. Relations between North Korea and South Korea have been cooling down rapidly since the new government in South Korea and South Koreans are disconcerted by this sudden announcement.
Many netizens don’t think that the hard-line policy that the new South Korean government has been suggesting toward North Korea is smart for the national interest and are afraid that it will result in disadvantages in terms of security, economy, and international relations. Especially, the emergence of the new US President has made South Koreans wonder what’s next on the North Korea agenda.
어떤 정부도 경제와 외교를 소홀히 다룰 수 없다는 것은 알고 있다. 과거 군사 독재 정부부터 말이다. 경제와 국익을 가장 많이 강조한 정권 중 하나가 이명박 정부이다. 경제를 강조해서 권력을 잡은 것도 사실이다. 이명박 대통령은 틈만 있으면 실용외교니 국익을 위해서는 무엇이든지 해야 한다는 말을 했다. 이런 사고를 가진 정부가 북한 문제에 대해서는 왜 그렇게 꽉 막혔는지 잘 이해가 되지 않는다. 혹여 아직도 과거 김대중, 노무현 정권이 퍼주기만 했다고 생각해 그런 것이라면 지금 당장 사고를 전환하길 바란다. 그런 사고로는 결코 북한 문제를 풀수 없을 뿐만 아니라 6자 회담 당사국들에게 무시당할 수밖에 없다. 지금 북한 군부의 말이 하루가 다르게 강경해 지고 있다. 그 정도를 볼 때 10년 전으로 돌아간 느낌이다. 10년 전 김영삼 정부 때 남북관계는 사실상 소통 불능 상태였다. 김일성 사망으로 조문 논쟁이 붙었을 때가 최고조를 달렸다. 남북 긴장관계를 유지해 우리에게 도움될 일은 하나도 없다. 과거 독재시절 긴장조성을 해 정권를 유지하기 위해서가 아니라면 말이다. 과거는 우리가 그냥 흘러버리거나 버리는 것이 아니다 라는 생각을 늘 지도자나 정부는 해야 하는데 언제 그런 일이 있어나 하며 지나쳐 버리는 것이 참 아쉽다. 햇볕정책이나 화해정책이 퍼주기라며 그렇게 난리를 쳤던 신문들은 그 어떤 대안이나 비판도 없이 그냥 비난만 해 온 세월이 지난 10년 남북문제었다. 지금 북한 문제는 현대 아산이 아무리 잘 해보려고 해도 정부의 도움 없이는 아무것도 할 수 없다는 것을 다들 알고 있다. 개성공단 역시 정부의 뒷받침 없이 그 어떤 것도 쉽게 해결 할 수 있는 문제가 없다. 이산 가족문제 역시 아무리 혈육을 만나고 싶어도 개인이 할 수 있는 일은 없다. 정부는 남북문제를 원칙만 강조한 채 강 건너 불구경 하는 모습이 답답할뿐이다. 미국의 대통령이 된 오바마는 부시의 대북 정책과는 다르게 갈 것이라는 것은 이미 전문가들이 예견을 한 상황이다. 일본 역시 지금 북한과 납치 문제로 실마리를 찾지 못하고 있지만 우리 정부 보다는 북한 문제를 더 빠르게 접근할 수 있는 위치에 있다. 남은 것은 우리 정부의 태도이다. 중국과 러시아는 북한과의 관계에서 우리 보다 몇 발짝 앞서가고 있다. 문제는 우리만 10년 전 상황으로 시계를 돌리고 있다는 것이다. 6자회담 당사자들 중 북한과의 관계가 가장 좋지 않는 나라가 우리나라이다. 이것은 다른 모든 것을 제외하고 외교로만 보아도 결코 우리에게 득이 될 것이 없다. 이명박 정부의 대북 정책은 남한에서 일부 인사들에게만 통할 뿐 6자 회담 당사자들에게는 전혀 통하지 않고 있다. 오바마 당선자 역시 북한과 직접 대화를 통해 풀어가겠다고 하는데 우리만 남의 일처럼 바라는 보는 것이 오늘 북한 문제이다. 북한은 금강산 관광객 피살 사태 이 후 계속 남한 정부에 강경책이다. 그 사건 이후 금강산 관광 중단 사태를 불렀고 개성공단 문제가 심심치 않게 나왔고 끝내는 이산가족 문제까지 들고 나왔다.[…] 지금 한반도 정세를 보았을 때 이명박 정부의 대북 정책은 국익에 아무런 도움이 되지 않는다는 것이다.[…]반대로 한반도 문제는 미국의 어떤 태도를 취하느냐에 따라 많은 변수가 생긴다. 부시 정책과 달리 오바마 정책은 남북문제만큼은 더 나을 수 있다는 생각이 든다. 이런 점을 이용할 수 있는 정부가 되어야 한다.
Not a few netizens talk about what advantages the Sunshine Policy[En] which had been criticized in public actually brought to the Korean Peninsula.
지금 북한의 태도는 이명박의 대북압박정책이 완전히 실패했음을 여실히 보여주고 있다. 한마디로 대한민국은 무능에 판단력 부족까지 겹친 이명박 때문에 경제 뿐만 아니라 안보, 외교 등 모든 방면으로 철저히 망해 가고 있는것이다. 기업 이윤에 한평생을 눈 감아버린 현대 정주영 왕회장이, 아무 소득도 없는 불모의 땅에 도락구에 소까지 끌고 가 이룬 남북경제 교류였지 않는가? 그 열매인 금강산관광, 이산가족상봉, 면회소설치, 개성공단건설등등..남북간화해의 물꼬는 얼어붙은 한반도의 냉기류를 봄눈 녹듯이 한순간에 녹아내렸다.그랬던 남북관계가 정권이 바뀌자마자 급속도로 냉각되고 급기야는 북한으로부터 통미봉남의 원인과 단초를 제공하고 말았으며 오바마의 당선으로 이명박의 입지는 더욱 좁혀지고 있다.이는 이명박 스스로가 저지른 자업자득이다.문제는 그 피해가 막대하다는데 있다.[…] 이명박과 좃중동을 비롯한 수구냉전세력들은 지난 10년 내내 일방적 퍼주기라고 국민들을 선동질해댔습니다.반박합니다. 그 퍼준것의 몇십배의 경제효과를 가져온게 대한민국입니다. 주가 2000 ..?? 그것은 햇볕정책의 결과,안보불안증 해소로 인한 외국투자자의 거대유치가 없었으면 불가능한 거였습니다. 그토록 퍼주기 퍼주기라 하던 그 퍼주기 안하는 지금 나라꼴은 어떤가요? 남북관계 경색되면서 바로 안보불안증으로 이어지고 그 퍼주기란 돈의 몇십배의 외국투자자들이 국내서 썰물처럼 빠져나갔습니다.[…]
However, many others are upset about this sudden announcement from North Korea.
금강산 관광객 피격사건과 개성공단 폐쇄 공갈을 보면 북한의 본 모습이 어떤 것인가를 우리에게 제대로 보여준 사건이었다. 아무런 무장도 하지 않은 민간인, 그것도 관광을 위해 온 사람에게 제대로 경고조차 하지 않은 채 조준사격을 해서 사살했다는 것은 지금도 도저히 이해할 수 없는 일이고 북한정권에 더많은 해택이 돌아가는 개성공단 폐쇄 운운하며 공갈을 일삼고 남남갈등을 부축이는 김정일 정권을 보니 인내의 한계에 이른다. 그런데도 북한은 관광객 피격사건에 대해 지금까지 사과 한 마디 없이 오히려 피살당한 관광객과 관광객을 제대로 통제하지 못했다며 관광주체인 현대 아산 측과 우리정부에 그 책임을 돌리는 처사로 일관하고 있다. 우리정부가 북한의 비위를 맞추지 않는다고 이제는 개성공단을 폐쇄한다는 공갈을 하고있다. 우리의 원조를 받을때는 ‘민족공조’니 ‘우리 민족끼리’니 하면서 동포애를 강조했던 북한이 참으로 가증스럽기 짝이 없다. 한마디로 적반하장도 유분수지… 이런 북한의 비인도적인 처사와 안하무인격인 태도에 대해 비난과 우려가 교차되는 지금 북한의 작태를 지지하는듯한  발언을 일삼는 자들을 보면 과연 어느나라 국민인가 하는 의구심이든다.[…]
Some netizens suggest what we have to do with these continual conflicts between South Korea and North Korea.
[…] 북한이 현시점에서 이같은 대남 강경태도를 보인 것은 북한이 표면적으로 내세우고 있는 것처럼 탈북자단체들의 대북 삐라살포가 중단되고 있지 않은 점과, 유엔 대북 인권결의안에 우리가 공동제안 한데 대한 불만의 표시라고 볼 수 있다. 그러나 실제적으로는 첫째, 김정일의 건강상태가 좋지 않은 상황에서 대남 강경정책을 구사함으로써 김정일이 건재하고 있는 것처럼 호도하여 북한 사회의 혼란을 방지해보고자 하는 의도가 다분하고, 두 번째로는 우리 내부의 ‘6.15공동선언’과 ‘10.4선언’의 무조건적인 이행을 주장하는 세력들을 충동질하여 ‘상생공영’의 대북정책을 흔들고, 나아가 남남갈등을 조장하여 사회혼란을 유발코자하는 저의가 다분하며, 셋째로는 대외적으로 미국에서 새로운 대통령이 선출된 상황에서 미국의 새정부와 ‘통미봉남’정책을 노골화 해 나가고자 하는 가운데, 다른 한편으로는 대남강경정책을 지렛대로 향후 북핵협상을 유리하게 이끌어보고자 하는 등의 저의를 내포하고 있는 것으로 보인다. 이같은 여러 정황으로 볼 때에, 앞으로 북한은 우리의 태도를 지켜보면서 대화와 협상을 모색하면서도 ‘개성공단에서의 우리 측 인원의 출입과 물자에 대한 통제강화-개성지역 관광 중단- 서해상에서의 경비정 월선에 이은 무력충돌-개성공단 사업중단’ 등과 같은 단계적인 조치를 취해나갈 가능성이 높다. 우리는 이럴 때일수록 국론을 한데로 결집시키고, ‘상생 공영’의 대북정책을 의연하게 고수하면서 북한을 대화와 협상의 장으로 이끌어 낼 수 있도록 지혜를 모아야 한다. 그리고 미국과 긴밀한 협조체제를 유지하여 통미봉남을 시도하는 북한의 저의에 휘말리지 않도록 대처해 나가야 한다.[…]

author: Hyejin Kim


text:
Nepal Jumps Ahead on Gay and Transgender Rights · Global Voices
Bhumika Ghimire

After California voters passed the proposition to ban gay marriage in the state, gay and transgender rights is back on the headlines in America. While the debate rages on there, Nepal – a faraway country, much smaller and often ignored on the world stage is now being looked upon as an example on how to handle the gay and transgender rights issue.
On November 17th Nepal’s Supreme Court issued a historic ruling which grants protection to gays, lesbians and transgender community in the country. It also open doors for gay marriage rights and end all discriminatory laws.
At Towleroad commentators expressed their support for Nepal’s decision. John in California notes the country’s Supreme Court ruling and also changes happening in Asia regarding sexual minorities and transgender rights.
“I don't think we'll see much momentum on gay issues in the Middle  East and Africa beyond what has already happened in Israel and South Africa…… I think the gay rights movement of the 21st century will be fought in these two areas of the world. Aside from this great ruling in Nepal, we've seen some encouraging signs Asians are finally willing to talk about sexuality.”
Efforts of a Nepali gay rights group is also being discussed by bloggers, especially the fact that the group-Blue Diamond Society’s founder Sunil Pant is the only openly gay member of Nepal’s Constitutional Assembly. PinkNews UK quotes Mr. Pant’s reaction to the ruling
“Reading this decision my eyes were filled with tears and I felt we are the most proud LGBTI citizens of Nepal in the world.”
Nepal’s efforts are having effects in neighboring countries too, especially India. Transgender rights activists in city of Bangalore (now called Bengaluru) are looking at changes in Nepal and hope that the city police’s campaign against sexual minorities would end soon.
“Police from Banashakari Police Station (Bengaluru  City) verbally abused and assaulted (physically and sexually) 40 plus human rights defenders and sexual minorities when they questioned the illegal detention of 5 hijras (transgenders) by Girinagar Police station on 20th  October, 2008.”
Interestingly, the question about religion has not affected gay rights debate in Nepal. The country is majority Hindu, with Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and indigenous population making up about 10% of the population. Some attribute this to the lack of rigid hierarchy or leadership structure in Hinduism.
“In 2004, Hinduism Today reporter Rajiv Malik asked several Hindu swamis (teachers) their opinion of same-sex marriage. The swamis expressed a range of opinions, positive and negative. They felt free to differ with each other…..made possible by the fact that Hinduism has no one hierarchy or leader. As Mahant Ram Puri remarked, “We do not have a rule book in Hinduism. We have a hundred million authorities.”
Ancient Hindu texts like the Mahabharta have transgender characters that did not face discrimination from the society and even Lord Krishna was fond of cross dressing to please his beloved.

author: Bhumika Ghimire


text:
Peru: After-Effects of Mercury Spill in Choropampa · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Silvio of Lapicero Digital [es] writes  about the lack of news in the Peruvian media about deaths caused by mercury contamination in Choropampa. The recent death of the Mayor of Choropampa, Vicente Zarate Minchán is thought to be a result of the contamination caused by the mercury spill that took place 8 years ago.


text:
Philippines: Video tribute for young martyr · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A short video pays tribute to a young activist and nursing graduate who was killed while attending to the heath needs of a rural town in the Philippines.

author: Mong Palatino


text:
Russia: “Different Family” Photo Project · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“To me, a different family means people living on the edge of society. These people may have no home, no jobs. They may be doing drugs, their neighbors may hate them, and they may be banned from entering a theater because of their inappropriate looks. But within such families, love and caring relationship still reign […].”
This is how Irina Popova, a Russian photographer, describes (RUS) the subjects of her “Different Family” project, currently on exhibit in St. Petersburg – and also available online here (23 photos) and on PhotoPolygon.com portal (15 photos).
However, since the series is centered as much on a toddler named Anfisa, the daughter of Popova's marginal adult subjects, the photographer's interpretation of her own work has caused harsh criticism from those who saw it online.
Below are some comments from PhotoPolygon‘s audience – as well as from Irina Popova (popovaira) herself.
ameli_sa:
Apart from the photo series’ content, “And still, they love each other and their daughter, perhaps even more than someone who is going to condemn them can imagine” – such love is worth nothing. As for the photo series – would be good if it moves the city authorities to deprive them of their parents’ rights or, at least, provide special care for this family. Because, for example, looking at the picture where the girl is crawling on the window sill, you understand that she is truly endangered.
Irina Popova (popovaira) responds:
I knew it. The barrier “we are good and they are crap!” Didn't get it, it turns out. The girl was not in danger – there's a net there. The next shot has the mother's hand in it. Animals are those who'd stick the girl into some orphanage.
AlexLen:
If you wanted to show that the girl was not in danger, why did you include this shot? In general, the photographs are good, but I think there is quite a discrepancy between them and the text – that is, in your text, you're saying everything's good, but you pick photos where everything's bad. The work you've done is interesting and complex.
ameli_sa:
I've also been thinking about it – what exactly can we do for this girl – I think that the most correct reaction would be to go to the patronage department and give them the address of this “family” and insist that [they] visit this family daily to check if the child is not hungry, dressed, and whether anyone is watching over her. Otherwise, again, this social reportage isn't worth anything – we've seen the beautiful pictures and forgot about it. I feel sorry for the girl and can't think of what I could do for her.
http://openid.yandex.ru/beiberecka/:
[…] I was such a girl myself, only older – I was 12 when my parents died because of drugs, and I can't condemn them, they loved me, but it just happened this way…
[…]
BUT! I wish I could adopt this girl when her parents die.
http://demonru.livejournal.com/:
To live like animals is a personal choice of these people (most likely). But to raise their daughter in this bedlam – it's not love, it's outright meanness. Love isn't limited to kissing [a child's] feet, it is also a responsible behavior of parents towards their child. You yourself write: “Meanwhile, the 2-year-old girl is on her own and relies on occasional care from the guests.” This already is the reason for the social services to get involved with this “family.” She is unlikely to be worse off elsewhere than she is in this family. If there are still some people who can admire the “idyll” in this family, in three or four years, when the girl grows up and her parents completely burn out their brains with drugs, the picture would be significantly worse.
Irina Popova (popovaira) responds:
I hope I'll have a chance to observe the life of this family for a long time. Then I'll report on what becomes of them in four years. For now, it is too early to make conclusions. Better think of what's going to happen to you.
shelma:
The emotional content of the series is horrifying, but the execution is excellent. As can be seen from the comments, not a single photo can leave anyone unmoved. Irina, I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to work there, when you had to see it all. Wishing you luck in the future. P.S. Still, I have some doubts about the presence of love in this family. Or perhaps I can't understand and accept this kind of love.
Irina Popova (popovaira) responds:
Thanks a lot! It was indeed difficult to photograph them, but not that difficult. It's just that I sympathized with the subjects and was on their side – and only because of this they allowed me to shoot, otherwise there would've been no story, and instead there would have been a black eye or a broken camera )) By the way, the subjects came to the opening of the exhibition, ended up very happy, were laughing )) I think they still don't realize that someone can condemn them for all this.
Russian photojournalist Oleg Klimov, who is also the curator of the “Different Family” exhibition, wrote this on his blog (RUS) in defense of Popova and her work:
I can put it this way: I was an immediate witness when Irina Popova was shooting this series. I still remember her emails, which she was writing during breaks from an internet cafe in St. Petersburg, and I remember all her doubts […].
“Just go and shoot, don't buy them drugs and alcohol, and don't give them money…” – this was the only practical advice I could give her from a distance. She lived in their apartment and photographed.
When Irina first published some of these photos as part of an educational photo program in the “documentary photography” section, a flurry of criticism followed, aimed primarily at her as a person and a photographer. She was accused of propagating “punk lifestyle,” glorifying “a family of bastards” who should be behind bars and not on pages of newspapers and magazines… […]
The conclusion was obvious: no one ever wants to know that there are sick people, invalids, drug addicts, alcoholics in our country… […] They do not exist for the majority, regardless of whether they are bad or good. They aren't there. “No person, no problems.” And when someone one day shows to us that these people do exist, or when we run into them in the street, we act like fascists. And at the same time, we are for some reason sure that we are better, more honest, more correct, better off and more successful. These illusions lead to the lack of compassion, lack of respect for one another as humans rather than members of some social hierarchy. […]
I don't want to say a single word in defense of the subjects of this series. Here, they are the way they really are. This is the fact and the only argument in defense of their existence, their proximity to us, in defense of the fact that they have children and a whole specter of feelings, from love to hatred, to despair and indifference.
[…]
The only thing that I want to say are words in defense of photographer Irina Popova. She really has the courage of a journalist, something that is [virtually absent] from today's journalism and photography. The courage and the ability to say what you saw, felt and told, without distorting and torturing the reality that surrounds us and which we'd rather not see. This is her “presumption of innocence,” which has to exist in any civilized society.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Saudi Arabia: The problem of pirates · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Crossroads Arabia comments on the case of the Saudi oil tanker hijacked by pirates and now anchored off the coast of Somalia: “Perhaps we’ll be seeing Saudi naval vessels escorting the country’s own ships soon. The Royal Saudi Navy hasn’t had much of a chance to exercise its abilities, compared to the Army and Air Force, so this might be useful.”


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Serbia: Does Barack Obama Mean Hospitality for the World? · Global Voices
Ljubisa Bojic

Serbs are hurt because the United States supported the act of Kosovo Metohia province independence early this year. They have a moderate hope for change in American diplomacy led by the new president Barack Obama. Although former State Department officials like Richard Holbrooke may be appointed, it looks like Serbs and the world outside America can expect a new age of hospitality and cooperation as a consequence of the latest presidential election in the United States.
Nemanja Avramović claims there would be no crucial change in American politics towards Serbia. Still, he is optimistic (SRP):
Barack Obama […] is the new president of the United States. I know this probably does not mean anything for Serbia (directly), because U.S. policy towards Serbia and Kosovo will not change. Although if the new president of the United States really fulfills his election promises, the situation would be at least a little better all over the world, and therefore indirectly in Serbia as well.
Sivi Soko (“Gray Falcon”) thinks (SRP) Obama's “Change” came out to be like Serbian president Boris Tadić‘s “Better Life” campaign – a story for election use only:
The daily newspaper [Glas Javnosti] published [an essay (SRP)] by [Srđa Trifković] about how the result of elections in America would impact Serbia. […]
[…] However, we learn that the “transition” team has appointed some former employees of [Bill Clinton]'s State Department. One of them now works for the [Albright Group] (company [owned by Madeleine Albright]). […]
“The only way for some big change to happen in American relations with the Balkan area would be if Serbia acted strongly with aggressive diplomacy efforts. With this government in Belgrade, this is, of course, completely impossible.”
In another post, Sivi Soko adds:
Have you ever thought that the euphoria with which some Americans perceive Barack Hussein Obama may be similar to the euphoria with which some Serbs experienced [Slobodan Milošević]? Both politicians promised changes.
[…]
The choice of [Rahm Emanuel] for head of the office could be a good thing, because he was one of the prominent members of the Serbian committee in Congress. But the real test will be Obama's choice for head of diplomacy. If he chooses [Richard Holbrooke], [the future relations with Serbia] would be [very bad].
Rivera jokes (or not) (SRP):
[…] I am fed up with our domestic problems and issues […]. Thus – let's go straight to Havana! [Fidel Castro] has lived to see to another American president. It is the first time he said something nice about one of them – “Obama was an intelligent fellow.”
Think for a moment how the meeting between Fidel and [Raul Castro] and the American president Barack Obama would look like on the coast [of Cuba]. They would drink coca-cola and rum with a lot of ice. They would be saying cheers to one another. Barack would say:
“Fuck it, forget what happened. Let's move on!”
To this – cheers!

author: Ljubisa Bojic


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Singapore: TV programs · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Cheryl Ng comments on some of Singapore's TV programs.


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South Korea: School Boy Beaten to Death · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

matt from Gusts of popular feeling blogs on the recent news about a 14 year old school boy being beaten to death by his schoolmates at school.


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Sri Lanka: Shooting in the air · Global Voices
Rezwan

Indi.ca slams Sri Lanka's air defense to protect citizens from air raids by LTTE planes: “All we can do is black out Colombo, fire guns in the air and get bombed anyway. There surely is a better way.”


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Ukraine: Harm Reduction and Law Enforcement, Part 2 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Back in October, Ukrainian blogger mazay, who writes for a newly-launched collective LJ blog depo3p, wrote about his attempt to educate a group of Kyiv police officers on harm reduction programs. A translation of mazay‘s story was featured on Global Voices and on Rising Voices earlier this month.
Although the police officers who listened to the harm reduction lecture did not seem as interested in this not-yet-popular approach to dealing with drug addiction as they were in obtaining free condoms from the activists, judging from this follow-up post (RUS) by mazay, the talk did after all bear some positive fruit.
In the first few paragraphs, mazay describes a recent visit to the apartment of his drug addict friends, who told him of an encounter with the police that they had roughly a month after mazay‘s harm reduction lecture:
[…] “Stand still!” Anyway, they began searching me. First, through the pockets, like, okay, come on, get everything out yourself… Then they opened my wallet, and there's nearly a thousand hryvnias [nearly $200] there – my own and the money that my aunt asked to give to my mother. Well, the moment the cops saw the money, they went, “Wow! Where from?” and I said, like, this isn't mine, commander, I swear, […] and he started the old song right away: “A drug addict? Come on, show me! Show me your arms!” I pretended to be a fool, circled my palms, and he [hit me in the stomach]. Like, stop pretending, I see it in your face that you inject. That's it, I thought, […] they'll take us to the police station now, search us in full, will find all they need to find, and will take all the money away… […] And then he spreads out my wallet and opens a small pocket where all the cards, notes, tickets and other stuff is. And he takes out this…
At the point, the narrator takes out a plastic card out of his pocket – the card of a participant in the Harm Reduction program. “Municipal program of HIV/AIDS prevention.”
The cop basically jumped away!
- What, do you have AIDS? he said.
- No, commander, – I say, – there's this program, where you can get condoms for free, and various vitamins.
Another officer came up. Took the card and said to the other cops: “Remember, there was this gray-haired guy doing a presentation to us the other day? About social services working with drug addicts, giving them clean syringes, other stuff, to keep them from spreading infection too much.” The cops nodded, and he asked me: “So? Are you one of those, what do you call it?..” I nodded to him, yes, I'm a volunteer, visit local drug addicts, gather used syringes, exchange them for new ones then. For the first couple months, you visit along with a social worker, learn how it all works, and then begin to visit your clients on your own… exchange syringes, distribute info – leaflets, various newspapers, invite them to all kinds of lectures. “I know, I know,” said the cop. And then I couldn't believe what I heard when he told his guys: “Okay, folks, give the money back to him and let him go.” And to me – you won't believe this! – he said, Count the money, see if it's all there. […] I told him, Come on, commander, it's okay, no need to count. Like, you're supposed to trust people… […]
I was sitting there, smiling quietly. No matter what you say, somewhere deep in my soul, as they say, it was inexplicably pleasant to realize that the “gray-haired guy doing a presentation” was the author of these lines, who just happened to stop by at this apartment for a minute now. […]


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Uruguay: National Volunteers Gathering for Plan Ceibal · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Pablo Flores provides a summary of the recent National Gathering of Volunteers in Montevideo, Uruguay.  These volunteers have been working with the Ceibal Plan, which has been distributing and working with the XO computers throughout the country.


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Yellow Humvees and the UN Procurement Scandal · Global Voices
Juliana Rotich

The use of SUVs by UN staff in Nairobi is rankling some bloggers. They are posting pictures on their blogs, and have even created a flickr pool called ‘Kick The Habit’. The title of the set of pictures borrows from UNEP's (United Nations Environment Program) campaign from June of this year, which encouraged ‘countries, companies and communities’ to reduce their CO2 emissions.
The blogger on Sukuma Kenya started the flickr pool in June, after he noticed that many UN vehicles in Nairobi were SUVs, and felt that the UNEP campaign did not communicate how it was reducing carbon emissions while it was asking individuals to ‘kick the CO2 habit’.
On the 27th of October, the Journalist-blogger Nick Wadhams noticed a yellow Humvee with United Nations vehicle plates. He posted a picture on his blog, noting a recent report about the United Nations procurement scandal.
Is it any surprise that Saturday's Nation newspaper contained this item: “The United Nations office in Nairobi may have lost Sh10 billion in procurement and administrative scandals over the past three years, an internal audit report has revealed.”
Sadly, this kind of thing was a common story when I covered the U.N. Maybe all that money is going to banana yellow Humvees.
Earlier this month, Nick posted an update after confirming that the yellow Humvee did belong to a UN employee.
PS: I was driving on James Gichuru Road the other day, climbing the hill as it approaches Wayaki Way, and what should I see hurtling in the opposite direction? You guessed it, the B.Y.H! I caught only the briefest of glimpses of the driver (was that you, Charles?), and considered turning around and following him. But there were two other passengers in our car, one of whom happened to be an eight-month-old baby who was angry about being 45 minutes late for a one-year birthday party. Next time, Charles! Next time!
PPS: In the spirit of full disclosure, I should note that we drive a 1989 Mitsubishi Pajero, which, to be honest, probably gets worse gas mileage than Charles’ Humvee. At the moment, there is a problem with the injector pump and it spews a lot of black smoke. Working on it!
Commenting on the post, the blogger Baba Mzungu makes the point that NGO's often use 4x4s as they travel to remote areas, but he takes issue with the fact that the Humvee is driven by an ‘IT guy’ in Nairobi( an urban area that is hardly the beaten path).
As a representitive of an NGO who travels off the beaten track (and let's face it, some of the beaten tracks aren't fantastic), I can see the arguement for using a 4×4. But an IT guy? In Nairobi? Driving the biggest bl00dy tank available?
Don't think so.
The Sukuma blog posts a humorous rhyme about the UNEP campaign and continued sightings of UN 4×4 vehicles. The rhyme was penned by Ed of African Works blog.
“Isn't it a bummer
when you buy yourself a hummer
and some prat puts you down on the net!
Global warming's just for fairies
the science about it undoubtedly varies
and most of its apologists are wet.
So even though I work for UNEP
I am rightly proud of my rep
as an aging but highly sexed eco czar
in a oversized gas guzzling toy of a car”
The sightings of SUVs appear to be continuing, as the blogger on NairobiKoll chimes in on the Sukuma blog with a link to a picture they took recently.
For a copy of the full report on the UN procurement scandal, the blogger Kenyan pundit made the PDF available for download on her blog.
Update Nov 23rd 2008: Nick Wadhams was able to categorically identify the owner of the yellow hummer, and had a chat with him.  He posts  a conclusion to the BYH saga on his blog.

author: Juliana Rotich


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Tunisia: Yes, they can. No, we can’t! · Global Voices
Lina Ben Mhenni

The week of the US election coincided with the 21st anniversary of ‘change’ in Tunisia. But while Americans went to the polls to elect their 44th president, in its 50 years of independence, Tunisia has had just two presidents – Habib Bourguiba and the current president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who has been in power for 21 years – and looking forward for yet a fifth five-year term.
In his inaugural speech, Ben Ali said that he was establishing the foundations for a revival of democracy, freedom and respect for human rights:
“Fellow Citizens,
Our people have reached a degree of responsibility and maturity where every individual and group is in a position to constructively contribute to the running of its affairs, in conformity with the republican idea which gives institutions their full scope and guarantees the conditions for a responsible democracy, fully respecting the sovereignty of the people as written into the Constitution. This Constitution needs urgent revision. The times in which we live can no longer admit of life presidency or automatic succession, from which the people are excluded. Our people deserve an advanced and institutionalized political life, truly based on the plurality of parties and mass organizations.”
According to some Tunisians, history has proven that the above declaration is a far cry from the truth.
Commemorating Ben Ali's 21st anniversary, Tunisian bloggers were really creative and seized this opportunity to write many ironical posts exposing the political situation in Tunisia.
The blog The Tunisian Debate chose caricature to talk about this occasion. He wrote a first post [Fr] with the following picture and a one sentence commentary:
Qui mieux qu'Obama, symbole du changement, pourrait nous féliciter de 21 ans de changement !
The metaphorical way in which the same blogger tackled the issue makes me think of George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm – with Tunisia being the Arab world's 21st century Animal Farm.
He wrote:
En Tunisie, nous assistons depuis 20 ans à un phénomène étrange qui prend de l'ampleur chaque année: A partir d'halloween, des chiens sortant de nulle part se mettent en rang et aboient à tour de rôle. Ils polluent l'espace public et étouffent par leurs cris les chants des oiseaux. Ils y vont crescendo et d'aboiement en aboiement ils infestent la totalité de la ville. Le septième jour de novembre ils se rassemblent tous pour nous annoncer en chœur l'arrivée du…Mahdi!
Sofiene Chourabi write a post entitled: In the Worship of Big Brother. He said:
The blogger AS number One chose on her part to write in verse to express her sadness towards the political situation in Tunisia:
Et Vlan! Vlan! pour les infinis menteurs
Pour les infinies promesses enrobées de douceur
Pour tous les Ben Ben reproducteurs
Pour les hypocrites, applaudisseurs, éjaculateurs
Pour toutes ces banderoles qui embellissent nos terres
Pour ces fortunes dépensées à tort et à travers
Pour ce mauve, ces couleurs et ces posters
A l'occasion de mon 21 ème anniversaire
Je souhaite à chacun beaucoup de bonheur
De la pourriture, des corruptions, et beaucoup d'espoir
Des derbys, du “Bel makchouf”, et des crédits bancaires
Et Vlan Vlan pour tous ces maux qui hantent mon cœur
Chantons tous en chœur
“Une nouvelle aire est venu, vive le dictateur”
The writer of the blog For a better world has been more direct and wrote the following:
Il y a deux semaines j'ai posté un message sur Bouteflika, Bouteflika yezzi et maintenant, je poste un message sur le président Tunisien, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, ça suffit, moi j'ai 22 ans et j'ai envi de changement, je n'ai pas eu la liberté de m'exprimer dans mon pays, favoriser le pluralisme et les droits de l'homme, on est tous conscients que ceci n'est pas vrai…, j'ai été témoin de certains agissements de la police Tunisienne… Comment faire ? président à vie ?
J'aime mon pays et je ne le laisserai jamais tomber, 21 ans de présidence et un cinquième mandat à briguer en 2009… il est temps d'arrêter… de nous prendre pour des cons… Time for Change…
While some bloggers used metaphors, others preferred direct discourse. Some of them wrote in prose, others in verse. Some wrote, while the others drew caricatures or downloaded videos. But the message was the same: bloggers were united to say that it is high time to end with this masquerade. It is high time for change. In one voice they cried: Ben Ali Yezi Fock !!**
* bel makchouf is a Tunisian TV show in a private channel.
** Yezi Fock Ben Ali means enough of Ben Ali in the Tunisian dialect.

author: Lina Ben Mhenni