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Video: Open Video Contest for Trip to SXSW Interactive Festival · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The Open Video Alliance is putting out a call out for one minute videos that make a case for Open Video for an opportunity to win a trip to South by South West Interactive 2010 festival. The contest is open to anyone regardless of nationality.
As they mention on their site:
We want to send you on a five-day, expenses paid trip to the South By Southwest Interactive 2010 festival. Tell us your story and you could be headed to Austin on us. Plus, we're giving away three Flip Mino video cameras and a bunch of sweet T-shirts.
It's simple to enter: just make a video. In 60 seconds or less, make a case for open video. Then upload it anywhere and tell us the URL. You can make any case you like, in any form you like.
It can be in any language, any form, and any topic related to open video issues, to be posted before January 31, 2010. All videos must be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) or other applicable license. For ideas of what to make the video about, they have a page with a list of topics or issues you can check before making or posting the video. Don't forget to check the FAQ as well.
So what is South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive. It is a series of events and conferences which take place in Austin, Texas:
SXSW Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.
Some of the issues relevant to the contest are Art & Remix Culture and Fair Use; Citizen Journalism, Activism and Human rights;  Collaborative video; Commons & Licensing; Device Freedom; Digital Divide; Education and video; Royalty-free Codecs; Media Consolidation; Net Neutrality; Privacy & Censorship and Universal Accessibility.
Some of the videos that have been uploaded already on the site are:
Be smart, support open video from Adi

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Yemen: A Civil or Proxy War?  · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

The ongoing war in Yemen certainly warrants coverage on Global Voices Online, but I was really shocked when I realized that there weren't many bloggers interested in the conflict. Here are some scattered extracts from post written by bloggers from different countries.
Yemeni journalist Nasser Arrabye keeps a dairy of his coverage on Blogspot. Last August, he wrote about the military actions between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels:
The Yemeni government said Thursday it would take a military actions to liberate schools and government buildings used as barracks by Al Houthi rebels in Sa'ada, north of the country.
He then continued:
The statement came after information about fierce battles between the rebels and government troops in which dozens were killed and injured from both sides over this week.
“Since President Ali Abdullah Saleh ordered the halt of the military operations, the saboteurs and terrorists continued their attacks on the citizens and security forces, committing heinous crimes against everyone including elders, children and women, in addition to kidnapping, cutting roads, destroying houses,” the statement added.
But it seems that the Houthi rebels had a different point of view:
The Al Houthi rebels said, however, they were only defending themselves and they do not want a new war.
A few months later, no one was able to stop the ongoing war. But a new question was raised: Is it a civil war taking place in Yemen, or are there other parties participating in this war as well.
The Houthis claimed that the Saudis are participating in the on going war, and their troops are there to help the Yemeni government. The government, on the other hand, denied this. Nasser Arrabyee wrote:
A Yemeni military official denied Monday Al Houthi rebels’ allegations that the army used a Saudi base to attack them.
The Saudi authorities have “allowed Yemeni army to use a Saudi base in Jabal Al Dukhan from which it launched attacks,” said Al Houthi in statement sent through emails.
The military official, who asked not to be named, said Al Houthi tries only to cover his defeats by speaking about Saudi interference. “Jabal Al Dukhan is Yemeni not Saudi lands,” he said. This is not the first time Al Houthi rebels accuse Saudi authorities of intervening in the war.
But few days later Nasser Arrabyee wrote another post in his blog:
At least 5 Saudi soldiers and 15 Al Houthi rebels were killed in fierce confrontations between the rebels and Saudi forces in Al Khuba and Jabal Al Dukhan in Jaizan area south of the Kingdom, local sources said Thursday.
The leader of the rebels Abdul Malik Al Houthi said in a statement Thursday that the Saudi army is bombarding his fighters’ posts in Al Malahaid frontline far west of Sa'ada, “with all kinds of weapons”.
So the Houthi claims about a Saudi intervention were true, and that's what forced Gregory to raise the following questions:
I get the impression that the idea of wading into the muck that is the northern revolt is not something that has been well thought out in Saudi Arabia, which also gets at something else I have been asking for a while: who exactly is running Saudi Arabia's Yemen portfolio? It certainly is not Sultan. And although Muhammad bin Nayif clearly has charge of the AQ section, Saudi Arabia is not the US and is not only focused on al-Qaeda. It has a multi-faceted relationship with Yemen.
My impression is that no one individual is in charge, but that different individuals are taking turns steering the thing with little idea of where they are going besides bouncing from crisis to crisis trying to keep the crazy Yemenis and their problems from flooding across the border.
Sapphire then left a comment on Gregory's post, and tried to elaborate why Saudi Arabia decided to enter that war:
Now, why did the Saudis decide to step in with their military into Yemen? Word has it that after loosing Iraq on their northern border to the Shi'ats of Iraq, they cannot and will not tolerate another Shi'at state on their southern border too, assuming that is, that the Huthis defeat the central Yemeni government and win their independence.
The Egyptian blogger Zeinobia wasn't pleased with the Saudi intervention:
Officially Saudi Arabia has declared war on the Houthi rebels , I will not discuss if its right or not or if it a battle in a bigger regional war but I will discuss the fact that Saudi Arabia mostly will not win this war easily or hardly as it hopes with all that multi-million gadgets they have simply because this is a guerrilla war in the mountains!
She then continued:
I do not know why the Saudis are heading to the same swamp we went to in mid 1960s , of course it is an irony because they used to back up the Yemenis against us !!! In fact I read some news claiming that KSA used White phosphorus against the civilians there !! Is this a deja Vu ??!!??
But was it only the Saudis who have been involved in the war? An Iranian ship was seized near the Yemeni coasts. And that's what made Nasser Arrabyee write the following:
An Iranian ship laden with weapons believed to be on its way to Al Houthi rebels was seized on October 26th, 2009, off the coasts of the Midi harbour in the far north west of Yemen. The 6-member crew, five Iranians and Indian, are now under investigations in the Yemeni capital Sana'a. The Iranian embassy in Sana'a denied at the time that the ship was carrying weapons.
And hence Gregory wrote about a possible proxy war taking place in Yemen:
“So it is a Saudi-Iranian proxy war,” he said. (The he being: Simon Henderson, director of Gulf and energy policy at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Washington.)
The involvement of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sunnis and Shi'ats, rang a special bell in Abul Maali Fayek's head as it seems that what he was afraid of has happened:
And finally Zeinobia was wondering here if the Arab League of Nations still existed and why it wasn't taking any actions to stop this war:
I do not know if it is ironic or sad ; Arab and Muslim blood should not be spilled like this by the hands of another Arab and Muslim blood !! We are one by the end of the day.
I do not know where the role of the Arab league when you need it , Amr Moussa seems out of town , well guess out he is losing points as possible presidential candidate !!
***Also on Global Voices Online: Saudi Arabia: We'll Defend Ourselves – For The Right Reason

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Tarek Amr


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Bhutan: Magazines Without Sponsors · Global Voices
Rezwan

Passang Tshering at Passu Diary discusses the hurdles a magazine face in Bhutan in absence of sponsorship and advertisement. The blogger informs: “except for Tashi Delek (in-flight magazine of DrukAir) no magazine ever saw their second issue.”

author: Rezwan


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Can ICTs aid small-scale farmers?  · Global Voices
John Liebhardt

There are many reasons small-scale farmers in developing countries need special attention. They grow a good portion of the planet’s food while suffering potential environmental and economic catastrophe. They also provide a large amount of jobs. Farmers and their families are often located far from population centers, making trips to the market, the school or the hospital difficult.
With so many local, regional and international development organizations working with farmers, the possibilities for information and communication technologies (ICTs), are great. Still, the question remains: Can these technologies live up to the hype and actually help raise human development levels?
One point of optimism lies at the heart of Web 2.0 technologies or “the participatory web” according to a 2008 report by Annemarie Matthess and Christian Kreutz for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, called “Participatory Web – New Potentials of ICT in Rural Areas” [PDF]. They write:
The participatory web offers new ways to translate and bridge language domains. Users publish themselves and can engage in a dialogue. One such result is that knowledge becomes more explicit – bridges are built between the local and global knowledge. Worldwide agriculture research cooperation has a long experience in this field and results show how difficult it is to translate global scientific knowledge to the local context.
For all the great potential of ICTs in rural areas, Tanzanian-based journalist Emmanuel Onyangoin in his blog Knowledge Matters warns the challenges facing technologies in rural areas remain high:
Studies shows that, rural farmers do not have direct access to the internet in rural areas pending on a number of factors. The basic ones being the increased computer illiteracy among users and an unreliable infrastructure such as electricity.
Wikis and scientific information
One popular method to increase farmer productivity is through wikis, the often plain-vanilla collaborative websites that provide easy editing features, made popular by sites like Wikipedia.
Wikis are an easy way to exchange ideas over the web, allowing people in different locations to write, edit and disseminate documents on low-bandwidth sites. Wikis can be used with other platforms, such as maps or photographs, not only to collect data but also enabling users to participate in vetting the information.
One such wiki is the Knowledge Sharing Toolkit of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, which allows people in laboratories and those working in the field to disseminate a wide-range of information that can be constantly updated, amended and assessed.
The Communication Initiative Network explains that the Knowledge Sharing toolkit has three main pieces:
1.    A library of tools, meaning web-based software (e.g., blogs, wikis, instant messengers, podcasting) and offline physical tools that can be used with a variety of methods.
2.    A library of methods, meaning group processes that people can use to interact with each other, online or offline (e.g., appreciative inquiry, storytelling, knowledge fairs).
3.    A set of perspectives and guidance that can help users choose tools and methods for their needs and contexts. Some examples: How can I organise meetings differently? How can I plan, monitor, and evaluate my activities/projects? How can I improve relationships and collaboration between regional offices and the headquarters?
The Knowledge Sharing Toolkit began as a means to keep up with the explosion in scientific knowledge, which has been facilitated by the expansion of the internet and peoples’ increasing access to information. The libraries are not written for scientists, however. Rather, generalists can update their basic skills so they can better communicate with scientists, funders, partners in the field or immediately leverage new ideas in their communities.
Maps and food security
It’s been argued that one of the major components of food security is getting produce to market. Bad roads and poor transportation infrastructure are often the culprits. To solve some of these issues at the local level is iMMAP, which began using GIS technology more than a decade ago to locate landmines. They’ve moved on to help guide crisis responders in a number of different countries.
From the ICT-KM blog at Cgiar, a new project is explained.
Throughout most of the developing world, there is a real and urgent need for roads data.  Road location and attribute information can play a vital role in long term development applications and also help humanitarian agencies with short term emergency and logistical planning. Despite this dire need, though, popular web mapping service applications have not explored the roads less travelled in much of the developing world. No tourists, no maps!
From that blog post, a question and answer session took place with Olivier Cottray, who spoke about gRoads, an Ethiopian-based project mapping roads with GPS-enabled PDA devices and how it will support local farmers.
The rationale of the project in the context of farming is that the better roads data will help agencies and organizations that are supporting farmers to look at accessibility to markets. Location information is also being collected for infrastructure of importance to small holder farmers such as irrigation equipment; water reservoirs; community grain storage or fertilizer warehouses; and agricultural extension offices.
Video and overcoming low literacy
Some practitioners argue that video blogging is one way to overcome a few of the hurdles facing ICT technologies in rural areas. By posting video or audio files, bloggers immediately overcome literacy issues. Also, they can speak directly by using local languages that may not be common on the internet.
Brenda Zulu, in her blog, ICT Journalist, investigates how video blogging works in Ghana with an interview with Prince Deh, the Assistant Country Director of Ghana Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (GINKS).
Vlogging major challenges were listed as connectivity or access and getting people to share Information and Knowledge and cost of equipment.
From my his own view, Deh said Web 2.0 tools were important and even more important because of the deeper impact the tools would have on marginalized societies, even if these impact are not immediately felt.
He observed that many more rural communities have stories to share with the larger public and voices to amplify and saw Web 2.0 tools as perfect applications to project the voices of the rural poor in the future.
“How do we solve the problem of rural connectivity in order to extend the benefits of Web2.0 tools much wider beyond the scope of the cities?” he asked.
He pointed out that it was important to have knowledge of video editing and innovativeness in order to create story telling videos.
Deh says the images increase the popularity of video blogs because they make them engaging. After filming a video, they can be embedded into a blog, so people can comment on them.
Development groups like them because they are cheap to make and disseminate. One popular video from GINKS explained to farmers (in a local language) how to use their mobile phone to get market information.
Lessons Learned
Throughout much of this Future of ICT for Development series on Global Voices, I have strived to put forth a well rounded debate on the positives and negatives of these technologies. Mostly I have tried to answer whether ICTs can raise human development.
One drawback has been that it is hard for me to find those who are skeptical or cynical regarding the potential of ICTs. I'd like to include these next three comments solely for the purpose of debate. They happen to be a response to a 2007 Web2forDev blog post regarding the participatory web and development. What makes them interesting is that these comments provide healthy skepticism (if not criticism) of ICTs affecting development levels in rural areas. I add these comments not as a critique on the above projects; rather, I think ICTs as tools of development need to be debated in the open.
The commenters pose a few questions: Are the stories presented in these blog posts or series like this the norm or just an aberrations? What role, if any, will ICTs play in raising living standards?
From Pankaj Gupta:
I think a lot is made of how ICTs can help in development and poverty reduction. I live in India, have worked extensively in participatory digital video and sustainability research, and travel a lot to the ‘poorest’ districts of the country (that makes up nearly most of the country!) and can say with the confidence that comes from first hand observation that the poor are far far away from using the web. The examples are merely examples: rare exceptions that voluble techno-freaks amplify, only to mislead a lot of us into thinking that information technologies can do any good to the poor. If probed deeply, any of these examples would not pass the test of affordability or sustainability once the artificial support on which an experiment is flaunted is removed. People caught up in day-to-day survival have no inclination or energy or access to link up with the web and profit from it.
From Andrea:
I have been working extensively in Africa and I quite agree with you. I have seen very few villages with electricity, less with PCs and even less or none with internet connection but I think that this is also one of the thing we should still work on it.
On the other hand I still see a huge potential for web 2.0 in Aid. Web 2.0 has a strong potential for collaborative work and I think that international organisation should start using it as soon as possible.
From Ignatia/Inge de Waard
I agree with both Andrea, Pankaj and [post writer]Holly that only a minority of people are connected in developing areas. But just like Andrea I believe in web2.0 as a strengthening evolution. Because of the participatory strength of web2.0, I believe that even if only a minority will use the participatory web, this will make a huge difference on developing areas. If any change can be done, change must be stimulated by those target people. Only by their knowledge essential changes will take effect.

author: John Liebhardt


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China: Endless search for distinguished talent · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Hush has a blog post on a new selection system adopted by Peking university to pick up talented students.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Protest against garbage incinerator  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Cochina posts a series of videos showing yesterday's protest against the construction of garbage incinerator in Guangzhou Panyu. ESWN has translated the details of the protest.


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Ecuador: Technical University in Loja Hosts Campus Congress · Global Voices
Milton Ramirez

On November 18th, the Ecuadorian city of Loja celebrated the anniversary of its Independence. To coincide with this celebration, one of the most prestigious universities in the country, the Technical University of Loja (UTPL for its initials in Spanish) is organizing the 1st Campus Congress to be held from November 25-27, 2009.  This event organized with the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (OUI-IOHE of its initials in Spanish) will feature various technological and educational events including iSummit Loxa and the regional meeting for Creative Commons.
Carlos Correa Loyola,  UTPL's Director of the Information Technology Department.
One of the local leaders helping to make the event possible is Carlos Correa Loyola, who is the UTPL's Director of the Information Technology Department. However, he is also a blogger [es] and avid user of social media networks like Twitter (username @calu). Correa has already been featured on numerous occasions on Global Voices, including the articles on blogs in his homeland of Loja and when Creative Commons Ecuador was launched.
During a conversation via Skype, Correa said that the UTPL's ultimate goal is to “become the premier technology university in the country,” and for the institution to ultimately transform itself into being the “premier [technology university] in Latin America. To accomplish this, we are working with 20 PhD technology students, with 5 graduating in 2010, 10 graduating in 2011, and the rest will graduate later.”
He has met interesting people during his travels around the world, which has helped him outline the upcoming I Congress Campus with the theme “Building Common Spaces in Higher Education.” According to Correa, the work began as a small team or “four cats in a room,” a commonly used saying in Loja, and the event is becoming a reality thanks to the support of Luis Miguel Romero, PhD, the current President of UTPL and who is also the current President of the OUI-IOHE.
By following the 6 strategic goals set by the technical university, a larger team of 70 people along with the Centers for Research, Technology Transfer, Extension, and Services (CITTES for their initials in Spanish) have been organizing the Campus Connect.  The entire university is taking a role in planning the event, and he feels strongly that this process should take into consideration the ideas of not just one person or small group, but all participants, which something that Correa prefers to call “universitology.”
Technical University of Loja's  Campus – Photo used under Creative Commons license by UTPL VIA Comunicaciones
The meeting scheduled to begin on November 25th has three components: The Congress Campus, the Latin American regional meeting of Creative Commons, and the iSummit 2009 and will take place while “respecting their identities at the same time,” said Correa. In addition, a BarCamp will follow the official events over the 3 days.
Creative Commons
The 2nd gathering of the Creative Commons representatives from Latin American will take place in Loja, which follows the previous one held year in Santiago, Chile (.pdf format).  The UTPL has had a large role in bringing the use of Creative Commons licenses in Ecuador. Correa says, “We [UTPL] are the counterpart of the organization in Ecuador. We focus on ccLearn in order to promote open content in education and higher education, especially.”
iSummit
During this event, there will also be Loxa iSummit 09, which, according to Correa will be an “annual technology conference, the first in Loja and organized by the UTPL. It focuses on four areas: Software Architecture, Knowledge Management via a differentiated Semantic and Social Web, Advanced Networks, and IT Entrepreneurship called Technology Valley that the university has been supporting and is under the direction of Alvaro Castillo.”  With the iSummit we seek to “establish a collaborative space, linking different views and approaches to the role of IT in higher education and business.”
BarCamp Loxa 09
“And to close the formal parts of the event, after Wednesday workshops and other events, comes Saturday's BarCamp Loxa 09, which is nothing but organized chaos, a cycle of “unconferences” on technology and other topics,” said Correa. The Barcamp Loxa 09 is eagerly awaited by the Ecuadorian blogger community and will feature musician Riccardo Perotti. There are also plans for an after-BarCamp, which will be a place to continue the celebration. The Barcamp has its own presence on Twitter with hashtag #barcamploxa09  and also a Faceboook group.
Correa concludes and reflects on Loja's role on promoting technology in the country and in the region:
It is said that the misuse of technology adds to the digital divide. That may be happening in the U.S. and Europe, and indeed in Latin America. But we want to change that, many have laid eyes here, during these three intense days. The small towns can also work closely with large cities, so Loja being a small city, not just the university, but people are betting on a democratization of participation, thereby achieving that technology does not accumulate just in the major poles of development.

author: Milton Ramirez


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Egypt: President Mubarak and the Egyptian Dignity · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

In the aftermath of the Egypt-Algeria match in Sudan, Egyptian football fans demonstrated in Zamalek in front of the Algerian embassy in Cairo on Thursday night and on Friday afternoon. The President's eldest son, Alaa Mubarak, instigated the riots live on national TV. On the morning of Saturday November 21, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak gave a speech in a joint session of the parliament's two house (People’s Assembly and Shura Council) where, without directly mentioning Algeria, he said that the dignity of Egyptians is part of the dignity of Egypt and vowed that Egypt will not tolerate those who insult its citizens.
Mubarak's Speech
Sarah Carr is skeptical about Mubarak's speech:
Jasmine Aladdin is keeping her fingers crossed
Sharif Hafez is a political analyst who admires the President's wisdom when he asked Parliament Members to keep their calm and not act on impulse
Perwin Ali is not happy with BBC News headlines!
Dr. As`ad AbuKhalil – The Angry Arab is angry at lawmakers in Egypt for “applauding”
What is the job of Egyptian lawmakers except to applaud the comments of the president. Some of the lawmakers were friends of my father, and they applauded for Nasser, and then applauded for Sadat, and then applauded for Mubarak. Do you know that the Mustafa Khalil, who led Egypt's peace with Israel process was a staunch Nasserist, under Nasser?
And Zeinobia wonders about Egyptian's dignity inside Egypt
Mubarak said in his speech in front of the people’s assembly and the Shura Council that the Egyptian citizens abroad are the responsibility of the state and that the dignity of Egyptians is from the dignity of Egypt !!
I do not know what to say except that Mr. President none of this could have happen if we are enjoying our dignity as Egyptian citizens inside  Egypt in the first place !!?? Please tell these words to the victims of police brutality  , please them again to thousands of Egyptians abroad who haven been humiliated enough around the globe because of your economic policies for 28 years. Mr. President please these words to the families who lost their members on the borders with Israel , on the board of flight 990 , on the board of Al Salam ferry and on the board of Badr I.

author: Marwa Rakha


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Egypt’s First Adult Graphic Novel Officially Banned · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

In April 2008, freedom of speech and creativity in Egypt was hit in its core with the confiscation of Magdy El Shafee's adult graphic novel – Metro. Since then the author and his publisher have been on trial and while every one was busy with the football war between Egypt and Algeria, the court officially banned the novel.
Bikya Masr group blog see the verdict as “Another blow to free speech in Egypt as graphic novelist gets no love from court“
It was supposed to signal a new era in Egyptian novels. The country’s first graphic novel, Metro, was supposed to be a show of free speech and artistic merit. Instead, it has become the hallmark of what rights groups say is the Egyptian government’s continued censorship of what its citizens can write. On Sunday, a Cairo misdemeanors court fined author Magdy el-Shafei and publisher Mohamed Sharkawi 5000 Egyptian pounds ($900) and demanded the confiscation of the novel after accusing them of writing and distributing a novel, which included statements and phrases considered “offensive to public morals.”
Sarah Carr is furious; people got so absorbed in the Egypt-Algeria football war and forgot about every thing else
Shahinaz Abdel Salam is disappointed
The author Magdy El Shafee refuses to give up and promises to appeal


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Georgia: Why? · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Serqqizi's Photo-Weblog posts photographs of the anti-government Why? youth movement in Tbilisi, Georgia.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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India: Prime Minister’s US Visit · Global Voices
Rezwan

Kamla Bhatt compiles a media roundup on Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's ongoing visit to USA.


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Jamaica, Bahamas, U.S.A.: Copyright Options · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In response to Jamaican blogger Geoffrey Philp‘s “cautionary tale on the dangers of unregistered creative property”, the Bahamas’ Scavella's Blogsphere says: “This is all very well and good, but I’m not American. I don’t live in the USA. What substitute is there for me?”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Jamaica: Celebrated Athletes · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“It does my heart proud to see two Jamaican-based athletes cop the 2009 IAAF World Athlete of the Year Awards”: Girl With A Purpose congratulates Usain Bolt and Sanya Richards.


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Japan: Secondhand books to loose yourself in · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Photographer Damoncoulter presents  some pictures of the Secondhand Book Fair in Shimbashi (Tokyo).
In the heart of the Tokyo business district, the fair (held in middle November) was mostly attended by “salarymen” looking for rare pieces of literature to read on the way home.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Malawi: President seeking more power · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Malawian President wants more power!: “Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika, whose party enjoys a parliamentray majority, is seeking to beef up his powers before he exits the political stage in 2014.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Maldives: Child Marriages and Sexual Abuse Laws · Global Voices
Rezwan

Mohamed Nasheed discusses the complications arising out of the existing child marriages and sexual abuse laws in Maldives.


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Nepal’s Peace Process Faltering · Global Voices
Bhumika Ghimire

Maoist night protest. Image by Flickr user izahorsky. Used under a creative commons license
Nepal's fragile peace process is faltering amidst increasing clashes between the Maoists and the government. Unhappy with President Ram Baran Yadav's decision to reinstate sacked Army Chief Rookmangud Katwal (Katwal was sacked by then Maoist led government), the former rebels launched massive protest across the nation. Their main demand being “re-establishment of people's supreme authority”, where they seek to curtail the President's authority as he is not an elected official. They have just announced third round of protest activities, after the first two round failed to produce any results.
Nepali language blog Mysansar has a brief outline of the protest programs Maoists are planning to launch.
“राष्ट्रपतिको कदम सच्याउनु पर्ने माग गर्दै स‍ंसद र सडकमा आन्दोलन गरिरहेको माओवादीले आफ्नो अल्टिमेटम सकिएको भोलिपल्ट घोषणा गरेको कार्यक्रमले खुसी र चिन्ता दुवै ल्याएको छ। खुसी यस कारण कि माओवादीले सोमबार, म‌ंगलबार र बुधबार तीन दिन स‍ंसद खोल्न दिने भएको छ। बजेट पास गर्नका लागि उसले चार महिनादेखि ठप्प संसद खोल्न दिएको बताएको हो। तर उसले देश भने बन्द गर्ने कार्यक्रम पनि ल्याएको छ। त्यो पनि एक दिन हो र, तीन तीन दिन। तीन दिन बन्द हुँदा पनि माग पूरा भएन भने अनिश्चितकालका लागि बन्द गर्ने रे। तीन दिन बन्दका लागि पुस ५, ६, ७ गतेका लागि दिन तोकिएको छ।”
“Maoists who have been protesting on the streets and in the parliament demanding the President correct his decision have announced programs which have brought relief and some confusion. Relief because the Maoists will allow the parliament to work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They are allowing the parliament to work so that discussions can be held on the annual budget. But they have also announced strikes across the nation. That too not for a day but for three whole days. If their demands are not met after the three days protest, they will go into indefinite strike. The three-day protest will start on Poush 5 and end on 7th (December 20-22)
United Nations has expressed concerns, writes blogger Mohan Nepali at  GroundReport, over the way government and the Maoists seem to ignore the promises made when signing the peace agreement in 2006.
“UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today strongly urged Nepali political forces, including those in government, to make sure that human rights of all people are protected. It has called on both Nepal government and Maoist protesters not to resort to any violence since it may jeopardize the very peace process going on since 2006.
The OHCHR expressed its concern on the likelihood of violence in the name of Maoist protests and subsequent government actions”
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is under a lot of pressure to resolve the conflict with the Maoists but so far he has been unable to placate the former guerrillas. Maila Baje at Nepali Netbook says that Mr. Nepal's latest attempt to end the stand-off with the Maoist has failed to make any waves:
“Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal warned the other day that the constituent assembly could be dissolved. But the parliament that the elected body doubles as wouldn’t be, he was quick to clarify. If the prime conciliator was expected to attempt a middle way out of our deepening deadlock, he did not disappoint. Especially since he passed the buck to President Ram Baran Yadav.”
Krishna Hari Pushkar, who works for Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs, puts part of the blame for the faltering peace process on “foreign actors”:
“It is seen that all internal and external peace actors are visibly performing against the ethics of peace process and bouncing beyond the edge of comprehensive peace accord. So, how can Nepal's peace process go normally in such situation towards its expected end? Forlornly, it is hapless to describe that no any single direct and indirect actors found sincere and practically committed towards the success of ongoing peace process of Nepal. If the situation continues, it won't be surprising when the moist battalions decide to return jungle or government imposes special op against ethno-political combatants. It is unfortunate that some vested politicians’ declares that re-insurgency or re-warfare is held in search of peace, however it has proved blunder to impel for “breach peace for peace”.
So far the protest rallies have been peaceful, in some places colorful and musical. Here is a short video of once such protest rally.
Now that the Maoists have decided to launch second round of protests and are threatening to go on strike for an indefinite period if their demands are not fulfilled, it seems that the drama will continue for a while.

author: Bhumika Ghimire


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Russia: Mansion of The President Has A Lot To Offer  · Global Voices
Vadim Isakov

The Russian president's mansion became a topic of discussions on the Internet when people found a bidding offers invitation for services at the government Web site [RUS] dealing with different types of tenders. Giving the coordinates identical with the ones of the most important residency in the country, the government was seeking a company capable of providing services for a mansion with a church, golf and mini-golf courses, four swimming pools, three fountains, two saunas, a VIP-restaurant and stables.

author: Vadim Isakov


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Slovakia: Mobile Internet Providers Put an End to Internet Neutrality · Global Voices
Tibor Blazko

This month, a second Slovak mobile internet provider has kept its promise and started to filter internet access for its customers.
A month ago it was Orange, now followed by T-Mobile.
Already time ago there were cases when some (maybe can mostly name them local or minor) providers were blocking torrents, if not completely, then during daylight or for the cheapest versions. Or they were limiting traffic of users who wanted to download more than someone decides, even if they paid flat program with fast access. (To keep balance: also big players, T-Com, used limited upload speed, which has influenced torrents download.) All of this could be easily labeled as a way to lower network traffic, with the intention to minimize the price the provider needs to invest to it.
Now comes something new with the great idea of blocking child pornography.
To achieve this goal, both providers are using the British Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) database to avoid connection to some web pages – so people really interested in them must make a bit more effort to avoid this blocking.
People who responded to an online poll at SME.sk  (say liberal) newspaper mostly voted ‘Yes’ for “Do you want your internet provider to block access to pages with child porn?”
If I remember well, people in China have similar opinion in case of porn generally. But things are not so simple – and not just in China. (GV posts on the “internet cleansing movement” in China are here and here.)
The IWF database is not public. (That's why it is a non-governmental organization, I think. At least in Slovakia, if it is part of the government, they must reply to citizens’ questions about what and why they're blocking.) And they operate in the British, not Slovak, law space.
It blocks also many general and legal pages for file downloads and there is no guarantee they will not block anything else they decide (the complete Wikipedia was already on their list).
Users have no official way to stop filtering. Last month, T-Mobile made initial filtering of their own adult services, but it was necessary to activate it by SMS. (Understand: of course T-Mobile's business is not related to child porn and its blockage will cover approximately about 0% of such internet services.) Now both providers are talking about no exceptions for IWF.
A question also is why Orange, with such high moral, does blocking of its mobile-network only, while optics-cable connected customers (where traffic already does not matter so much, right?) do not have this “advantage”.
So if you want uncensored mobile internet access in Slovakia you must move to O2, the newest provider here. Yes, this one is the leader of IWF filtering in the Czech Republic.
This is the actual state of things 20 years after the Czechoslovak Gentle revolution ended the Soviet-based system here.
Here's a selection of anonymous netizens’ reactions (SLO) posted at SME.sk portal:
randy10:
Internet has to be free, open and uncensored. No company should start filtering, can offer it only as an extra part that needs to be switched on explicitly. Today it is child pornography, tomorrow it's the pages of right-wing parties, the day after tomorrow – academic segment or all religions except Christianity. This is not correct.
***
real name:
I've already reported this [to IWF]. [Orange's page with pictures for mobile phones with ‘Angels and Devils’ theme.]
***
čisté ruky [clean hands]:
So we will join the list. Google in China, Youtube in Turkey – and Orange in Slovakia.
***
archi731:
Child porn is the worst thing that could be found on the internet and those responsible for it have to be jailed for long years, but this is an absolutely incorrect way, because here what is being questioned is the freedom of individual united with responsibility for own acts. After all, we are a democratic country, adult persons and not some small children, and the internet provider is not some tutor to have the right to deal with us this way.
***
archi731:
In addition, this is a dangerous precedent and no one knows where it will end. Tomorrow they will start to block other forms of criminality at internet, that it will become something normal, state will adopt the right to deal with people preventively like with potential criminals, enter their privacy and the day after tomorrow we'll have here censorship like in China.
***
osc:
I personally do not care. When they are blocking porn pages focused on child pornography (if there are such), I vote for it. Maybe some people from Catholic church will miss them. [The person quoted here is referring to the much publicized pedophilia cases involving Catholic priests, but I do not remember any real cases that took place in Slovakia.]
***
Mikaco:
And after a short time we all will need to learn the Chinese language. :(
***
sanity inside:
And do not be surprised that no one trusts IWF – in Slovakia, we have a rich experience with censorship. That one before the November [Velvet revolution] also had a different function officially. Filtering should be good in principle, but requires credible institutions.
***
lubo.flynt:
The problem is IWF does not block child porn only. If “by chance” a serious page appears on their list for removing they require a sponsor's check. [Note: This anonymous commenter has not provided any proof for this.]
***
všetci do žatvy [all to harvest]:
In that poll under the article, 27% of readers do not like child porn blocking, what kind of creatures are they?
***
ABBE:
All tragedies start with great ideas.

author: Tibor Blazko


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Sri Lanka: Potentials Of Fishing Industry · Global Voices
Rezwan

Serendipity comments that after the devastation of the 2004 Tsunami and the restrictions during the war against the LTTE, the Sri Lankan fishing industry is poised to take off provided there is necessary support from the government.


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

KnowTnT.com would like to know what the point of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting actually is: “I am forced to wonder if the CHOGM meeting isn't anything but a group of dinosaurs discussing the tar pits.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: On Sex · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As a prelude to World AIDS Day, Alien In The Caribbean is “doing a thorough three part exploration of sex and sexuality, particularly in the Caribbean.”


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UAE bans Talk Show On Request From Pakistan · Global Voices
Rezwan

Teeth Maestro informs that on request from Pakistan UAE has imposed a ban on the airing of Geo TV program ‘Meray Mutabiq’ by Dr. Shahid Masood. The blogger comments: “I’m sure he may have been touching on some sensitive topics which more-or-less will most likely have to do with the NRO and Mr. Asif Ali Zardari being the top celebrity featured on that dis-honest list.”


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Algeria: An Open Letter to Egyptians  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From a football match for a place in the South Africa World Cup in 2010 to a full fledged face off and diplomatic stand off, Egyptians and Algerians continue to score points against each other on the ground – off and online.
Following the loss of Egypt in the qualifying match, Algerian blogger Abdulsalam Baroudi from Bilad Talsiman writes an ‘open letter’ to the people of Egypt. He writes:
On the aftermath of the match, the blogger adds:
Mr Baroudi continues his letter noting:
He then asks:
ما هذا .. أم الدنيا.. ؟؟؟ أم الدنيا التي تسمح بتزوير الشهادات وفبركة قصص الاعتداء وتحرض شعبها على بلد عربي وتثير الأحقاد والضغائن بين 120 مليون عربي ؟؟؟ ..
On Algerian-Egyptian relations, he writes:
Baroudi tries to dispel accusations against his country saying:
The blogger also discusses the role of video spread across websites showing young Algerian men wielding knives. He explains:
حكاية أخرى أشبه  بالمسلسلات السابعة المصرية وتخص فيديو اليوتيب لمشجعين جزائريين قدموا الخرطوم وبيدهم السكاكين ، وجدت هذا الفيديو وقد انتشر في المئات من المواقع الكترونية وهو بكل بساطة تصوير لتجمع شباني خلال فترة العدوان الإسرائيلي على غزة من الفترة الرابطة ما بين نهاية شهر ديسمبر 2008 ومطلع شهر جانفي 2009 كما أن الفيديو ظهر على موقع اليوتيب قبل مباراة الخرطوم وظهر أن صاحبه الذي استخدمه للفتنة والإثارة من خلال ما كان موضحا من تحذير كتب عليه ، صاحب الفيديو قام يوم الجمعة 20 نوفمبر 2009 بحذفه من الموقع ويكفي القيام بعملية بحث بسيطة لمعرفة ذلك وهذا بعدما أكتشف العالم أن الفيديو هو فضيحة تدين مروجي الفتنة والأكاذيب ضد الجزائر وشبابها وشعبها.
Another story which looks like a scene from an Egyptian soap opera concerns a YouTube video which shows Algerian spectators in Khartoum with knives in their hands. I found that this video had spread in hundreds of website is simply football of a youth gathering during the Israeli aggression on Gaza shot in the period between the end of December 2008 and January 2009. This video resurfaced on YouTube before the match in Khartoum and its owner used it to spread sedition through the warnings/threats which it contained. On November 20, 2009, its owner deleted it from the site. It is enough to know that after a simple search and the world has realised that this video is a scandal which implicates those who want to spread sedition and lies against Algeria and its citizens and youth.
In conclusion, Baroudi writes:

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bahamas: Enough Already · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith is “sick and tired of all those forwarded emails peddling scams, lies and hate propaganda.”


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Bahrain: Vaccine Dangers  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini Beisan, at Mideast Youth, takes a look at the dangers of vaccines.


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Bangladesh, India, Pakistan: One State Solution Week 2009 · Global Voices
Rezwan

The One State Solution Blog invites bloggers to express their opinions to redress the problems the Partition of India has created: “it did not achieve the goals or resolve the problems that the two-nation theory promised us as a subcontinent.” If you are blogging on this issue then tag your post with ossw’09.


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Bermuda, St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Here Comes The Queen · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Shawn and Sue and Repeating Islands blog about the Queen of England's visit to Bermuda.


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Bhutan: Stop Violence Against Women · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bhutanese blogger Penstar raises voice against all forms of violence towards women.


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China: Children who are left behind · Global Voices
Jennifer Zhang

On November 12, several days before the International Children's Day, an explosion erupted in an illegal fire cracker factory in Guangxi which resulted in 2 children workers dead and 11 others injured.
According to the Southern Weekend's report, these children victims were left behind by their parents, who are migrant workers and have to work in cities all year long to earn money and support their families. They lived with their aging grandparents and struggled to work before and after school time to earn some pocket money for snacks.
The children workers phenomenon is not rare in Yanghui village where the tragedy took place. The lack of government regulation is part of the reason behind, but on the other, “if these children have their parents around and being taken good care of, we will not have such a big tragedy,” Yang Youji, the village party chief, was quoted as saying.
According to the 2005 population census, there were 120 million farmers who worked or did business in cities, and the number of children they left behind amounted to 20 million. 88.2% left-behind children could only contact their parents by phone, but 53.5% of them talked with their parents in less than three minutes.
Tong Dahuan, a Chinese blogger in Tianya, pointed out another social issue in this fire-cracker incident related blog post, “Who Should Apologize for the Tragedy of the Left-behind Children”:
前两年，来自北京、上海等地的有关调查即显示，新移民二代的犯罪率是当地户籍青少年的三倍！留守儿童和流动儿童的悲剧命运，正在引领着我们走向一个不可知的未来。
Tong argued that it is the unfair education system that resulted in this kind of tragedy.
中国数以亿计的农村人到城市打工，他们的孩子经常被城市的学校排除在外，或被收更高的学费，城市里也没有专门供这些孩子受教育的非正式学校（打工子弟学校常常被教育主管部门以教育条件不达标为由围追堵截甚至赶尽杀绝）。更有甚者，在户籍加学籍的高考报考制度下，即使打工子弟历尽千辛万苦过五关斩六将在父母打工所在地读完了高中，他们也将面临无处高考的命运。这一切导致大量孩子过早被迫与父母分离，成为“没爹没妈”留守儿童。
Tong said there have been a lot of criticism against the government’s outdated residents certificate system and education system since 1997, but there seemed almost no progress on these two issues.
现行户籍与教育制度，已经严重违反了人权、人道、人伦，也违反了我们1990年签署、1991年全国人大批准、1992年3月1日起即对我国生效的联合国《儿童国际公约》
请问，不让孩子就地平等地接受教育和高考，是为了孩子的最大利益吗？用户籍制度生生将孩子和父母拆散，这样的分离符合儿童的最大利益吗?”
Another Tianya Blogger, Li Hui, questioned why the children workers are always the left-behind children?
为什么黑童工都是留守儿童？这背后，不仅是一个非法雇佣童工的问题，更深层次的原因，是城乡二元分化，以及由此导致的教育资源发展严重不均衡。
In the Southern Weekend report's comment section, many netizens left their comments, some blamed the residents registration system as the root of this tragedy.
For example, Yanchenyu said,
户籍制度是造成留守儿童的根源，城市人口享受农民工带来的繁荣，却不为他们的健康提供保障，不为他们的小孩提供教育。
li101947  questioned the role of law enforcement:
已经有多少儿童遭受了苦难？还有多少儿童将要遭受苦难？难道就不能有组织、制度保障他们的权益吗？法律的执行怎么了？

author: Jennifer Zhang


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China: Chinese is the most difficult language · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Uln has written three long posts to argue that Chinese is the most difficult language in the world. Part I, Part II and Part III.


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Difference between Japanese and American Résumés · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Daniel at the How to Japonese blog outlines the differences between Japanese and American résumés.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Ecuador: Kichwa Women Oppose Oil Exploration on Native Lands · Global Voices
Belen Bogado

It is a popular saying in Latin America that women always get what they want. In Sarayaku, Ecuador, women from the Kichwa tribe proved the saying to be true. When an oil company came onto their forest lands for oil exploration for future drilling, the women decided to stop them with a simple but flawless plan.
Photo by Ayahuasca and used under a Creative Commons license.
Esperanza Martinez says on the blog Ecoportal [es], that women told their husbands that if they allowed the companies to work on their lands, they would have to find other women …on different lands. The Kichwas organized a united front against the oil company until it finally had to leave.
This group of Kichwas live in province of Pastaza, on 140 thousand hectares in the Amazon, an area the Ecuadorian Ministry of Mines and Oil identified as Block 23. Several companies attempted to work there throughout the years, but they failed every time due to Kichwa’s opposition to drilling.
Although the decision to resist was made by the entire tribe, women’s participation became a key component. These fearless women will go a long way to preserve the forests and their lands.
Support Women
The blog Observatorio Petrolero Sur [es] publishes what Kichwa leader Franklin Toala said about the role of women during this process:
Uno de los procesos que tuvo Sarayaku, que hay que recalcar, es el magnífico apoyo de las mujeres. La relación que existe entre las mujeres y las comunidades es mucho más fuerte.
Ecuadorian newspaper Diario Universal described a chilling scene involving Kichwa women that took place in 2003,when 15 women and children ran for 4 hours through the jungle yelling “anchuri, (get out) anchuri oil companies,” to meet face to face with the oil company’s workers and armed guards. Confrontations took place and eventually the army intervened. But the Kichwas remained on their lands and kept them free of oil drilling.
Petroleum, Climate Change, and Indigenous women
In Ecuador, several regions have already suffered the terrible environmental and health consequences of oil drilling. In Pichincha in the province of Sucumbios, oil drilling has been taking place for 20 years, the air is polluted and the water contaminated because of oil spills. The people have suffered the loss of domestic animals because of drinking contaminated water and the loss of crops because the contaminated land becomes infertile. They are also affected by several skin and respiratory diseases, birth defects, and miscarriages.
Women are once again the most vulnerable to these negative impacts. In petroleum areas of Ecuador the incidence of cancer is three times more comparing to the national average, especially affecting women. Women are in constant contact with contaminated water by washing clothes and bathing their children in the river.
It is no wonder Kichwa women reject oil drilling. They know it will transform their lands, their lives, and the environment for ever.
The Online Community Reacts to the Kichwa Example
Blogger Efren Calapucha shares his feelings on the Kichwa’s stand on the blog Redamazon [es]:
¡Amigos de la Tierra! En este espacio de la selva amazónica con grandes recursos biodiversos se quiere cercenar LA VIDA lo que NO PERMITEREMOS se establezca tan execrable hecho que afectará al Calentamiento Global extinguiéndose los pueblos, la flora y la fauna hasta hoy fortalecidas y guardadas celosamente
The blog Observatorio Petrolero Sur [es] posts about the remarkable determination of the Kichwas despite the circumstances:
Han pasado dos décadas y hasta el momento la exploración no se concretó, pero la amenaza es permanente. En 20 años pasaron muchas cosas, demandas a nivel nacional e internacional, campañas en un lado y en el otro, y en el territorio la presión fue mucha. Los kichwas sufrieron todo tipo de atropellos, persecuciones e incluso la militarización de Sarayaku; pero siguieron diciendo no.
The Kichwa community has managed to keep their forests safe so far but the struggle is not over. Of course with Kichwa women among them, they have little to fear.
Watch the Video
A Kichwa child stands defiant with the words “I’m a forest protector” painted on his chest. He appears in the video filmed and posted by Oilwatch, which is about the Sarayaku community’s reaction to the attempt of an oil company to carry out oil exploration in their lands. Click here to watch the video in Spanish.

author: Belen Bogado


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Egypt: Egyptian Politics, Arab Nationalism and Football  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

What is the relationship between Egyptian politics, Arab nationalism and a football match? Egyptian Dalia Ziada sheds her thoughts on all those issues in this post.


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Egypt: Elimination of Violence Against Women Day Marked  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian Ibn Ad Dunya marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women with this post.


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Egypt: Football and Nationalism  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Arabist has more on football and nationalism in this post.


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Egypt: Football isn’t just a game  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Maryanna Stroud Gabbani, who lives in Egypt, shares her two cents on the ‘action’ which followed the Algeria-Egypt football match, which saw Algeria qualify to the World Cup finals, being held in South Africa in 2010.


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Egypt: Where are the Algerian Intellectuals?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blog Justice for All [Ar] asks: “Where are the intellectuals in Algeria when the nation wakes up..on curses? This is another reading to the question: Why do they hate us?”


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Egypt/Gaza: “Trashy” music video clips · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

‘I wasn’t surprised to see during my my trip to Egypt and Gaza that no one watches music videos anymore. When I asked few people about their choice of boycotting music videos, the answer was similar, “they have gotten trashy”,’ writes Hanitizer at Arab-American group blog KABOBfest.


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Greece: Police violence against migrant woman triggers reforms · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

Greece has been embroiled in a row over abusive migrant detentions and the lip service paid so far by the new socialist government to honor its pledges to reform the police. Two days before the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, an incident of police brutality against a migrant mother and her child in Athens caused an uproar that have triggered new government promises for police reform.
Photojournalist and blogger Craig Wherlock translated from reports in Greek media:
a 35 year old Armenian woman was beaten, handcuffed and detained in front of her two year old child [..] in Athens last Thursday [..] When she went to get the pushchair carrying her child they grabbed her, pushed her to the ground, kicking and punching her in the belief she was resisting arrest. The hapless mother was handcuffed and taken with her child to the Aghios Panteleimonos police department where she was kept for four hours.
The incident was promptly reported on Twitter by Cyberela:
«Νταήδες» αστυνομικοί ξυλοκόπησαν 35χρονη http://www.enet.gr/104685 (via @enetgr) @chrisochoidis Τί θα κάνετε γι αυτό;
Citizen Protection minister Michalis Chrisochoidis was harangued by demands to take action. On Twitter vivian_e said:
@chrisochoides Υπουργέ, δεν πάει άλλο η κατάσταση με την αστυνομική βία. Πρέπει να υπάρξουν παραδειγματικές τιμωρίες. Άμεσα
Half an hour after the first tweet, the minister's office responded directly to citizens for the first time through Twitter:
@Cyberela @diakoptis @teacherdude @asteris @magicasland μετά την καταγγελία της 36χρονης η ΓΑΔΑ διέταξε Ένορκη Διοικητική Εξέταση
… to which vivian_e responded
@chrisochoidis Θα σας ρωτάμε κάθε μέρα για την πορεία της ΕΔΕ.
Later, the minister announced that the officers responsible for the incident would be permanently dismissed, and initiated a public consultation for the creation of a special office to monitor incidents of police abuse.

author: Asteris Masouras


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India: Politics And Tolerance · Global Voices
Rezwan

I love life… so I explore  quotes Allama Iqbal on the philosophy of  Hindu God Rama to showcase that: “India’s biggest strength is it’s secularism and it’s philosophy of tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.”

author: Rezwan


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Iraq: Dreams of Freedom  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

After years of war, Iraqi Wamith Al-Kassab writes: “Change will happen in Iraq. Activists will win. Freedom will roll.This is our vision, this is our faith…This is our dream.”


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Jamaica: Trafficking in Paradise? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaica Salt takes a look at human trafficking and prostitution on the island.


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Japan: Peak oil crisis and organic farming · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Martin J Frid from Kurashi reports on a discussion on the projected peak oil crisis and the example of Ogawa organic farming project in prepare for the future.


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Jordan: Internet Blues  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Hatem Abunimeh describes his ordeal getting an Internet connection in Jordan.


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Jordan: Keep the bad Parliament! · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

After the Jordanian Parliament was dissolved, Jordanian Hareega writes: “If a new Parliament is to be elected, it has to be an absolute disaster for me to believe it is representative of the people. Anything less than a catastrophic performance will make suspect that the elections were a fraud.”


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Kuwait: Bahrain and Back  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Kuwaiti ZDistrict visits Bahrain and shares his experience here.


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Morocco: A Tasty Little Tale  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

My Marrakesh shares this “tasty little tale” from Marrakech, in Morocco.


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Puerto Rico: Voices Against Violence · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

They are more than numbers. They are faces, lives, dreams, and hopes. They are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, friends, workers, politicians, lawyers, academics, activists, students, straight, gay. Violence crosses class, race, ethnicity, national boundaries, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
In Puerto Rico, according to official statistics collected by the Office of the Women's Advocate, 178 women have been murdered by their partners or ex partners between 2001-2008. This year, already 16 women have been murdered in cases of domestic violence in an Island with a population of roughly 4 million people. There is an average of 20,000 domestic violence incidents reported to the police every year. Those are only the ones that are reported. In their latest study (2007), the government's Center for Victims of Rape calculated that 18,000 people, mostly women and girls, are victims of sexual violence every year.
There are many other forms of violence embodied in unequal wages, lack of access to health care and education, homophobia, and racism.
Poster of march against violence at the University of Puerto Rico. Republished with permission of the organizers.
There are also many women, and men, resisting violence in creative and innovative ways. Today, November 25, on occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, that marks the first day of the world-wide annual campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, feminist bloggers in Puerto Rico have written posts on how violence affects their lives, their families, and their communities.
They have written poetry, in-depth analyses, and intimate reflections. They have written about structural, discursive, domestic, and sexual violence. They have written about unequal power relationships, public policies, laws, poverty, democracy, the economy, and even about violence against women in film. Let's see their faces, read their texts, and listen to their voices.
In her blog Mujeres en Puerto Rico [ES], feminist lawyer Verónica remembers how violence against women she knew, or was separated from by degrees, has touched her life since she was a child:
En mi temprana adolescencia, convencí a mi madre para que me permitiera hacerme mi primera manicura. En cuanto obtuve la ansiada autorización, corrí a un salón de belleza y allí conocí a Ada, la dueña del lugar. Simpática, agradable, sonriente, siempre trabajadora, Ada. Su socio era también su esposo, así que lo recuerdo a él también, entrando y saliendo del salón, mientras Ada trabajaba con mis manos. Un día, de repente, el salón de belleza amaneció cerrado. Ada había sido asesinada por su esposo. Se abrió la caja de pandora. Por primera vez, en mi vida escuché de primera mano sobre cómo la distorsión de lo que es una relación amorosa puede terminar en muerte. Perdí la inocencia.
In my early adolescence, I convinced my mother to let me have my first manicure. As soon as she gave me permission, I ran to the beauty parlor where I met Ada, the owner. She was nice and kind. She was always smiling and working. Her business associate was also her husband, so I also remember him entering and leaving the parlor while Ada worked on my hands. One day, suddenly, the beauty parlor closed. Ada had been murdered by her husband. For me, Pandora’s box was opened. For the first time in my life, I learned how a twisted sense of love can end in death. I lost my innocence.
Feminist activist Amárilis Pagán denounced in Brujas y Rebeldes [ES] the multi-dimensional aspects of violence perpetrated by the State.
Estamos de pie ante un sistema de gobierno que se ha convertido en el principal agresor de las mujeres en Puerto Rico. De pie y resistiendo por nosotras y por otras poblaciones que son igualmente vulnerables. De la misma manera en que la violencia doméstica se trata de una cuestión de poder y control, la violencia actual del Estado en contra de las mujeres de la Isla es un asunto de poder y control matizado por una perspectiva acartonada de lo que son- y deben ser- las mujeres a la luz de una concepción judeo-cristiana de corte fundamentalista que se ha entronizado en la esfera gubernamental. Este 25 de noviembre, Día Internacional de No Más Violencia Hacia las Mujeres, es obligatorio hablar de la violencia hacia las nosotras en sus expresiones más amplias y profundas. Esa violencia no se limita a la violencia en relaciones de pareja (violencia doméstica) y es, en realidad, una violencia que se ha filtrado a través de muchas otras facetas de la vida de las mujeres. Pensar que la violencia doméstica es el único tipo de violencia que se inflige a las mujeres de la Isla es simplificar un asunto mucho más complejo.
We are resisting a governmental system that has become the primary aggressor against women in Puerto Rico. We are resisting in order to defend ourselves and other vulnerable sectors of society. The same way in which domestic violence is an issue of power and control, state violence against women is also about power and control. In this case, it is framed by a limited vision of who women are, and are supposed to be, according to the Judeo-Christian fundamentalism that has invaded the government. This November 25, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, it is necessary to talk about the varied and profound ways in which violence is committed against us. This violence is not limited to violence perpetrated in intimate relationships (domestic violence). Other forms of violence have seeped through other facets of women’s lives. To believe that domestic violence is the only kind of violence inflicted on women in this Island is to simplify an issue that is much more complex.
Performance denouncing violence against women in Puerto Rico. Video by Insula TV.
Feminist activist Nahomi Galindo-Malavé analyzes the multiple manifestations of gender violence in Poder, Cuerpo y Género [ES]:
En el mes de No más violencia hacia las mujeres, es importante recordar que todo acto de violencia encarna una red de relaciones de poder: en este caso, relaciones de género. Es por ello, que el objeto o “víctima” de la violencia de género no necesariamente es siempre una “mujer”.  Un ejemplo reciente de ello es violento asesinato del hombre gay de 19 años, Jorge Steven López. Para comprender este suceso como crimen de odio y como violencia de género, es importante entender cómo se despliegan a través de él las relaciones de poder y la construcción de las masculinidades… La violencia contra las mujeres es producto de las relaciones de poder que existen en nuestra sociedad. Se trata por tanto de una de las manifestaciones de la violencia de género, que se dirige contra todo aquello que no es inteligible, que rompe, que no se subordina, a las normas de lo masculino y lo femenino. Diferentes formas de violencia de género son las violencias domésticas, la violencia económica, los feminicidios y los crímenes de odio.
During the month of No More Violence Against Women it is important to remember that every act of violence embodies a network of power relationships. In this case, gender relations. This is why the object or “victim” of gender violence is not necessarily always a woman. A recent example is the violent murder of the gay 19 year-old Jorge Steven López. To be able to understand this murder as a hate crime and as gender violence, its important to understand how power relationships and the construction of masculinities work… Violence against women is the product of power relationships in our societies.  Therefore, it is one of the manifestations of gender violence directed to everything intelligible, that breaks with and does not bend to masculine and feminine norms. Domestic, economic, femicides and hate crimes are different forms of gender violence.
In El rincón de la cinefilia [ES], RDLC, who describes himself as a feminist man, does a critique of the films “What's Love Got to Do with It?” and “North Country”. He concludes that:
La violencia en contra de la mujer, ya sea en el ámbito íntimo del hogar o en donde trabaja, está mal. Podríamos pensar que luego de años y años de concienciación a la sociedad esta enfermedad hubiera culminado. Sin embargo, aquí estamos: año 2009 y las estadísticas sobre actos violentos en contra de féminas siguen más altas de lo que quisiéramos. Por ello, les recomiendo ambas películas basadas en hechos reales donde féminas (famosas y no famosas) luego de ser confrontadas con la violencia, supieron sobrepasar dignamente el epíteto “víctima”, convertirse en heroínas y llevar un mensaje claro: no más violencia contra las mujeres. PUNTO.
Violence against women is wrong, be it in the intimacy of the home or in the workplace. We would like to think that after so many years of consciousness raising, this disease should have been eliminated. But, here we are, in the year 2009, and the statistics of violence against women are still much higher than expected. This is why I recommend both of these movies based on true events in which women, famous and not famous, transcended from being “victims” to become heroes. They deliver a clear message: no more violence against women. PERIOD.
Feminist law student Mariana Iriarte discusses discursive and symbolic violence in Con otro y otras en el mundo [ES]:
Importante es entonces ser conscientes y concientizar a otras mujeres que la violencia física siempre es antecedida por la violencia simbólica, que antes de agredirte física o sexualmente, preparará el terreno discursivamente para que te sientas acorralada y sin salida, que anterior al golpe te hará sentir que no eres humana, que no vales nada, que eres un apéndice de él y más que su compañera eres su pertenencia. Reconocer que los roles que se te han asignado como mujer fueron construidos por los hombres para garantizar su dominio sobre las mujeres y que, sobre todo, nada de eso es normal. Por eso, hoy y siempre di no a la violencia contra las mujeres y sábete libre para hacer de tu identidad lo que te dé la gana.
It is important, therefore, to be aware and make other women aware that physical violence is always preceded by symbolic violence. That before you are beaten physically or sexually, the ground has been discursively prepared in order for you to feel surrounded, and without an exit. That before the blow he will make you feel inhuman, worthless, and that your are his appendage and his property. It is important to recognize that this is not normal, and that these roles assigned to you were constructed by men to guarantee women’s submission. This is why, today, always say no to violence against women and feel free to reinvent your identity as you please.
Movimiento Amplio de Mujeres de Puerto Rico.
In Poder, espacio y ambiente [ES] environmentalist and feminist law professor Erika Fontánez analyzes different forms of institutional violence against women:
Exigimos que se atienda la violencia, las violencias todas, las violencias de esta sociedad directas e indirectas, las obvias y las estructurales, contra las mujeres. Exigimos el cese de políticas excluyentes que tienen el impacto de fomentar nuestra exclusión y perpetuar la violencia, las violencias. No bastan las ‘palabras de hombre’, no las queremos, queremos el reconocimiento en igualdad de condiciones y en igualdad de poder. Exijamos nuevas relaciones de poder en todas las cotidianidades que rompan con los ciclos de las violencias. No más violencia institucional ni de ningún tipo contra las mujeres.
We demand that violence be addressed: all forms of violence against women, direct and indirect, the obvious and the structural. We demand the elimination of policies that promote exclusion and perpetuate violence: all forms of violence. ‘Men’s promises and pledges’ (an imported campaign promoted by the government of Puerto Rico) are not enough. We do not want them. We want equality in power relationships and living conditions. Let's demand different power relationships that break with the cycles of violence. No more institutional violence against women.
In El diario de El Curio [ES], Yolanda Velázquez has posted poetry. The blog of the coalition Movimiento Amplio de Mujeres [ES] has information on the feminist movement in Puerto Rico.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Russia Begins Registering Domains in Cyrillic · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

November 2009 will take a special place in the history of the Russian Internet. It is the month when a Cyrillic domain zone was born  – .РФ (Russian Federation). Russia became the first country that allows top-level domains in non-Latin characters. The current Internet domains system will allow to use Cyrillic characters in a URL.
“The main thing about IDN ccTLD [internationalized domain names country code top-level domain] is that people who do not understand Latin (English) will be able to use their own language to access the Internet. The Web will become more familiar to people,” Veni Markovski, a representative for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) [ENG] in Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe, told the GVO.
The final decision to introduce Cyrillic URLs was made in October 30, 2009 when the ICANN finally approved the request to let different states use their national alphabets for domain names.  On November 16, the Russian Coordination Center for National Intern Domain (RU-Center) submitted an official request for creating a .РФ zone.  Although a limited registration of Cyrillic domains starts on November 25, the first requests were already submitted on November 11. The administration of the Russian president is very likely to become the first institution in the .РФ zone with a new URL “кремль.рф” (kremlin.rf). The local government of the Ekaterinburg region also submitted a request asking for “екатеринбург.рф” (ekaterinburg.rf) and “екбург.рф” (ekburg.rf) domains.
The main concern for the RU-Center during the registration is cybersquatting when people and companies buy popular domain names with the only purpose to resell them later for a higher price. But it looks like making a fortune with reselling .РФ URLs won’t be an easy task.
The first stage of registration starts on November 25, 2009 and will continue until March 25, 2010. Only government organizations and owners of officially recognized trademarks – there are at least eight thousand trademarks owners in Russia- will be allowed to apply for a .РФ  address during the first months.
The registration will be opened to the general public in April 2010. But not everyone will be able to afford a new domain. Buying a domain name on the first day of the open registration would cost 10 million rubles ($340,000). The price will decline to 100,000 rubles ($3,400) closer to June when the process won't be regulated by the RU-Center. At that point, everyone will be able to purchase a domain name at the price set by different commercial domain sellers.
The stream of applications to the  RU-Center started long before November 25. Several thousands of Russian companies and organizations submitted early requests. More than a half of those requests were already denied.
“Over a week, only 1,117 applications have been approved while over 1,500 have been declined,” Andrey Vorobyov, a PR manager at the RU-Center, said. “The applicants do not take the rules seriously and their domain names contain Cyrillic letters along with Latin characters. Some names do not even represent their trade marks.”
The RU-center does not allow Latin letters in new .РФ domains. New URLs also cannot contain offensive words and expressions. A special group of Russian linguists analyzes every application for any abuses of the language.
Some Russian experts see potential conflicts and issues at the earliest stages of the registration. Svetlana Vladimirova, a director of “Mediapartner” company, said that some trademark owners have almost identical names and that can lead to all sorts of problems  and confusions during the process.
Russia is the first but not the only country that will have top-level domains based on its own alphabet. The Egyptian Minister of communication Tarek Kamel said at the Sharm El Sheikh Internet Governance Forum [ENG] that Egypt would be the first to use Arabic letters in the state domains. The new URLs will contain “.masr” (Egypt) extension written in Arabic.
Applications for new national top level domains were also submitted to the ICANN by China, Bulgaria and few other countries. One can witness a chain reaction around the former Soviet Union with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine expressing their interest in Cyrillic domain names for their countries.
Most Russian experts consider .РФ domain great news of national importance and a special achievement for the country. The new zone will definitely provide new  and more effective ways to reach the Russian-language audience. It will also significantly increase the amount of Russian speakers using the World Wide Web. Some experts say that the age of Internet users in Russia will be significantly younger since the usage of Cyrillic in URLs will make it easier for children to go online.
The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the creation of the Cyrillic zone an “important goal” of the Internet development in the country. Medvedev also underlined its symbolic importance for Russia. The authorities claim that it will speed up the process of creating an effective e-government system. The Russian Minister of Communications Igor Shegolev noted recently that the new domain zone would be used to create a government e-mail services making it easier for citizens to communicate with government officials.
But not everyone is optimistic. “No one needs an .РФ zone,” Vladimir Dolgiy-Rapoport, a CEO of Aroundme.ru, said in an interview for the Forbes magazine. “The net is international but the Cyrillic address can’t by typed in most of the countries.”
For better or for worse, the emergence of a .РФ zone also includes a strong political message. The global nature of the Internet in many cases threaten the sovereignty of state actors. In many cases, a commitment of people to a particular network that doesn’t have any affiliation with the state identity is stronger than their commitment to state framework. Until now, governments had difficulties defining state-affiliated spaces in the virtual word. In a way, the national alphabet domains create new borders in the virtual reality and support the state sovereignty.
Domains in different languages also raises some questions about net neutrality. In the near future, the access to some of content on the Internet will be limited to those who know and can type national alphabet characters into an address box of a Web browser. In other words, the new domains not only support the state sovereignty but can also increase the cyberspace fragmentation by drawing new virtual borders.
Veni Markovski believes that the new domain zone has nothing to do with the net neutrality. He claimes that it makes the Internet more accessible. “There is no relation between the new top level domains and the net neutrality issue, which is mainly an issue in the United States,” he said. “The IDN ccTLD – and note, we are talking here only about a country code TLD, not generic TLD – provide more access. If you are from a country that does not use Latin letter, you might never be able to understand what the Internet says… Think about it in a different way, what if the Internet was created in China, instead of in the U.S., and we all had to write the web addresses in Chinese? How many users would there be in E.U., or the U.S., or in Russia?”

author: Gregory Asmolov


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Singapore: Bilingual policy on education · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Singapore is reviewing the bilingual policy on education following the admission of a former Prime Minister about the flaws of that policy

author: Mong Palatino


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Singapore: Illegal employment termination · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Illegally terminated pregnant workers in Singapore can lodge complaints. Barnyard Chorus identifies the process on how to file a complaint with the Ministry of Manpower


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Singapore: Middle Class and recession · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Seah Chiang Nee writes how the recession is affecting Singapore's middle-class population.


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Singapore: New $100 banknotes · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

New $100 paper banknotes have been spotted in Singapore this month


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Sri Lanka: Transformation Of Buddhism · Global Voices
Rezwan

Daya Dissanayake at Groundviews opines: “In Sri Lanka, the Dhamma preached by the Buddha has gone through many transformations.”


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Successful BPO firm in Vietnam · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Saigonnezumi features a successful Business Process Outsourcing firm in Vietnam


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Trinidad & Tobago: Waste of Time? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Most citizens still think CHOGM is a few-hundred-million dollar joke and will not benefit citizens in any way”: Trinidad and Tobago's This Beach Called Life weighs in on the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.


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Video: End Violence Against Women Around the World · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Today, November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and through videos, many people and organizations around the world are expressing their need to end the violence as well as the efforts they are undertaking to ensure that women have a safer world to live in.
Words about violence must break SILENCE
UNIFEM, in the Say No to Violence channel on YouTube has already documented some of the actions being taken around the world to end gender violence. This first video shows the Ngara Girls High School in Nairobi, Kenya, where young girls are being taught to say No to Violence, to stand up for their rights and also how to deal with rape, assault, harassment and other forms of gender violence:
Also in Kenya, the Kenyatta National Hospital has a Gender Violence Recovery Center, where women and their children can go and receive care in cases of violence against them. In this next video, they tell of their experience running the center, the context they are in, and women who have been victims of gender violence speak out:
In Peru, the Flora Tristan organization is having a protest and mass gathering for another aspect they believe is related to gender violence: the denial of free access to birth control methods and the new law that determined that the day after pill (emergency contraception)  wouldn't be distributed free of cost.  They will be doing an educational campaign in a park in Lima and giving out information about birth control, also handing out day after pills and birth control packets as a symbolic protest:
In the context of all Latin America and the Caribbean, UN-INSTRAW launches this video as part of an awareness campaign :
Latinoamérica y el Caribe es un lugar peligroso para las mujeres. Más de 50 por ciento de las mujeres de la región han sido objetos de agresiones. En la República Dominicana, por ejemplo, 1,453 mujeres fueron asesinadas entre los años 2000 y 2008. En el marco del Día Internacional para la Eliminación de la Violencia Contra la Mujer, UN-INSTRAW lanza un nuevo video sobre la seguridad de las mujeres latinas y caribeñas.
In Spain, women participated in the 5th Self-Defense seminar against gender violence, where they are taught how to protect themselves in case they face a dangerous situation. Training is geared towards enabling them to disable their aggressor momentarily so they can run away from danger.
And from Chile, Hip Hop Artist COFLA has made a song titled Femicide. Whereas hip-hop lyrics are often thought to promote violence against women, this artist has put out a song condemning how men go from promises of love and protection to violence, aggression and even murder:
Have there been similar efforts and activities in your hometown or country? Please let us know in the comments how your community is moving towards ending violence against women!

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Brazil: The Violence Against Women Debate · Global Voices
Diego Casaes

LuluzinhaCamp badge: "'Luluzinhas' for the end of violence against  women".
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was yesterday. Following a series of special posts on Global Voices Online to raise awareness and voices around the cause, we'll see in this post some Brazilian bloggers’ opinions about women's rights.
Renowned Brazilian blogger Lúcia Freitas [pt] gives her contribution by posting a call for bloggers to support a campaign [pt] against violence in the LuluzinhaCamp [pt], a collective of women bloggers inspired on the Little Lulu comics:
Chamada geral! Entre 25 de novembro e 10 de dezembro estamos convocando para a luta pelo fim da violência contra as mulheres. Vamos fazer posts, twittar, fotografar e lembrar que mulheres são seres humanos e merecem respeito – aliás, todo mundo merece…
"Lulus against violence". Photo by Gabi Butcher©, used under a Creative Commons license
Srta. Bia [pt] hears the call and adds her voice to the  LuluzinhaCamp campaign, saying [pt]:
No Brasil uma mulher é agredida a cada 15 segundos. Na maioria das vezes o agressor é o parceiro, um familiar ou uma pessoa próxima. Desde pequenas, meninas sofrem com violência e discriminação. Organizações em defesa dos direitos da mulher lutam para eliminar as brechas e anacronismos nas leis, porém as mudanças precisam reverberar na sociedade, na maneira como a mulher é vista.
She carries on:
É por liberdade que as Irmãs Mirabal lutaram, é por liberdade que lutamos a cada dia. Liberdade de ser a mulher que eu quiser, a mulher politizada ou não, a mulher que tem filhos ou não, a mulher que faz um aborto ou não, a mulher depilada ou não, a mulher que faz sexo com quem quiser ou não, mas acima de tudo a mulher que deve ser respeitada e que de maneira alguma pode sofrer nenhum tipo de violência, seja ela física ou psicológica, apenas por ser mulher. Nada justifica a violência contra ninguém.
"Do your bit". Photo by Gabi Butcher©, used under a Creative Commons license
The violence against woman debate is a hot topic in Brazil. Just recently, a series of events involving a student from Bandeirantes University in the state of São Paulo triggered many blog posts on the society's prejudice against the feminine body. On the occasion, tourism student Geisy Arruda wore a short pink dress to go to a regular classroom. Her story, however, touches on more than a 20-year-old woman’s choice at clothing: she ended up catching the attention of many students, who considered the dress offensive. Hundreds of them started ridiculing and cursing the girl, as well as threatening to assault her that day.
Geisy Arruda was eventually expelled from the University under the argument that her “provocative” behaviour was not compatible with the school's rules, but after the international mass media found the case profitable and Geisy became a celebrity on TV and on the Internet, the university admitted her back as student. So far, the heckling students have not been punished. Denise Arcoverde in Síndrome de Estocolmo [Stockholm Syndrome, pt] mentioned the case in her blog. In one particular occasion, she wrote [pt]:
Nesse outro vídeo, a imagem da moça saindo escoltada pela polícia.  Fiquei tão passada com a história que me deu uma taquicardia, de raiva. Eu já vi muito machismo, muita cretinice, mas nada com essa violência. Foi um estupro emocional, que não deve ficar por isso mesmo.
Como discutimos no Twitter, a faculdade paulista UNIBAN não é culpada pela atitude canalha dos estudantes, mas é responsável por não ter controlado a situação e ainda deixar a menina ser humilhada ao sair, escoltada pela polícia. Se fosse minha filha, processaria e exigiria milhões de indenização por danos morais.
"Those who are free fear not being ridiculous". Photo by Gabi Butcher©, used under a Creative Commons license
The Corpos em Revolta blog [Bodies in Revolt, pt] depicts the different types of violence suffered by women and asks the readers to take part in this struggle:
Acreditando que a idéia de feminilidade e o ideal de beleza são conceitos socialmente construídos e ferramentas de controle, o Coletivo Antissexista Corpos em Revolta mostra seu repúdio, nesse dia Internacional da Eliminação da Violência Contra a Mulher, a todas as formas de misoginia, machismo, sexismo, homofobia, e racismo, que vitimizam e inferiorizam as mulheres.
And they add information about a demonstration scheduled to take place on November 29 to celebrate their struggle:
Não acreditamos em padrões de feminilidade nem aceitamos padrões estéticos! Somos a favor da diversidade de corpos e de personalidades, da subversão dos valores sexistas que controlam nossas relações! Propomos uma sociedade onde não haja distinções de gênero, cor, etnia, sexualidade ou qualquer outra forma de inequidade sustentada pela sociedade de mercado!
Para marcar essa data, o Corpos em Revolta fará um ato simbólico no Parque Redenção no domingo, dia 29 de novembro, às 15 horas. Traga sua revolta e participe!
To mark that date, Bodies in Revolt will stage a symbolic act in Redenção Park this Sunday, November 29, at 3pm. Bring your revolt and take part in it!
Finally, we read the following message [pt] on the Instituto Humanitas Unisinos blog:
Mulheres vem sofrendo a violência dos homens presentes em suas vidas (companheiros, pais, irmãos, filhos) há alguns séculos, e cotidianamente, muitas vezes em silêncio e culpadas por acontecer, ou muitas vezes sem saber reconhecer como uma violência e especialmente contra elas, por serem mulheres. Só recentemente e nos últimos anos, a agressividade social e individual contra nós está sendo nomeada e combatida, com o avanço dos movimentos sociais, feministas e de mulheres, muita coisa avançou no sentido de reconhecer como uma forma específica de privação dos direitos ao exercício da cidadania.
Photo Foto por Gabi Butcher©, at Luluzinha Camp, used under a Creative Commons license
The photos that illustrate this piece are from a LuluzinhaCamp meeting in São Paulo on November 22. See the full gallery of positive thinking portraits taken by Gabi Butcher, from DiaPositivo Fotografia [pt] blog. And happy 2010!

author: Diego Casaes


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Central America: Saying No to Violence Against Women · Global Voices
Renata Avila

Across Central America, online campaigns and activities to raise awareness about the issue of Violence Against Women are taking place across the region. Many of these efforts are attracting the interest and participation of bloggers who share their thoughts on this issue.
Photo by Rudy Girón of Antigue Daily Photo and used under a Creative Commons license.
In Guatemala, the Multi-Annual Campaign (extended from 2008 to 2015) of the Regional Chapter, “JOIN together to put an End to Violence against Women” was recently launched, and Radio Feminista is reporting on the event at the collaborative space Fin a la Violencia (End to Violence). In addition, the organization Take Back the Tech is promoting a 16-day blogathon by taking over the blogosphere to discuss topics related to violence against women and ways to prevent it through the use of technology. Anyone can join the network and blog about the subject, from any place, in any language.
Honduras
When a crisis arises across the world, it often leaves women more vulnerable as a target for violence. For example, the blog Género con Clase [es] from Honduras republishes an article written by Tacuazina Morales, who writes that there was an increase of violence and brutality against women just after the coup. This was due in part to the “state of non-protection that victims found themselves and the weakening of the institutions responsible for the protection of the human rights of the women.” According to Feministas en Resistencia,  there were approximately 400 cases of violence against women  during the demostrations against the coup, including 23 sexual assaults, some of which had the involvement of state security forces.
Guatemala
In neighboring Guatemala, impunity, which is the non-prosecution or punishment of perpetrators, is the most serious consequence of this phenomenon. Up to 97% of the cases of violence against Guatemalan women are not prosecuted according to the blog Género con Clase [es]. Journalist Montserrat Boix features several organizations working on the issue in the country, and also highlights the recent Law Against Femicide passed in 2009 [es].
Guatemalan blogger Ixmucane of Cine Sobre Todo [es] writes about migrant women, who are especially vulnerable to violence:
Unas de las situaciones en las que las mujeres están más indefensas es en la migración, porque están lejos del círculo familiar que las proteje, no conocen las leyes y muchas veces tampoco el idioma. Insisto que cuando hablo de migración, hablo de la migración dentro del país como hacia el extranjero. Y lo peor es que no se quiere defraudar a la familia que se queda, ya que ellos dependen muchas veces económicamente de ellas.
In the Catholic Church, a novena is a devotion consisting of prayer typically said on nine successive days, asking to obtain special graces, so Julio Serrano of the blog Fellinada [es] wrote a series of nine articles or “a novena” to unveil the complexities of violence against women. He also asks for the grace to replace violence with words of love: he used as his prayers, nine real stories of different kinds of violence against women and he ends with these thoughts:
Finalmente, no es un golpe bajo hablar del amor en este día, es una postura radical, política, amar es un acto social. Desde mi masculinidad y reivindicando a la mujer en mí, y a la mujer en el otro, y a las mujeres cercanas y lejanas, a mi mamá, a mi novia, a mis amigas, a mis hermanos, a mi papá, a mis amigos, y a aquellas tres hermanas y a lo que representan para nosotros hoy, para ustedes estas palabras llenas de amor”
Photo by Rudy Girón of Antigua Daily Photo and used under a Creative Commons license
Rudy Girón of the blog Antigua Daily Photo made a statement about why we should reject violence as something normal, and why we should take that as a starting point to be part of the solution to solve the problem of violence against women:
I do not want to hear gun shots as normal. I refuse to take violent acts as normal. I do not want to be desensitized towards all the manifestations of violence. I do not want to see naked guns on the streets; at the entrance of banks; with every delivery truck; at shops and every tiendita (store) in the country. I do not want to be part of the problem. I will not yield to words that belittle women or other people. I will not. I want to be part of the solution.
The world has changed again, bringing more complex problems to the forefront to be solved, but because of the internet there are also more voices to join the conversation who add their ideas for solutions. Even the most marginalized in society, poor, indigenous women are fighting for their rights as described by the blog of Guatemala Solidarity so it is time to say no to violence and say yes to a more equal society.

author: Renata Avila


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China: Great Wall damaged by gold miners · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Angry Chinese blogger blogs about the ongoing destruction of Great Wall as a result of local corporates’ private interest. In a recent case, a 100 meter long Great Wall has been damaged by gold miners in Inner Mongolia.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Prisons more modern & luxurious than schools · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Tingting from ChinaSMACK translated a local forum post that shows modern and luxurious design prison in China.


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China: The hottest people on the internet in 2009 · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CC from China Hush has a year end roundup post on the hottest people on the internet in China in 2009.