text:
China: education VS media · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhao mu blogs about a debate between education department and media workers. On September 25, the spokes person of education department openly criticized that the Chinese media is ignorant. The response of course is “which is more ignorant? education department or media?” (zh)


text:
China: harmonious society · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Positive solutions writes on the social economic background for the Chinese government's propaganda of building a harmonious society.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
China: internet mobs hunt Accord Girl · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Jeremy Goldkorn in DANWEI blogs about a Accord Girl's video that enraged local netizens and resulted in another internet mobs hunt. The girl thinks that anyone who earns less than 3,000 yuan a month is a loser (i.e. most people in China).


text:
China: Promiscuity crime · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Li Yin-he blogs about various promiscuity crime cases in China (Part 1 and Part 2). She raises a simple question: if it is sex out of consent among adults, should they be punished? (zh)


text:
China: spoofing Confucius · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The new, standardized statue of Confucius was unveiled on September 23 by the China Confucius Institute. Here are some reactions from the blogsphere:
Xiong pei-yun points out that the standarization is against Confucius teaching:
孔子教导艺术家，“知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。”意思是，孔子长什么样，你知道就说知道，不知道就说不知道，搞标准要诚实。显然，这种看似为孔子脸上贴金、附带赠送个关二爷脸谱的做法，不过是冒充知道、以掺假“恶搞”孔子。
相见不如怀念。孔子“道成雕像”，只是经过孔基会的手，便可以充当“标准”，并定义“不标准”，或以标准的名义窒息他人的想象。
Nameless big bull in bullog says that the event reminded him of the past campaign in “Criticizes Lin Biao and Confucius”:
我那个时候还挺害怕，因为我母亲姓孔，我生怕有人问我你妈妈姓什么，一说姓孔，利马可能有小朋友给我起个孔老二的外号…
我们国家有些人一向喜欢让别人特别是日本人牢记历史，而自己却经常选择性的遗忘历史。现在既然又尊孔了，有必要转帖点当年批孔的那段疯狂历史，免得我们的后辈们居然不知道自己的父辈爷爷辈，还有这么一出批完了再尊、历时30年的大戏。
He cia tou describes the standarization as plastic surgery. Here is his outraged conclusion:
正所谓：割了鸡巴供神—神也得罪了，自己也疼死了。
photos from DAWEI


text:
Colombia: “Please keep Betty ugly!” · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Television viewers looking forward to this coming season's “Ugly Betty” would be well-served by getting some more context from Liz Henry and other bloggers.

author: David Sasaki


text:
Costa Rica: Mrs. World 2006 fiasco video · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Uri Ridelman does some YouTube investigating and comes away convinced that Mrs. Costa Rica was robbed of her crown after “confussion was created by sound problems with the audio speakers thus not allowing to clearly hear name of the winning country.”


text:
Cuba, Russia: Cold War days · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Luis M. Garcia comes across a Russian news service article which states that Cuba was effectively run by the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War.

author: Georgia Popplewell


text:
Ecuador: Undecided · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Less than three weeks from elections, Ecuador remains undecided says Boz. There is also an interesting comment on last night's debate between Correa, Roldos, and Viteri.


text:
Ethiopian bloggers rally to save controversial bill · Global Voices
Andrew Heavens

Ethiopia’s diaspora bloggers are flexing their political muscles in a bid to save a controversial bill they claim has been blocked in the US Congress.
The highly-politicised groups of Ethiopian writers living in the USA published a flurry of posts over the past week to persuade Congress to pass House Resolution 5680 – the ‘Ethiopia Freedom, Democracy, and Human Rights Advancement Act of 2006′ (see the full list of H.R. 5680 posts on Technorati).
HR 5680 is, in its own words, designed “to encourage and facilitate the consolidation of security, human rights, democracy, and economic freedom in Ethiopia”. It amounts to a condemnation of Ethiopia's current government and a series of punitive actions – everything from “[prohibiting] security assistance to Ethiopia” (with exceptions for peacekeeping or counter-terrorism assistance) and a ban on “U.S. entry of any Ethiopian official involved in giving orders to use lethal force against peaceful demonstrators or accused of gross human rights violations, government security personnel involved in shootings of demonstrators, and Ethiopian civilians involved in killings of Ethiopian policemen”. The latter prohibition is a reference to bloody clashes between protesters and armed police that left more than 80 dead after Ethiopia's national elections last year.
Ethiopian diaspora supporters of the bill, which was proposed by New Jersey representative Chris Smith, recently claimed that the legislation had stalled in Congress after the Ethiopian government hired a lobbying company to argue their case.
For The Defense gave an account of the history of the bill in his lengthy Open Letter to U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert which started:
Dear Mr. Speaker:
I write this letter on behalf of hundreds of thousands of proud and loyal Ethiopian Americans who have placed their trust in the United States Congress to spread the blessings of freedom, democracy and human rights to our birthplace of Ethiopia.
Weichegud ET Politics! was among a number of campaigners who went one further by pubishing the Speaker's email address and encouraging people to write to him themselves. In the posts The Ethiopian Diaspora comes of age and Update: HR 5680 she said that the campaign was a key moment for the USA's growing Ethiopian community:
To be sure, the Diaspora (the vocal one that Ato Meles’ government feels a need to, um, shut up [Meles Zenawi is Ethiopia's Prime Minister]) has come a long way. There are Ethiopian-American “get out the vote” initiatives happening. People are meeting with their representatives and senators. Even at a very ad hoc level, there is significant movement. Eventually, there will be one big gynormous PAC [People's Action Committee]. But until then, there is an impressive, educated grass roots movement planting strong seeds.
She warned that it would still take time to achieve their aims:
People have to be methodical and calm. Fighting for democracy is not a “quick result” game where we think if we do X then Y must follow or the entire equation is wrecked. Sometimes you have to go through V to get to Y.
Carpe Diem Ethiopia took a more emotional tack by posting photographs that allegedly showed victims of human rights abuse in the post Support H.R. 5680. He wrote:
All DLA Piper lobbyists and lawyers googleing around for information on Ethiopia should see are images of our mothers and our children crushed under the weight of tyranny. Carry these images in your minds during your cab ride to Capitol Hill.
Bloggers swapped tips on how to campaign for the bill. Others pointed to the new website of the Coalition for H.R. 5860. Enset published an article from Fikru Helebo in the post Let's Give HR 5680 the Support it Deserve which read:
compatriots, let's roll and give HR 5680 the support it deserves and let the chips fall where they may…Here is how to contact your representatives: http://www.house.gov/writerep/. All you need to do is enter your state and your zip code and the web site tells you who your represetative is…
Enset went on to pointed readers to articles about political lobbying in Congress in his post  Supporting HR 5680 this Saturday. He concluded:
Realistically speaking, it looks like that the chances of HR 5680 being brought to the house floor for a vote next week are very slim. But, whatever happens next week, it will not be the end of the road for Ethiopian Human Rights and democracy advocacy. The spirit of HR 5680 will live on
ethiopundit reflected on what Ethiopian-American campaigners had achieved so far – and looked forward to even more influential days to come in the post Ethiopian-American:
We have absolutely no doubt that there will be at least one Ethiopian-American Congressmen within the next decade and that a decade later there will be at least one Senator. In the meantime in every walk of American life they will strive, work and achieve.
Like all other immigrant groups it is natural and singularly American that they are concerned with their place of origin…
As far as Ethiopian-American political activism goes, this is just the beginning – success and help for Ethiopia will come long before the first kid who ate shiro and hamburgers from birth sits on the Supreme Court.
The political debate in Ethiopia's blogosphere is dominated by anti-government voices. No posts arguing the government's case turned up in a search of Technorati and other sources.

author: Andrew Heavens


text:
Ghana: West Africa’s ICT center · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Accra by Day and Night blogs about “Ghana-India Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence,” West Africa's state-of-the-art ICT center.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Guyana: Message from the Cold · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

The common cold guest-posts on Guyana-Gyal's blog: “So all you people who go around maligning me, saying things like, “Man, I got a Miserable Cold,” or “Man, I ketch a Nasty Cold,” let me tell you, I, The Cold, am joyful and productive thanks to you.“


text:
Hong Kong: GP batteries sues labour groups · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A citizen journalist report at interlocals.net on a transnational corporation's legal action against labour groups to stop them from exposing the heavy metal poisoning situation in their production line in China and Hong Kong.


text:
India: Blank Noise and the Media · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Known Turf on taking back the streets in India, what the The Blank Noise Project is doing about it, and how the event was covered by the media. “For instance, I learnt to look. To stand in a crowded public space and look. Not to smile, not to shuffle my feet, not to use my phone as a social shield, not to speak to my companions, not to flinch, not to give way.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


text:
India: Polio and Children · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The dreaded Polio, despite best efforts still has to leave India. Pickled Politics has more. “Health workers report that the cause is a rumour circulating that the vaccine is in fact a Western form of birth control designed to curtail the proliferation of Muslims.”


text:
Iran:Blaming Afghans · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Hamed Ghodosi says authorities, blame Afghan refugees or immigrants for high rate of unemployment instead of lack of foreign investment and low economic movement in country. The blogger says in National Radio an interviewee said I am a jobless technician and a bunch of Afghans are working here. The blogger says National Radio should be shameful to broadcast such an insult [Fa].

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Jamaica: “Calabash poem” · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Geoffrey Philp writes about a poem of his that's been “roundly rejected” by several publishers, and offers us a chance to read it.


text:
Jamaica: When Yardies rock · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Marlon James explains why Jamaicans can't rock.


text:
Kazakhstan: Competitiveness · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KZBlog notes that Kazakhstan has slipped in the World Economic Forum's competitiveness rankings, saying that the country still has much to do at the consumer level to improve.

author: Nathan Hamm


text:
Kenya: know your MP · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenyan Pundit asks, “What would you like to know about your MP?“


text:
Kenya: making money online · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kumekucha writes about the top revenue generating Kenyan website:
“In fact many Kenyans blogs and web sites have taken full advantage of innovative online revenue generating tools. Top on the list of online revenue generators has to be the amazing Google Adsense pay per click (ppc) programme. The Adsense program pays participating sites to display advertisements on their sites, which when clicked earn revenue for the site owners.”


text:
Kurdistance · Global Voices
Deborah Ann Dilley

Onnik Krikorian from Oneworld Multimedia has written a series of wonderful articles about the Yezidis, ethnic Kurds, who live in Georgia and Armenia. Traditionally, information gathered about the Yezidis focus on those that live in Southern Kurdistan/Northern Iraq, which makes Onnik's article an incredibly valuable cultural resource.
Rasti writes this week about the “spin” in the Turkish media about the prowess of the Turkish Military:
This spin on alleged Turkish military prowess is only going to work on the ignorant. Think about it; when was the last time the TSK was involved in a real war? That would be Korea. Since then, the only military prowess exercised by the TSK has been against unarmed Kurdish civilians under Turkish occupation, or against a few thousand Kurdish gerîlas, or against unarmed Cypriot civilians in Turkish-occupied Cyprus. The TSK specializes in fighting civilians, but there's no way it's going to get into a real fight. That's why the pashas are only going to send 800 to 1,000 Mehmetciks to Lebanon–out of an 800,000 strong army, second largest in NATO–and, since everything has hotted up in Afghanistan, that's why the pashas are balking at sending more Mehmetciks for that “peacekeeping” mission.
Hiwa from Hiwa Hopes notes the increase of Kurds living in Northern Kurdistan/Southeast Turkey heading to Southern Kurdistan/Northern Iraq to enroll in Kurdish Universities.
The Is-Ought Problem gives a detailed explanation behind the recent decision of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to fly the Kurdish flag instead of the Iraqi flag:
As a result, the decision not to fly the flag of Iraq, but instead to fly only the flag of the Kurdistan Regional Government is much more than a statement of national independence. It is a statement of cultural autonomy and rejuvenation. A statement of religious tolerance and pluralism. It is, more than anything, an affirmation that Kurdistan is, and shall remain, different.
Bit of a shorter week I'm afraid, see you next time!

author: Deborah Ann Dilley


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Lie Detetector · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Yulia of neweurasia Kyrgyzstan translates a Russian-language post on a plan to use lie-detectors to try to root out corruption in government.


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Things People Like · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Trent Milan, marking a year in Tajikistan, lists off things he has noticed the Kyrgyz like, including a number of interesting folk remedies.


text:
Malaysia: Narrow Minded Political Group · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Shianux writes about the lack of basic economics knowledge among the UMNO political party members in Malaysian province of Johor. Johor is the province that borders Singapore. Johor UMNO is asking the federal government to cancel all projects like the proposed bullet train between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore that might (according to Johor UMNO) benefit Singapore more. The blogger feels that Johor UMNO is being selfish as it fears that Johor would loose if other parts of Malaysia has direct transport links to Singapore.

author: Preetam Rai


text:
Martinique/Guadeloupe: Segolene Royal to Visit · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Bondamanjak announces (Fr) that French presidential candidate Segolene Royal will visit Martinique and Guadeloupe at the end of October and that former mayor of Fort-de-France and local literary legend Aime Cesaire is scheduled to speak alongside her.

author: Alice Backer


text:
Myanmar: Local Sunscreen · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Don Gilliland blogs about the white powder that the Burmese apply on their face to protect themselves from the sun.


text:
Nepal: Death of a dignitary · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The government reacts differently to people's death. If you're a dignitary, the nation might get a few days off says United We Blog! “I don’t want to be portrayed as an insensitive and emotionless idiot but this special treatment to those who died in chopper crash has clearly done injustice to those people who had died a few weeks ago in landslide in Ulleri village of Kaski-Myagdi border. The government didn’t even mention those who died in Ulleri its cabinet meetings.”


text:
Peru: The Peruvian Pirate Party · Global Voices
David Sasaki

October 28 marks the Peruvian Pirate Party launch event. As Luis Gustavo Lira explains [ES]: “The Peruvian Pirate Party is the political branch of Cultura Libre [ES]. We have got two seats in The Commission for the Development of the Information
Society (CODESI). The Commission for the Development of the Information Society
(CODESI) was established in June 2003 and is in charge of elaborating a Plan
and activities to develop the Information Society in Peru. This Commission is
composed by representatives from government, civil society, academic
institutions and private sector.”


text:
Poland: “The Polish Watergate” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot has posted three entries so far about the beginning of a major corruption scandal, already labeled the “Polish Watergate”: one, two, and three. “It looks very bad for a government that has fashioned itself as the ‘anti-corruption’ government.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Posts from Peru · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

This time it is three rather than two weekly summaries from the guys at Perú Político: Weekly Chronicle (September 6 to the 12) and Weekly Chronicle (September 13 – 19) Gobierno y Congreso tras el clamor popular, and there is a version in English for readers of the anglophone world: Weekly review (September 6-12) and Weekly review (September 13-19) Congress and Government behind popular clamour.
The first summary principally deals with the repercussions in the Judicial Power after the recent cases of corruption and the national proposal for 2007, while the second looks at the recent polemic actions of the Congress regarding the death penalty for rapists of minors as well as the law to eliminate the basic charge for a fixed telephone.
The whole world is opinionated about the topic of a basic telephone charge and even though there is general consensus that the user's costs should be lower, how to do it is what leads to interminable debate. Citing two blogs, El Otro Tambor posted “The Basic Charge” with lots of interesting links in the following tone:
Telefónica del Perú cobra 47 soles (en la práctica más todavía) simplemente por dejarnos tener un teléfono, aparte de lo que pagamos por llamadas y servicios. Se supone que eso es lo que le cuesta a Telefónica mantener sus instalaciones y equipos. Esos que en cierta medida se construyeron con nuestros impuestos mientras la empresa era estatal, y en otra medida se podrían financiar con una parte de las enormes utilidades que consigue la empresa gracias a su posición de monopolio. Pero no, Telefónica sólo quiere maximizar su ganancia y que nosotros sigamos financiando la inversión y costeando las pérdidas. Y la institución encargada de regular esto, Osiptel, bien gracias…
And in the blog of Raúl Weiner, the post, “Media and Telefónica,” which as its title suggests, covers other investigations:
Ya está visto que la prensa de unanimidad que tenemos instalada en el Perú desde hace un tiempo funciona bien cuando trata de promover algún miedo, pero no tiene el mismo éxito en inducir a que la gente que la ve, escucha o lee, adhiera a sus preferidos. … ¿Qué cosa de técnico por supuesto puede tener el cobrar más o menos 50 soles por tener un aparato de teléfono en la casa así no se use, si por ejemplo casi te regalan el celular con tal que entres a su sistema?, ¿cuánto de técnico hay en redondear los segundos en minutos, cuando se tiene la tecnología suficiente para la medición exacta del tiempo de llamada?, ¿por qué en España hay tarifa plana y se puede llamar tantas veces y tanto rato como se quiera, y aquí es un escándalo reclamarlo a los españoles de Telefónica?
Another topic in the media these days was the case of Lima's mayoral candidate from the ruling party (APRA), Benedicto Jiménez, who might have made indebted and illegal use of some audio cassettes which, above all, he had tried to use to boost his candidature. Blog de Notas writes about it.
There are little things that we see in our daily life and which make us reflect and go beyond the simple act of observing. La página de Milanta posts: “¿oe la niña va a pagar su pasaje?” o la institucionalización de la ignorancia y la indiferencia (“Is the little girl going to pay for her trip?, or the institutionalization of ignorance and indifference”). Beginning with the daily charge of the trip for minors and the impossibility of sitting in the famous vans in Lima, Milanta talks to us about indifference and the loss of values. An interesting post as well as the readers’ comments sharing their own experiences.
Mi música, escritos y otras hierbas, in the post “Reasons to see us as third world,” where he also begins with a public transportation experience, mentioning some of the behaviors and social phenomena that contribute to our low quality of life in general. And it's no coincidence that the “combis” or public transportation vans are what make our bloggers think. Rather than vehicles of public transportation, they should be called torture machines for the frequency with the passengers are mistreated; something which our next mayor should be taken to task about.
But since not everything can be bad news, Maskus informs us in “Images of Peru in New York” that, thanks to an agreement between PromPerú and National Geographic, something like three and a half million people will be able to appreciate some spectacularly huge photographs of Peru in New York's Central Station. Cosas que (me) pasan tells us in “Second International Festival of Short Films” about the festival of shorts that is taking place these days in Lima.
Someone else who was in this city and also in Arequipa was Gustavo Cerati, former leader of the Argentine band Soda Stereo. In ¡¡Y no paran de sonar!! the post the story of a fan that attended one of the concerts: “The most recent visit by Cerati to Lima.” And from Arequipa, El Desfachatado – in “Como una Bocanada” – tells us rapidly of what he liked about the concert there. To end with music, El Modem has prepared a selection of Peruvian rock videos: “Peruvian rock on YouTube.” Enjoy it.
And finally, we bloggers were enthusiastic these last days with the activity of “Day of the Free Book, unfortunately, its energy idled at the last moment and there was not time to coordinate a more organized event, however, the intention to follow up on the project and spread its message remains. There is also a post which remembers the day and a new blog to serve as the starting point for new related projects.
The photo with this post is from a part of Lima known as “Gamarra,” a place where the majority of small and medium-sized textile factories are located. And yes, on the avenue you can observe various “combis”.

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Puerto Rico: Anti-discrimination bill · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Andrés Duque drums up support among LGBT organisations and communities to combat the blocking of an anti-discrimation bill fom being debated in the Puerto Rican legislature.


text:
Russia: Chechnya Kidnappings · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

David McDuff of A Step At A Time translates a piece on the ongoing kidnappings in Chechnya.


text:
Russia: Two Bike Trips · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

W. Shedd of The Accidental Russophile writes about Herman Veldhuizen, a Norwegian bicyclist: “Herman has made and chronicled two bicycle trips in Russia. His first trip was a 20-day trip in 2004 from Helsinki to Kazan. Having said that he would definitely do such a trip in Russia again, he put his money where his mouth is and made a second 30-day trip in 2005 from Perm to Ukhta (via Syktyvkar).”


text:
Senegal, France: Police State · Global Voices
Alice Backer

France-based Senegal Diaw wonders (Fr) why France still feels like a police state despite the riots from last summer when youth protested the treatment of young people of color by police. He tells of an instance when he was searched  by the cops in a subway station.


text:
Serbia: Oscar Nomination · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eric Gordy of East Ethnia writes about this year's Serbian nomination for the Oscars and reveals his own role in the production of the film.


text:
South Korea: Crisis in the Humanities in Korea · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

An opinion piece written by Yoo Seung-gi in Ohmynews, talking about the crisis in humanities subjects in Korea education.


text:
South Korea: solidarity protest against military base · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Days in Daechuri reports on the weekend solidarity protest in seoul against the expansion of military base in Pyeongtaek. There were also protests in New York and Los Angeles.


text:
Sri Lanka: LTTE and Pakistan · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

LankaWatch on the politics of playing one country against the other in the sub-continent by the LTTE. “LTTE has only managed to paint itself into a corner – the same corner occupied by the Islamic fundamentalist and other terrorists groups. India like Pakistan will continue to help the menace of terrorism in the sub-continent but India it will sit out and let Pakistan take on this one.”


text:
Tajikistan: Free & Fair Elections · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Alexander Sadikov says that Tajikistan's upcoming presidential election will be free and fair because the sitting president faces no real opponents.


text:
Trinidad & Tobago, Belize: Carifesta · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Only the Belize booth holds any interest for Caribbean Free Radio, on a visit to the “village” of the Caribbean arts festival Carifesta. Carifesta takes place this week in Trinidad and Tobago.


text:
Tunisia: Opening prisons to the world · Global Voices
Sameer Padania

At this site, I’m trying to show videos that show or speak about human rights abuses, and – as in the Tunisian video above – the impact of human rights abuses on ordinary people.  I don’t speak Arabic, so how do I know what this video’s about?
It's thanks to Tunisian activist Sami Ben Gharbia, who this Monday launched Tunisian Prisoners Map, which shows the prisons where a number of political and other prisoners are being held in Tunisia.  The site, which — like sites such as ChicagoCrime.org – uses a Google Maps mashup, gives a brief case history for each prisoner, relevant external links, and, where Sami can find it, online video of their families – in the case of the video above it's Mohamed Abbou.  The videos are in Arabic, so I can’t give you more detail (any helpers?), but there’s some background in English in the case histories Sami provides.
Sami, who lives in exile in the Netherlands, talks in an article he posted in French and Arabic of the culture of official secrecy around even the existence of these prisons, the considerable obstacles to finding out more, and the repercussions for those who have requested information from the government. There is no definitive list of civil prisons in Tunisia, and Tunisian Prisoners Map tries to make a dent in that by mapping cases at about 25 detention facilities.  You can see some of the prisons in impressive detail if you zoom in, but many of the locations are approximate.
Commenting on the map at nawaat.org, the site Sami runs, astrubal is pretty scathing about Tunisian bloggers’ reaction to the new site – he says there has not been one mention of the site since it was launched a few days ago, and calls the Tunisian blogosphere the ‘lobotomisphere’.  Bear in mind that, according to some sources, the Tunisian government is currently holding an estimated 350 political prisoners in prisons around the country, and there are regular human rights reports focusing on the treatment and welfare of the prisoners.  Something you’d think was a really major topic of interest for Tunisian bloggers, but astrubal seems to be right – when I checked just now, not one of the French or English blogs aggregated at the Tunisian Blogs aggregator mentioned or linked to Sami’s site.  I asked Sami by email why he thought this was the case:
I really do not expect to see the so-called “Tunisian bloggers” or Blogosphere talking about this issue.  Most of them have chosen the self censorship and have decided to avoid discussing and writing about political content that may hurt the Tunisian regime.  They talk about everything except Tunisians’ interior affaires.  It is The Taboo of the Tunisian blogosphere.  Besides, I'm part of the banned bloggers who do not save the Tunisian regime and who are not recognized as “member” of the Tunisian blogosphere.  As the blogger and journalist Wael Abass wrote last week on the Deutsche Presse Agentur: “Sami Bin Gharbia, the Tunisian owner of Kitab.nl, is destined to become a refugee both physically and virtually. He lives in Holland as a political refugee and he is banned from the Tunisian blog aggregator (…) so he took refuge in the Egyptian blog aggregator hosted by Manalaa.net.”
Not only we are censored in Tunisia, we have also been censored on the Tunisian blogger aggregator and even on the periodic “Echoes from the Tunisian blogosphere” which is published on Global Voices.  They do not hear our “Echoes” only because we write politics!  We do understand their fear to talk about those issues, especially those living in Tunisia.  Hopefully, they understand our concern to defend our citizenship and rights?  Remember, this is the Web!  And we are committed to defend this extraordinary tool against the censorship and its passive ally: the self censorship.
As Sami says, those within Tunisia who speak out on human rights live in a climate of fear.  During the World Summit on the Information Society, Ethan Zuckerman gave a vivid account of meeting with the Tunisian Human Rights League.  Tunisian bloggers may not yet be in a position to create or discuss a site like Sami's, but according to one site that linked to Tunisian Prisoners Map, users from Tunisian ISPs are clicking through.
As the technology becomes more and more accessible, the more of these kinds of sites will inevitably spring up, pulling together maps, case histories, background research documents, advocacy tools, and, yes, videos, and the simpler it becomes to try to shine a light…  I'd be interested to learn of similar initiatives from around the world, so get in touch if you know of one.
In the meantime, Tunisian Prisoners Map is a great attempt to raise debate outside Tunisia about the human rights situation inside the country, and maybe crank up some international pressure on President Zinedine Ben Ali.  And while Tunisia's bloggers may not be trumpeting the site on their blogs, links to Sami's site from sites such as this help them combat the culture of secrecy and fear that keeps them in silence.

author: Sameer Padania


text:
Turkmenistan: Sucking Up · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

At neweurasia's Turkmenistan blog, Peter details just how much foreign companies — John Deere in this case — will suck up to Turkmenistan's president in order to secure business deals.


text:
Ukraine: Traveling the Villages · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

MoldovAnn writes about and posts pictures and videos of her work-related travel in Ukraine.


text:
Venezuela: Anti-Semitism · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Daniel Duquenal posts the translation by Alexandra Beech of an article from El Diario Caracas which, according to Duquenal, “goes a long way in illustrating how silently but surely chavismo is seeding the plant of anti Semitism.”


text:
Venezuela: Mérida Festival of Venezuelan Film · Global Voices
David Sasaki

The Mérida Festival of Venezuelan Film is calling for submissions [ES], says Blog Venezolano de Cine.


text:
Afghanistan:Between war and peace · Global Voices
Farid Pouya

Afghan Warrior talks about countrie's security problems. The blogger says the daily life of most Afghan people is normal but in some southern and western provinces the daily life of Afghans is not very peaceful, particularly for those people who work for government and foreign organizations. They are not feeling safe and they are under threat of the enemies.

author: Farid Pouya


text:
Africa: renewable technologies · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa Unchained writes, “Karekezi, S…surveys (PDF) the dissemination of renewable technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa…and attempts to evaluate the potential for these technologies to meet the energy needs of Africa’s poor…“


text:
Argentina, Cuba: Ee Bonafini and Castro · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Luis M. Garcia remembers his journalistic journey to Argentina after the election of Raul Alfonsin, where he did a story on the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. Years later he is disappointed to find that the group's leader, Hebe de Bonafini described Fidel Castro as “a great and visionary human being.”


text:
Argentina: Free Culture · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Ariel Vercelli writes in to announce: “We are very happy to announce that we are starting the project ‘Free Culture in Argentina‘ in two weeks. The initiative is part of the efforts of the NGO Bienes Comunes and people from the communities of Creative Commons in Argentina and the Free Software movement. Three weeks ago I presented the initiative in ‘Crisol,’ an important event of free software with the support of the ‘National University of La Plata’, people from ‘Software Libre of Argentina‘ and from UTUTO.”


text:
Bahrain: Michael Jackson quits Bahrain? · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Khalid wonders if Michael is quiting Bahrain and his buiness with King's son after reports that he parted company with a record label based in the Gulf state of Bahrain. Jackson has lived in Bahrain since being acquitted of child abuse charges in 2005.

author: Haitham Sabbah


text:
Barbados: Concorde museum · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Linda Thompkins questions the validity of establishing a “Concorde Visitors Centre” in Barbados: “When will we ever face the fact that Concorde was merely a fast, uneconomical passenger plane with a futuristic swept-wing design on which only the rich and famous could fly, as well as those who entertained themselves at the expense of taxpayers?“


text:
Barbados: Piggy awards judging panel · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Barbados Free Press responds to a query from a member of the Barbados Senate and adds a member of each of Barbados's three main political parties to the judging panel of the 1st annual “Piggies At The Trough” awards.


text:
Cambodia: Ancestor’s Day · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Vutha in Cambodia introduces Prachum Benda, the Cambodian Ancestor's day. “The fifteen-day observance of Prachum Benda, or Ancestors’ Day, is a time for living relatives to remember their ancestors and offer food to those unfortunate enough to have become trapped in the spirit world.”


text:
El Salvador: Religious Freedom and Murdered Priest · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Just a day after writing about religious freedom in El Salvador, Tim Muth learns that a priest was brutally beaten and killed.


text:
Ethiopia: are there pro-government websites? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Meskel Square's reader wants to know if there are any pro-government websites in Ethiopia: “hey, i was just wondering are there any pro-meles or government websites? all i can find is one sided against the gov't, would like to see the other side…“


text:
Ethiopia: were blogs blocked? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“One day Ethiopia had one of the busiest and fastest-growing blogging scenes in the whole of Africa. The next, more than two-thirds of its online journals simply disappeared,” begins the BBC's Focus on Africa magazine article about the great Ethiopian blog blockage.


text:
Ghana: how to participate in web economy · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tropically Tolerant has an interesting idea: “In my last entry, I suggested that it was time for the average Ghanaian developer with an Internet connection to participate in the new web economy. I concluded that the main barrier to entry is a distribution network for the money being earned. Today, I present to you an idea for a tropically tolerant money distribution network.”


text:
India: Discussing feminism · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Hip Hop Grandmom discusses feminism. “When we talk of equal rights for men and women what exactly do we mean? I know of a family a young couple where the husband is supposed to sweep and the wife has to swab.”


text:
India: Education and English · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The government in Karnataka flexes its muscles by quoting a specific rule and shutting down schools. More at the Indian Economy Blog – “The point of contention behind closing the schools is apprently a rule dated 1994 that mandates that “children attending government schools must be taught only in Kannada till their primary education, thats class I through IV”.”


text:
Iran:A blog service was filtered by mistake! · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to Reportes without Borders,a blog service, Persianblog.com[Fa], was briefly blocked “by mistake” by Iranian Internet Service Providers. In Persian blog we read access to 650,000 blogs got blocked for a day [Fa].


text:
Jordan: 1st Grade Curriculum · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Beside believing that Christian private schools are far better in discipline than Muslim schools, Batir thinks that the 1st grade curriculum is so tough, and a 6 year old children can't accommodate it.


text:
Kazakhstan: Borat vs. Nomad · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Registan.net says that Western media are over-hyping the Kazakh government's displeasure with Sasha Baron Cohen's character Borat, a racist, homophobic journalist claiming to be from Kazakhstan.


text:
Kazakhstan: The Deal with Blogs · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Leila at neweurasia writes a detailed post on the legal status of blogs and online journalism in Kazakhstan.


text:
Kenya/Tanzania: Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania because Mombasa is in Kenya · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Mount Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania: because Mombasa is in Kenya,” reveals MyAfrica.


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek Panthers · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Tolkun Umaraliev reports on the Bishkek Panthers, the American Football team at the American University of Central Asia, the only such team in Kyrgyzstan. Tolkun says that the team has finally bested its rivals from Almaty and it plans to participate in international contests in the future.


text:
Kyrgyzstan: Storming Pyramid · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Yulia of neweurasia reports on the latest attack on Pyramid TV in Kyrgyzstan.


text:
Nepal: Politics and Talks · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! rounds up the political situation in Nepal, including the progress of talks. “Both sides couldn’t agree on the king’s position in the interim constitution and how to decide on the future of monarchy.”


text:
Nigeria: corruption in high places · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Oloniyi David Ajao writes about corruption in high places in Nigeria, “Accusations have been that the Vice President is corrupt, and should not be allowed to stand as president in next year’s election. Gbenga Obasanjo (President Obasanjo’s son) accused him, as did the President himself. Several such accusations have been floating secretly, and openly. As at today, Atiku Abubakar has been suspended from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for three months, over corruption allegations.”


text:
Pakistan: Blog-o-addiction · Global Voices
Omer Alvie

Hi, my name is Omer and I am net-o-holic. I've been addicted to the net for the last 8 years and now I must admit I need help. My addiction started out as casual browsing of a few news sites, and has since then progressed to a daily 20 hour fix of what can only be classified as compulsion for the most trivial minutia of current events. The problem has been compounded by my fixation for the real heavy stuff; celebrity web sites.
Recently, I hit bottom, when I found my self reviewing the official Paris Hilton web site. The experience was traumatic; my IQ dropped to single digits in just a matter of minutes and my wife slapped me silly trying to bring me out of the resulting coma. It is because of this experience that I've had to go cold turkey on the internet the last few weeks, which is why you haven't seen a post from me for a while now.
Through the aid of several net therapists and the Al Gore Net Addiction clinic, I have recovered enough to bring you this recent update of the Pakistan blogosphere. I hope you appreciate the courage it took for me to bring you this information for your perusal.
ATP provides an important Pakistan cricket update; Kokaine writes about Musharaf's appearance on the Jon Stewart Show; PakCast discusses Pope's remarks and Musharaf's visit to the US; Suspect Paki showcases the video Ludicrous Diversions about the London bombings; Saad is an impeccable Pakistani photographer based in Singapore and his portfolio is worth seeing; Windmill details the religion war; and finally, I address the 9-11 conspiracy theories.
Now I shall return to my padded cell in the Al Gore Net Addiction clinic, as I am still having flashbacks of the Paris Hilton web site. The dreaded therapy includes being strapped into a chair and listening to the Paris Hilton debut single over and over until my ears bleed and the demons are cast out of my system and I become immune to her ubiquitous media presence. Pray for me people!

author: Omer Alvie


text:
Palestine: Citizen Profile · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

Are Palestinians still romanticizing with the fantasies and daydreams of complete liberation and the return to a land they only heard and read about? Maybe these daydreams were legitimate and reasonable in the previous era of the struggle, but under the current necessity for re-evaluation, the options for realizing the dream needs to be re-examined. Abu Shreek talks about these options.


text:
Peru: Inca Kola · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Alejandro of Peru Food tells the incredible story of Inka Kola, or “the little cola that could.”


text:
Russia: Conflict With Georgia · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

David McDuff of A Step At A Time writes about the recent escalation of the Russian-Georgian conflict: “The Russian government is expending a great of aggressive rhetoric on this new campaign, accusing Georgia of being a “bandit state”, and talking of preparations for war.”


text:
Russia: Cultural Misunderstanding · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russian Marketing Blog writes about cultural misunderstanding caused by the ad campaign of a health resorts and spas travel magazine.


text:
Russia: Media Stereotypes Discussion · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Yuri Mamchur's recent post on Russia Blog about media stereotypes has drawn some media response in Russia and the blogger has been interviewed on Radio Liberty (RUS).


text:
Russia: Nominee for Best Foreign Film · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia Blog writes about Russia's nominee for the 2006 U.S. Academy Awards.


text:
Russia: Sakhalin Housing and Other Problems · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Tim Newman of White Sun of the Desert posts pictures from Sakhalin Island and writes about housing and other problems he's encountered there: “We have managed to find a very nice apartment to rent for three months until we find somewhere permanent, which is costing my employers a mere $2,700 a month. Yes, you read that right. In a country where the average wage is around $300 a month, residents of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk can rent out an unrefurbished dump of an apartment for $1,000 per month, a refurbished apartment for $2000-$3000, and a new apartment for $3000-$5000.”


text:
Religion & festivity enlivens the Bangla world · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

For Bengalis around the world, this is a much awaited season. It is a time for prayer, feasting and fasting. While for the Muslims it is the holy month of Ramzan (or Ramadan as it is called in some parts of the world), the Hindus are celebrating the Durga Puja. Understandably therefore, Bangali bloggers are talking about religion, the various practices, their significance and the emotions they evoke.
An integral part of Ramzan is the ‘Sawm’, which the Bengalis refer to as the ‘Roja’. Fazle Ilahi traces the roots of the word ‘Roja’ and explains the religious significance of the practice of fasting. Sayeed Abdullah talks about the season being a time for self evaluation, scrutiny and purification. However, Ramzan is also a month of getting together in the evenings with friends and family for the Iftaar meal. In the current times, unfortunately Iftaar has been commercialised to some extent and Addabaj wonders if overzealous feasting is overcoming the quiet introspective nature of Ramzan.
For the average Bengali, the cultural festivities of the Durga Puja tend to outweigh the religious significance, though the religious rituals are performed diligently. In Kolkata, the ‘baroari’ (public) pujas today are more about expressing artistic creativity and tend to follow ‘themes’. There are also awards instituted by corporate houses and hence there is an element of competitiveness induced. The outcome is that the visitors to the various ‘pandals'(venues) is awestruck by the innovative lighting, hall decor and the images of the goddess. Bongonari talks of the inimitable joy that the Bengali experiences with the coming of the Pujas and Tushon reminiscences  about the spirit of nostalgia that is evoked. Of course, as Bongopondit points out, this spirit is perhaps at its strongest among the Bengalis, spending the season far away from Bengal. For them, despite there being pujas being celebrated in their countries of residence, it is perhaps just not the same as being able to celebrate it with friends and family back home.

author: Aparna Ray


text:
Sri Lanka: What the papers say · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Sri Lanka's Daily Papers analyses the news as carried by the various newspapers in Sri Lanka.


text:
Syria: Democracy vs. Engagement! · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

While the Democracy Faith seems to have been based on the assumption that authoritarianism and corruption in the Broader Middle East and North Africa region seem to play a role in encouraging international terrorism, the Engagement Faith is premised on the assumption that authoritarian regimes are much more capable of cracking down on terrorists than democracies can, Ammar said.


text:
Taiwan: Media Riot · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

There have been many complaints about mainstream media practice in Taiwan. Some feel that it hampers Taiwan from developing into a matured democratic society. Recently the whole island's news reports have covered nothing but the rallies either opposing or supporting Taiwan's President Chen Shui-Bian. Many Taiwanese bloggers are furious at what they see as the performance of Taiwanese mainstream media.
Senior reporter and blogger Guan-yu asks big media to care more about the natural environment. She says:
前陣子還會被那些偏激言論弄得心浮氣躁、甚至怒氣沖沖，後來突然想通了：「許多偏激言論的背後目的，就在煽動所有人的怒氣，當人失去平靜，就很容易失去理性。但為了保護我所愛的故鄉和土地，平心靜氣就是面對動盪最好的盾牌。」電視新聞為了提升瞬間收視率，以二元對立手法操作、不斷放大某些偏激的言論和少數的衝突，確實某種程度撕裂著台灣，這部份是令人擔憂的，但關掉電視回到人民生活現場，我對未來時局還是比較樂觀，因為各角落都還是有人在默默奉獻、支撐著社會…
Another senior reporter Chui Yung from Hong Kong quotes an article written by a Taiwan T.V. program producer, Lio Shi-feng, to back up his previous comments that Taiwan's media put their political stands before facts and emotions before objectivity.
兩位參選人的知名度，藉著街頭衝突一夕打開。雖然我們一再告誡記者和編輯注意措辭不要激化對立，但是在新聞台激烈的競爭下，我們被迫跟著政客的劇本走。
PipperL  does a “news filtering” test on a news report in China Times and finds out that 74.51% of news comes from unidentified sources (zh).
Dreamf asks: Who are the mob? (zh) He is not happy seeing people worshipping some kind of hero in either rally, nor is he satisfied watching heroic portraits of political celebrities in the media. “The real heroes are these nameless people ,” he says.
Lavendersea designs a Taoist magic figure to express her anger toward mainstream media.
Annpo writes down her wishes: “Don't be controlled by media. Voice yourselves!“
在藍綠的意識形態鬥爭中，現在能在背後狂笑的就是媒體了（雖然媒體記者加班加到很想哭）。台灣目前最大的危機，並不是總統府裡的那位先生，也不是凱達格蘭大道的紅衣民眾，或是那個每天都要愛肝的施先生，而是，24小時不休息的新聞台跟平面媒體。還有忙著趕通告上電視說嘴的那些人。雖然新聞學中老說媒體要中立，我們也知道媒體不可能中立，但不能連裝裝中立都那麼無能吧？！
But she does not fully support the “Don't Watch T.V. campaign”, because:
「矇上眼睛，就以為看不見」，只是自欺欺人。被影響的、被綁架的人，仍然是無力反抗、過濾新聞訊息的人。正是因為我可以不被影響，我們才該監督、才該批判…當然，選擇冷漠也是一種，就是不要搞對立的仇恨。
Benla Kung, a college teacher of journalism, analyzes that the real reason for all news channels keep staying in Ketagalan Boulevard is because of low cost:
只要2、3台SNG車，讓分佈凱道不同角落的記者四處觀察各樣的偶發事件，再加上一群有話想說的民眾，以及主動尋找舞台的政客，記者無須用力採訪，自然會有不少新聞議題與人物自動湧現，填滿不斷重播的新聞時段…這種廉價與膚淺的資訊，再次透過新聞頻道強暴我們的視野。

author: Portnoy Zheng


text:
The Week that Was – Bolivian Blogs · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Este artículo también está disponible en español en el sitio Blogs de Bolivia
Whispers of a possible civil war worried some Bolivian bloggers.  A report completed by the government of Argentina estimated a 56% chance that Bolivia might fall into a civil war, with an estimated one million refugees crossing the border into Argentina.  Miguel Centellas of Ciao! says it is not unheard of in this modern age to see a civil war.  Miguel Buitrago of MABB didn’t think we should even be talking about such a conflict, but the recent declarations of the Vice-President Alvaro Garcia Linera may put that probability into an unfortunate reality.  Garcia Linera made references to his time in the guerrilla army and called for the defense of this government through arms.  He did apologize for his statement and said it was misinterpreted.  The anonymous blogger from the blog Morir Antes Que Esclavos Vivir (ES) touches on both of these topics.
However, Garcia Linera did manage to negotiate with some members of that region that threatened to blockade the city of Santa Cruz and prohibit the opening of the international fair EXPOCRUZ.  This gathering of stands from national and international companies attracts visitors from all across the country.  However, for some the fair may only be for those that can afford it.  Andrea, one of the youngest Bolivian bloggers, writes in her blog Lo Digo Yo (ES) that the relatively high price of admission may keep large parts of the population unable to attend this grand attraction.
Cuando llegamos, dimos con la sorpresa de que la entrada era de 30 Bs. Me parece un precio excluyente. La Feria es un evento que muchos esperan con ansias para ir con familia o amigos, pero al parecer sólo está destinada a la gente con grandes ingresos, y el resto que mire también…pero de afuerita. Una familia de 5 personas que quiera ir a pasear un ratito y a comerse “alguito” (lo cual no viene incluido en el precio) termina pagando 150 Bs. Solamente entre mi grupito gastamos como 300 Bs. en total. Muy fuera del alcance de la mayoría, sobre todo jóvenes.
When we arrived, we were surprised that the admission fee was 30 Bs. (approximately 4 USD).  It seems to be a very exclusionary price.  Many anxious await the arrival of the Fair and want to attend with family or friends, however, it seems it is only for those with large incomes and rest watch…from the outside.  A family of 5 that wants to spend some time and eat something (which is not included in the price of admission) ends up paying 150 Bs.  My group spent approximately 300 Bs. in all, which is out of reach from most, especially young people.
The opening of this fair coincides with the celebrations of the independence of Santa Cruz from Spanish rule.  Many Cruceño  (a person from Santa Cruz) bloggers wrote odes to their home region.  Willy Andres wrote a piece titled “Why Do I Love Santa Cruz?” proclaiming his pride of being from the Department of Santa Cruz and a resident of its capital for the last twelve years.
One attraction of this fair is the presence of attractive azafatas (hostesses) that receive large salaries to act as spokespersons for the particular company.  However, the television stations are going too far, in the opinion of some.  Olivia Casso swore off local television because of the images that only seem to concentrate on the rear ends of these models.  Gabriel Iriarte Rico of Gabriel al Centro de Sudamérica (ES) also criticizes local television, but not for its obsession over women, but for the constant negativity from the commentary.  He finds it unfortunate to have to resort to the international canal CNN for news on Bolivia.

author: Eduardo Avila


text:
Tunisia: Ramadan Beggars · Global Voices
Haitham Sabbah

We all see beggars on the streets, on subway corners, and especially traffic lights. But Ramadan sees a sharp rise in beggars and their activities.
Of course, these people would like to exploit this holy month as much as possible and play on the high level of religious emotions of people during this special time, Zayed said.


text:
Ukraine: Babiy Yar Massacre’s 65th Anniversary · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Stones and flowers were laid at the Babiy Yar Memorial in Kyiv Wednesday, to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the 1941 massacre – by Veronica Khokhlova
In 1941, at least 33,771 Kyiv Jews were shot by the Nazis on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, in the Babiy Yar ravine of Ukraine's capital. Some 60,000 more Kyiv residents and POWs were killed there in the following months.
Yesterday, nearly 1,000 guests from 41 nations – including the Israeli president – gathered at the Babiy Yar memorial to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the massacre. A number of bloggers marked the anniversary, too.
LJ user ivga wrote (RUS):
And the morning was sunny. The sky was blue, with just a little bit of white here and there. The grass was green, and the leaves were just beginning to turn yellow. A beautiful morning, all in all. It would've been nice to go to the park, walk on the few leaves, still precious, dance on the grass… Nice. Cold air almost burns you in the shadow, but as you move into the sun, it's like a hand on your face, not a slap, but a tender touch. I don't know about 65 years ago – maybe the morning was beautiful, too. Sunny. Warm… It's warmer in Kyiv in general. Or maybe not. And, perhaps, they didn't care about nature. They didn't care about anything. They were busy. They were being killed.
Exactly 65 years ago, my grandfather was killed, the grandfather I've never known. My father almost never talked about him. All I've been told about grandfather were the two words – Babiy Yar. And also, with a sigh – “Must've been the neighbors who turned him in.”
LJ user mike_etelzon, whose mother lost most of her family in Babiy Yar, expressed his pain and anger in a Russian-language poem. LJ user a_moiseev, in a comment, wrote (RUS) about his recent visit to Babiy Yar:
Mike, I was there two months ago. Mixed feelings… My impression is that the city doesn't like to be reminded of the tragedy… At that very spot, above the abyss – there are three black metal crosses with no names and with a sign that reads: “People were being killed here in the fall of 1941″ – and right nearby, there are traces of fireplaces, empty bottles, garbage. But what's definitely good is that the big memorial, erected in the Soviet times, is located approximately a kilometer away from Babiy Yar and [people can honor the dead without being distracted]. […]
LJ user genrik_spb has posted an excerpt (RUS) from Yevgeniy Yevtushenko‘s famous poem, Babiy Yar, written in 1961 but published in the Soviet Union only in 1984, and until then circulated in samizdat. (Yevtushenko's poem inspired Dmitry Shostakovich – whose 100th birthday was marked Sept. 25 – to compose his Symphony No. 13.)
Snaika, a blogger at LiveInternet.ru, has scanned and posted a newspaper article about writer Anatoly Kuznetsov and his documentary novel about the Babiy Yar massacre. The novel was first published in the Soviet Union in a censored form in 1966 and then photographed by the author and smuggled out when he defected to the West in 1969. Snaika wrote (RUS):
Commemoration of those shot in Babiy Yar, just outside Kyiv, is taking place now. People would have known little about this tragedy, because only a handful managed to escape, and there were tens of thousands of those who died – Jews, Russians, Roma. One of the few witnesses of the horror was a boy who lived near Babiy Yar – Anatoliy Kuznetsov. And what he saw burned his heart, and from the age of 14, he began to record what he himself saw as well as the stories of the Babiy Yar survivors. According to Yad Vashem, only 10 percent of the Babiy Yar victims have been identified – but nevertheless, they should not be forgotten. And this is what Anatoly Kuznetsov wrote in his documentary novel “Babiy Yar.” I've kept this article about Kuznetsov in my archive for quite a while, and if someone doesn't know or hasn't read about him or his book, now is a good time to remember his once more…
A couple Ukrainian bloggers chose not to dwell on the tragic history and insted posted their observations on the official ceremony and the obstacles it has created for some.
LJ user unika_ wrote (RUS):
When I ran into our esteemed [president Yushchenko] at the [Kyiv antiques market], there were five bodyguards around him. People were coming up to him, took pictures, some asked him for an autograph. When the president came to see the lilacs in bloom at the Botanical Garden, he was guarded by 5-10 people, too. Even [a local paper] did a story on that.
But today, Babiy Yar was completely cordoned off. […] Policemen every two meters. Plus some plainclothes men, armed […]. About a hundred guards. People used to walking through the park were politely asked to take a detour.
And it's only natural: [Israeli president] Moshe Katsav isn't Victor Yushchenko. It looks like he is afraid of his own shadow :)
LJ user sharpen_up wrote (RUS):
I've a strange feeling about the anniversary of the Babiy Yar tragedy. I can't say that the air is filled with holiday atmosphere. But there is a feel of a “Solemn Event” that everyone is waiting for and approaching with much responsibility. […] Like, we came to a police department (to resolve a very important matter). Something unusual could be felt at the entrance. A lower-ranking officer stood bending down in front of the open door, shining his shoes. The highest-ranking officer appeared by the door […] – a sharp-looking brunette in a luxurious suit, smelling of an expensive perfume, his hair combed neatly. […] We are on our way out now, he said. Off to an event. In Babiy Yar. We don't know when we're going to be back – most likely, we won't be back at all. Come back tomorrow. And he smiles such a pleasant smile… And right away it feels that the whole city is celebrating.


text:
Venezuela: Elections and Crime · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Oil Wars dissects and criticizes the anti-crime platform of opposition candidate Manuel Rosales.

author: David Sasaki


text:
Video: Vietnamese bloggers get “kinky” for charity · Global Voices
Rebecca MacKinnon

Vietnamese blogger Elmooh has uploaded a series of four videos shot at an “Offline Party” – a blogger-organized charity fundraiser in Hanoi. The party included a game involving young men, young women, bananas and candles. (Don't worry, it's all g-rated and everybody keeps their clothes on!)  I e-mailed Elmooh asking him about this game. He replied:
Abt the game: Chuối chín rồi. Banana gettin ripe.
3 pairs, 1 girl and 1 boy each.
The girl blinds the boy eyes with stickers, making sure no glimpse he can peek, then ties a rope with a banana at the other end around his waist, he must not know how long/far the banana hangs.
With verbal directing instructions from the girl, the boy have to stamp out the candle light with the banana…
So there you have it. As Elmooh reports on his blog, there was a serious point to the “kinky” game, the conga lines, and the hip-grinding dancing:
We, then, had a fab time with some friends from a vocational center for underprivileged children. Some of them are limped, some of them bear body deformation since birth but all of them have great skillful hands and creativity to make fantastic handicraft works.
We were sitting there for hours listening to their stories, to their singing and to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts out of colorful painted pottery pieces.
The offline party and the previous raised enough money by entry tickets to buy them a fridge. Vietnamese youngsters, not only go for fancy vehicles, endless parties but do have hearts. The little we could do, but there will be more to come.
Blogger-driven charity is a growing, global phenomenon.
(Thanks to Noodlepie for the link.)

author: Rebecca MacKinnon


text:
Vietnam: Cambodia to Vietnam · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Tim Hoiland has posted a pictorial account of his trip from Cambodia capital Phnom Penh to Saigon in Vietnam. The pictures provide insights in the life and occupations around the Mekong river.


text:
Zambia: candidates capitalize on anti-chinese sentiment  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Many Zambians are angry about Chinese petty merchants who are outcompeting local retailers and the poor or unsafe working conditions of Chinese-owned mines,” writes AfricaBeat, noting that anti-Chinese sentiment has become a useful tool for election campaign in Zambia.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Africa: a web 2.0 application from Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

African technology firm, Incubeta, has built a web-based application,which allows you to build websites without having to know HTML, reports My Africa: “I’m glad to see that they were able to get such great exposure early in their beta, since it will bring a lot of eyeballs to their site(s) and help them hone the focus of their application from the feedback they receive.”


text:
Africa: whose voices were heard? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa Media uses number of links and comments to figure out whose voices were heard during the digital indaba controversy: “Importantly, it seems to me, is that bloggers such as Black Looks and AH&B were heard.  Imagine pre-blogging and a group was holding a conference in South Africa on some other issue — health care, maybe.  If  Black Looks or AH&B or any other African had some criticisms, how would those have been circulated around the continent, much less the world? So maybe blogging is doing what we all hope, giving space to other voices besides those with the most resources.  God knows, it's imperfect, but . . .”


text:
Armenia: Dusty Yerevan · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Christian Garbis says that a Soviet era song still played occasionally on Armenian radio, “Clean Yerevan,” is totally removed from reality, that not only is there lots of litter, but that Yerevan is plagued by dust.


text:
Bangladesh: Theatre · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

imperfect world 2006 points out to a review of theatre in Bangladesh. “He discusses, amongst other things, theatre as a tool of protest and theatre as an expression of resistance. He also touches on the great diversity of plays being performed – many of which are of overseas origin.”

author: Neha Viswanathan


text:
Barbados: Land sale · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Barbados Free Press employs a bit of allegory to highlight possible flaws in the logic behind the government's decision to sell the island's lands to foreign investors.

author: Georgia Popplewell


text:
Belarus: Protest Diaries and Opposition Leader · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ivan Lenin of Rush-Mush reports that the online diaries of a Belarusian protester Dasha Kostenko have been published in Moscow. He also criticizes the opposition leader Milinkevich: “It's a big shame that the brave Belarusians who were risking their health, their freedom, and their very lives didn't have a better leader than this guy […]. It is obvious Milinkevich and Co weren't planning to take power. It is obvious that he's not planning it now, and even if he were, it wouldn't matter: nobody will follow him anymore. Neither him nor other professional “oppositioners”, who make a living out of pretending to fight the regime.”


text:
Botswana: the plight of living near diamond mines · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The San people of Botswana would like you to boycott Botswana diamonds until they are allowed back into their ancestral land, writes Ethnicloft, quoting an advocacy group supporting the San’s opposition of their eviction.


text:
Brazil: Dear Globo: Love, Lula · Global Voices
David Sasaki

Colin Brayton translates a letter to Globo from Lula politely declining to participate in last night's debate.


text:
Cambodia: Vietnamese Soldiers · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Chhay Vet blogging at Khmer440 remember the time immidiately after the fall of Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The blogger has respect for the first batch of Vietnamese troops who helped end Khmer rouge rule. “The Vietnamese finally established their headquarters in the pagoda at the top of Phnom Sampheou but often they’d come down and eat noodles or drink tea at my mother’s stall. As I said before, the first troops – the assault soldiers – were very disciplined and were almost all from the North Vietnamese Army that had beaten the Americans but they moved on to fight the Khmer Rouge near Pailin. These were really tough guys and I remember one of them saying to me, ‘If they let us fight the Thai’s we’d be in Bangkok in a month.’ I believed him.”


text:
Chatter in Virtual India… · Global Voices
Kamla Bhatt

Blogging, Festivals, an updated version of Gods, travel, rare flowers, President Mush of Pakistan, films and water art are some of the things that we look in this round-up of virtual India.
BLOGGING: A couple of months ago bloggers in India were prevented from accessing their favorite blogs. A group of dedicated bloggers fought back against this censorship. The fight is still on and Shivam Vij has dashed off a letter to a government official under the Right to Information Act provide information on which sites are blocked and what is the process by which the public is notified. Read Shivam's post to find out the details of this important letter.
FESTIVALS: It is the start of the festival season for Indians across the world and the festive season continues till the end of the year. My, how time flies.
This being India there are various spellings and names for Dusshera, Dasara or Navaratri, which is a 10-day festival. ‘Tis also Ramadan or Ramzan in India, when muslims fast during the day. Right after Dusshera the next major festival is Diwali, and finally Christmas.
Dusshera is celebrated in different ways in different parts of the country. Chandarsplace has a description of the festival. Saptar Shinde has a posting about Durga Pooja that is celebrated by Bengalis.  Greatbong has a post about Durga Pooja and writes: “Whenever I am away from Kolkata, I impose a total media ban on anything related to the Pujo, taking a leaf out of the Government of India’s Ostrichian principle that if I bury my head in the sand and censor the flow of information about a certain thing, then that thing ceases to exist any more.”
Being in Bangalore has a post on how they celebrate the festival in India. Helen and Jay are expats who live in Bangalore. Steve of ProxyIndian has a post about a group of performers and their preparation for the Ram Lila performance.
In South India Dusshera is also the time of Golu or Koolu. Srikanth has a write-up about Golu along with pictures of the dolls that are carefully arranged in steps. Uma Gowrishankar has a nice post on Golu and remembers Navarathri of yester years.
Ramadan in Mumbai (Bombay) means heading out to Mohammad Ali Road which is the happening place to be during the evenings when some of the best food is cooked in Bombay.  Arzan Wadia writes: “Now in New York, I miss that. Every year, I just see pics and satiate my appetite with images. Hope my dad and sis go this year and do justice to the feast.”
UPDATED VERSION OF GODS: It is difficult to remember the attributes of  various Hindu gods and their avatars. Ganesh D of Ganesh's Corner has an updated list of gods with an IT spin. So, Ganesha the elephant god has an updated profile and is now in charge of quality assurance and documentation and Shiva is DBA (data base architect) or a crash specialist.
RARE FLOWER: There is a rare flower that grows once in 12 years in the hills of Tamil Nadu. The Scientific Indian has a post about the flower with links to a then and now picture? It looks like many things in the world, this rare flower is on its way to being included in the endangered list.
TRAVEL:Travelling has become a central fact of life for many of us.
Ram Viswanathan of Chennailiving talks about his travel from the US to India, but with a difference…he has pictures of those downtimes when we all wait around listlessly in the airport for our connecting flights. Many of us sit with that bored, seen it all expressions in our face. But, Ram is different…he captures what we trypically do while waiting around in an airport. Watch out for the Indian penchant for acronyms…we love to use ORD, SFO, NYC …these are usually the airline acronymns for various airports.  So what does Chennailiving have to say about ORD and DFW? Read to find out.
Sundar Narayanan has lived in the San Francisco Bay area for over eight years,  and yet it was until recently that he took time off to visit the city and discover some of its famous tourist spots.
Urbane Cowboy travels to Mysore in Karnataka State and has a great set of pictures that describe his trip.
Jai Arjun  writes about travelling to Rishikesh, and finds out that the only kind of food that is served there is vegetarian. Read to find out why he was eating choclate and what kinds of books are available in this town known for its yoga retreats.
PREZ MUSH: Here in the US if you watched CNN, ABC, PBS, CBS, NBC this past week you saw that it was dominated by President Musharraf of Pakistan's visit. Prez Mush's visit to the USA and the promotion of his book is the subject of Amit Varma ‘s post who writes on how to promote a book. Amit's prescription is a simple and effective one: “Step one: Become the President of Pakistan. Step two: Appear on The Daily Show to promote it.”
Mayank Austen Soofi has a post on Prez Mush's book in India and writes:”However it was Mr Anuj Bahri, the owner of the Khan Market book shop, who put it best: “He's Musharraf, he's controversial, and he's well known — what more do you need to sell a book?”  Love him or hate him, no one in Delhi is indifferent to this Delhi-born dictator.”
FILMS: There was some good new and some sad news. India's nomination for the Oscars was announced and the winner is Rang De Basanti (Color me Saffron). This will be the second time that an Aamir Khan film was nominated for the Oscars. His first film was Lagaan.
Padmini, a versatile and gifted actress passed away in Madras (Chennai). Desigirl pays homage to Padmini and writes: “A brilliant actress, a danseuse par excellence – Padmini was a phenomenally gifted artiste who delighted her audience the world over.”
Our final post is about water art. What do you do when you have a digital camera and lots of spare time? You take interesting shots of water and dub it water art and it sure does make for an interesting post.

author: Kamla Bhatt


text:
Chile, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil: Poll Numbers · Global Voices
David Sasaki

More fascinating numbers from throughout Latin America in Boz's Friday poll numbers.


text:
China: Killing chickens, not for bird flu · Global Voices
John Kennedy

A corruption probe has led to the dismissal of Chen Liangyu, the highest-ranked Communist official in Shanghai and key member of former Chairman Jiang Zemin‘s Shanghai Gang, a rival faction to the current administration headed by Chairman Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.
Where the hundred million dollars has gone is not yet clear, and most bloggers have focussed on the possible political motivation behind the bust, which—perhaps in preparation for next year's 17th National Congress—seems to have been a serious blow to the second-strongest political alliance in China today.
Zhang Tianju:
9月23日晚，陈良宇还与上海市市长韩正等一起，在上海体育场观看上海国际田径黄金大奖赛。
上海市的区、局长以上官员都被要求交出护照，以免外逃。
原上海市委书记、现任政治局常委黄菊的政治前途受到关注。上海社保基金案的涉案金额高达人民币百亿元以上。据海外中文媒体报导，黄妻余慧文是上海社保案的关键人物。
上海区局级以上官员的护照、港澳通行证已被要求上交统一保管；副市级及以上官员，若需出境出国，要上报中共中央纪律检察委员会和中央组织部审核。
David Peng at An Anachronist's Life:
此事之先，社保案件被披露；黄菊因病休息；据传纪委查及黄的家人；而此事的转折点在曾任陈良宇秘书的秦裕被收押。自此之后，情势急转直下，陈良宇的撤职已是指日可待。再前日，吴官正撰文，意指“刑要上大夫”，海外媒体普遍认为此论剑指陈良宇或者黄菊。
MSN Spaces blogger Yao Whai suggests that for all the talk in Beijing off cracking down on corruption, it seems the biggest busts only come every ten years or so, and heavily politicized at that:
陈良宇被抓了，2006年9月的事情，陈希同被抓，1996年的大事；陈良宇，上海市第一把手，陈希同，北京市的第一把手；陈良宇2006年，距离2010 年上海世博会尚有4年而下水，陈希同1996年，距离2000年奥运会（当时北京申办2000年奥运会）4年而落网；陈良宇因为挪用社保基金而犯事，陈希同由于贪污奥运会资金而犯科；1996年陈希同（北京人）被老江（上海帮）抓，2006年陈良宇（上海人）被小胡（北京）抓；陈良宇，上海大都市，陈希同，北京大都市；他姓陈，他也姓陈；都因为贪！
轮回啊，也许下个10年，就是2016年，中国的某个城市，申办了2020年的某个大型国际赛事，那该城市的第一把手，也会因某项，被抓，估计该位人兄也会姓陈！
Chinese News Net blogger Li Youqi:
杀人立威，杀鸡儆猴。胡锦涛终于出手了。我当初小看了他。
江泽民当初搞掉北京帮，现在被他人用相同的手法干掉自己的小兄弟。 报应轮回。
估计小陈子被老江弃子了，丢卒保车，丢车保帅。大概小胡点到陈良宇为止，放黄菊一马，让他全身而退。但如果老江就这么放弃了，上海帮不就崩盘了吗？将来他撒手人间后，江大江二能有好果子吃？所以老江不会善罢甘休，一定会找机会反扑。
各路诸侯的反应也将会很有趣。估计现在还 in shock。
Sohu blogger Vagabond:
对陈良宇来讲，秘书秦裕被审查，是一个关键时期，如果陈良宇和中央配合的好，能逃过这一劫，就不会从既定的政治轨道中出局，会按部就班地进入政治局常委，在其中谋得一个类似于黄菊的位子。“我认为，到目前为止，陈良宇晋升的可能性还有一半，大权旁落，被放置虚职只保留政治局委员的可能性不到一半，被彻底打下去的可能性很小。”
黄菊和陈良宇有着复杂的人际关系，他们互相依靠，如果黄菊夫人余慧文真的深深涉入上海福利事业，陈良宇作为上海的第一把手，显然纵容了中央政治局常委的太太在上海有这么大的经济实惠。“黄菊的夫人余慧文和上海的社会福利方面有千丝万缕的联系，我们可以做两种假设：一是她在经济上涉案很深，二是假设那些都是空穴来风。但他们在政治上，在人事上他们是沆瀣一气的。”
Rookie on the Road from the Gansu Daily bbs:
陈良宇和中央主要领导胡锦涛、温家宝不和早已不是什么秘密，但他本人对于这个问题恐怕是并不以为意的。首先，由于其特殊的经济地位，上海市与中央之间有着各种摩擦是长期存在，并且会一直存在下去的。而另一方面，第三代领导人***对于自己退休之后早有打算，上海帮老家的市委书记这个位置必然会由信得过的人来担当，所以陈良宇敢于长期和中央步调不一致，也是因为背后有老江在撑腰。
此前曾有传言，由于国务院第一副总理（原上海市委书记）黄菊身患癌症，胡、温希望他可以让贤。对此***的态度是，让黄菊退下来可以，但要让现上海市委书记陈良宇来接班。显然，这样的人员调整是新一届中央所难以接受的，所以他们宁愿要一个病黄菊，不要一个健康的良宇。
MSN Spaces blogger Kujes:
市委书记下台咯，又是一个高官。
评论大多是说是政治导致了他的下台，导致了所谓”上海帮”的倒台。目前下定论是似乎早了点，但愿事实不是这样，而是新一代领导人的”作为”。治国从来不是靠的思想、理论、文件、觉悟的，靠的应该是法律和制度。面对新世纪的挑战，陈旧的方式显然不适合继续延续，其弊端也是越来越明显，民间早已充满怨言。杀一个贪官简单，阻止千万个贪官不容易。如果新领导人有了觉悟，放开手脚，对此开始改进；如果此事是变革的一个预示、一个契机，那真是国家、民族的幸事了。
有人说我太乐观，但是人不能总是只看见缺点和阴暗面，是吧？但愿我的乐观不要落空。
希望这不是一阵短暂的穿堂风。

author: John Kennedy


text:
China: the reply of the spoofed poet · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The poet Zhao Lihua has been spoofed by netizen in the past few weeks. Joel Martinsen from DAWEI summarizes the debate and translates the reply of the poet: Let's all write poetry!

author: Oiwan Lam


text:
DRC: Tshisekedi Should Save the Nation by Supporting Mbemba · Global Voices
Alice Backer

On UDPS Liege,  Florent Mukonkole writes(Fr): “Any Congolese with any sense of nationalism should rally around Mbemba [in the upcoming runoff against Kabila]to save the nation.” He then asks Etienne Tshisekedi, leader of opposition party UDPS, to do the same and implies that a recent press release by the leader indicates that he does not plan to to so.

author: Alice Backer


text:
Guyane: Cruelty to Iguanas · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Cafe Creole  is upset (Fr) that people are eating iguana stews in French Guiana and posts a picture of live iguanas destined to end on someone's plate. The author goes on to explain that while consumption of wild animals was understandable in the past, modern access to alternative sources of food should preclude the need for it in today's Guyane.


text:
Hong Kong: urban renewal · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Chong at interlocals.net translates a citizen report on a urban renewal project in a poor district in Hong Kong: “There are more poor people than the rich in Hong Kong. But why the rich need to come to Kwun Tong downtown, even though they already have the whole Hong Kong island and Tsim Shu Tsui for fun!?”


text:
India: Child Marriage · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Even as Child Marriage is illegal in India, parts of India continue the practice of child marriage. Especially on certain auspicious days when the practice intensifies. A flickr photo set by John and Sarah on the same.


text:
India: Project Why · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Online fundraising can be rather creative. Ammani invites readers to give her three random words, so she can weave a tale out of it and the reader can donate to a project.


text:
Indonesia: New Political Parties · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Indonesia Matters lists newly registerd political parties in Indonesia. The blogger also taks about how the explosion in the number of parties is causing parties to come up with similar sounding names.

author: Preetam Rai


text:
Iran:Ganji’s letter to America · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Nim Negah has published an excerpt of Akbar Ganji's, Iranian journalist and human rights activist, “Letter to America” in Washington Post. Ganji asked for a direct and transparent talk between US and Iran.The blogger published following part of the letter :” It is both possible and desirable to solve the problems between the United States and Iran through direct talks. Such diplomacy will best serve the interests of the American and Iranian people if it is conducted in a transparent fashion.”

author: Fred Petrossian


text:
Kazakhstan: Breaking 50 · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

At neweurasia, Adam says that if Kazakhstan is to reach its goal of being one of the 50 most competitive economies, it must do more than “polishing” its macroeconomic indicators and relying on high oil prices.

author: Nathan Hamm


text:
Kazakhstan: Crossing the Line · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

KZBlog says that comedian Sasha Baron Cohen has crossed the line in his latest stunt as the character Borat by directly mocking the president and government of Kazakhstan in his phony press conference in front of the Kazakhstani embassy in Washington D.C.


text:
Kazakhstan: Nazarbaev in DC · Global Voices
Nathan Hamm

Registan.net looks at media, editorial, and blog coverage of today's visit to the White House by Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbaev.


text:
Macau nurtures Luso-Sino connection  · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

Macau can be seen today as the very capital of a reinvigorated Luso-Sino friendship. In addition to holding the Economic and Commercial Cooperation Forum which happened this last weekend, the city is preparing to host the First Lusofonia Games, to be held during the week of October 7-15. The event will gather Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Brazil, East Timor, São Tomé e Príncipe and Guinea-Bissau, members of CPLP [Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries]. The games will also include Equatorial Guinea, India  and Sri Lanka — by virtue of being associate members of ACOLOP [Association of the Portuguese-Speaking Olympic Committees].  The games will involve the sports of football, futsal, beach volleyball, volleyball, basketball, taekwondo, table tennis and track and field.
Estes jogos são uma iniciativa da ACOLOP, mas Portugal teve uma importância fulcral na transformação da ideia em realidade! Estes jogos contam com os membros da CPLP, o que significa que poderão servir para o estreitamento de relações entre estes países.
Primeiros Jogos da Lusofonia – O Império
O Brasil levará para os I Jogos da Lusofonia 77 atletas em cinco modalidades: atletismo, futsal, taekwondo, tênis de mesa e vôlei de praia. Entre os nomes mais conhecidos da delegação brasileira estão a medalhista pan-americanas Ana Richa (bronze nos Jogos Pan-americanos de Santo Domingo 2003), que fará dupla com Elize no vôlei de praia; a mesa tenista Lígia Santos (bronze nos Jogos Pan-americanos Winnipeg 1999); além da seleção principal de futsal, com destaque para Falcão, eleito melhor jogador de futsal do mundo em 2004. O atletismo enviará à Ásia uma equipe de 47 atletas sub-23, a mais numerosa da delegação.
Brasil terá 77 atletas nos jogos da Lusofonia – sobre Macau
Campeã olímpica dos 10.000 metros em Atlanta'96 e medalha de bronze em Sidney'2000, Fernanda Ribeiro vai participar nos jogos de Macau, a disputar entre 7 e 15 de Outubro, na prova da meia-maratona. Por seu turno, Miguel Maia, que foi duas vezes quarto classificado no torneio olímpico de voleibol de praia, em equipa com João Brenha, vai integrar uma das duas equipas masculinas portuguesas presentes na prova em Macau.
Jogos Lusofonia: Fernanda Ribeiro e Miguel Maia representam Portugal – Record
The event is calling the attention of bloggers from the Portuguese speaking countries, but those are not the only ones following the Lusofonia movement right now. The upgraded economic relationship between Lusophone countries and China fostered by Macau as a hub-city seems to attract new interested partners. We already have some debate over the criteria defining which countries can participate, and some consider it advantageous to belong to as many international forums as possible.
Não deixa de ser curioso que nos 1ºs Jogos da Lusofonia marcados para Outubro próximo em Macau (China) estejam representados os Comités Olímpicos do Sri Lanka ou da Guiné Equatorial, países onde o português não tem qualquer estatuto oficial, tal como os crioulos portugueses falados nestes países (quase extinto no Sri Lanka). Discussões linguísticas à parte, se o Sri Lanka participa, porque está de fora a Galiza?
Jogos da Lusofonia sem Galiza mas com Sri Lanka – Chuza
Moçambique endereçou o pedido formal de adesão à OIF no início deste ano. Com a integração na OIF [Organisation internationale de la Francophonie], Moçambique passa a fazer parte de todas as principais comunidades linguísticas internacionais, uma vez que já é membro de pleno direito da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP), da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Inglesa (Commonwealth) e da Organização da Conferência Islâmica. A integração na Commonwealth foi justificada pelo Governo moçambicano com o facto de todos os países vizinhos de Moçambique terem o inglês como língua oficial. Para a entrada na Organização da Conferência Islâmica terá sido relevante o facto de a religião islâmica ser uma das mais influentes no país, apesar de o governo moçambicano ter defendido a opção com as oportunidades de maior cooperação com os países muçulmanos. Pelo sim e pelo não…
Pelo sim e pelo não, Moçambique na Francofonia –  Alto Hama
Indeed, economic opportunities seem to be the main motive for bringing new enthusiasm to the linguistic connections. Some commentators are starting to see the FCECCPLP [China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Co-operation Forum], which held its 2nd Ministerial Meeting in Macao last week, as a much more significant development when compared with the achievements of 10 years of CPLP activity doing it alone.
O FCECCPLP aparece como uma realidade original no contexto das relações internacionais. Original e difícil de identificar, como disse Narana Coissoró que o comparou, em termos de dificuldade em classificar esta organização, à União Europeia: “Trata-se de um OPNI – Objecto Político Não Identificável”. Presente na assistência, o secretário-executivo-adjunto da CPLP, Tadeu Soares, rejeita ver o fórum como um substituto da comunidade de países criada há dez anos. “A CPLP foi a materialização de um sentimento já existente”, afirmou. Quanto ao Fórum, Tadeu Soares considera que “é como um shopping center onde a China pode ir de loja em loja falando com os ministros dos países lusófonos”.
Para além do Fórum – Macau Hoje
Ela (o FCECCPLP) foi extremamente importante na medida em que se não fosse na plataforma chinesa, não haveria outra forma de se agrupar todos estes países de fala portuguesa debaixo de um chapéu porque Portugal não era capaz de fazer isso. Porquê? Porque, em primeiro lugar, não tinha capacidades materiais para levar capitais como a China está a levar para todos estes territórios que falam português. Além disso, seria extremamente difícil trazer o Brasil para esta aventura. Nunca seria possível aglutinar, levar a efeito uma forma de estarem todos juntos e estarem a trabalhar todos para um mesmo fim que é o desenvolvimento rápido desses países, nomeadamente Cabo Verde e Angola que sobem rapidamente para o chamado patamar de desenvolvimento médio. Em segundo lugar, a língua portuguesa nunca foi tão fundamental na concretização deste projecto apesar de todos falarem português, a não ser que haja um terceiro a pegar nesta língua e, à base desta língua, construir algo que diga respeito a todos e que dá vantagem a todos, que não prejudique nenhum dos países. Não há uma superioridade de um país sobre o outro, porque todos são receptores e têm relações com a China e têm muito poucas relações uns com os outros. É uma espécie de gancho em que estão todos esses países que se dão entre si porque estão presos por uma plataforma que tem a vantagem de ser um território de antiga administração portuguesa: Macau. E isto é novidade.
A China está a construir a sua obra – Macau Hoje
Para Jackson Chang, administrador do Instituto de Promoção do Comércio e do Investimento de Macau (IPIM), a mais valia de Macau é a relação com os países lusófonos. Ontem, no dia do encerramento da 11ª Feira Internacional de Macau (MIF), Chang deixou entender que o balanço positivo que faz desta edição do evento se deve à relação privilegiada da China com os países lusófonos. “A plataforma económica entre a China e os países de língua portuguesa continua a atrair, todos os anos, muitas pequenas e médias empresas de várias províncias da China. Esta é uma vantagem exclusiva de Macau.”
Lusofonia é “vantagem exclusiva de Macau” – Ponto Final Macau
Três questões: A – (pergunta construtivista) Como é que o Fórum cria novas percepções intersubjectivas entre os participantes e redefine os conceitos de pertença e da relação com o outro (a China , uma actor externo à lusofonia)? B – (pergunta liberal-institucionalista) Que tipo de “regime “ é este, o criado pelo Fórum, e que “spill over effects” poderão surgir em virtude do reforço da cooperação económica e comercial que se apresenta como um “win-win game”? C –(pergunta realista) Ao nível da balança de poderes dentro do Fórum, que países viram a sua posição relativa ser aumentada e de que modo? De que forma o Fórum serve os intuitos da China de emergir na cena internacional como uma grande potência?
Breves notas sobre o Fórum China-PLP – O Sínico
Apart from the economically driven impulse provided by the Chinese expansion in the international commercial arena, cultural aspects are still a mainstay to the Lusophone world. Although lacking the needed official support by CPLP or its member nation's cultural agencies, the exchange of music, dance and art is the foundation of this deeper bond. These are the main channels of a never-ending flow of mixing races, rhythms, symbols and ideas which connect all the continents of the world through a single Luso language.
Outro dia fui conhecer Macau. Há poucos anos, lá em Macau, havia um garoto português que ensinava capoeira para garotos angolanos. O mundo certamente dá muitas voltas e se torna cada vez mais complexo. Dizem que a capoeira engravidou em Angola, mas foi nascer no Brasil. Ninguém sabe ao certo sua história. Mas parece mesmo que é uma criação bem brasileira a partir de elementos africanos, como o samba. Hoje brasileiros dão aulas de capoeira na África, em Portugal, e em muitos outros países. Seus alunos espalham a arte pelo resto do mundo. É uma prática esportiva, artística e até mesmo espiritual que se torna patrimônio da humanidade, assim como o judô, a esgrima ou o boxe tailândês. Procurem a capoeira na internet. Eu consultei o Google: são 553 mil páginas de web. Poucas se comparadas com as 5 milhões e 800 mil que citam a palavra samba, ou as 6 milhões 668 mil que falam de reggae, ou as 25 milhões de jazz. Mas é um número que não pára de crescer.
Gil arrasou – Circuito – Cristina de Luca
Foi, tendo em conta o imenso potencial musical que reside no espaço lusófono que nasceu um documentário, que durou cerca de dez meses a produzir, e tem como base 35 entrevistados, 33 bandas e videoclips e pesquisa bibliográfica. O seu objecto foi a fusão entre elementos musicais autóctones de Portugal, Brasil e PALOP (Angola, Moçambique, Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe, Guiné Bissau) e a sua integração em géneros de música urbana actual. O resultado deste cruzamento é o nascimento de produtos musicais específicos da lusofonia, revelando uma identidade singular dos seus executantes no cenário mundial. O movimento de músicos de Lisboa – de Sara Tavares, Lura, Chullage, Buraka Som Sistema ou Sam The Kid – emana características únicas: sejam ritmos, melodias, vocábulos que sintetizam através dos sons cinco séculos de história conjunta entre os territórios que hoje partilham o idioma Português.
Lusofonia – Santos da Casa
The networked age is naturally bringing together resembling tribes. Portuguese may be the language which presents the most dispersed distribution across the world's regions, and the reason for that seems to lie in the advanced nautical science and technologies developed by the first Luso-Iberian sailors. The ability to reach faraway continents by sea in the era of colonial conquest has traveled through time into a broad global distribution of the Lusophone cultural influence in the era of information.
Today, new challenges are presented to those in charge of connecting cultural similarities. The digitally interconnected environment provides new linking routes, but also demands from the 21st century sailors (internauts?) the development of new ‘cartographic’ abilities. The Internet usage numbers of Brazil (highest recorded amount of Internet navigating time) and Portugal  (4º in the penetration rate ranking) indicate that Lusophone countries are in a good position to understand well what is demanded. But the ancient common cultural heritage that still lives in the cells of the body will need to be activated in order to galvanize the political will needed to overcome the historical disconnections formed by centuries of geographical separation.
O problema, e isto se existir, de facto, um problema, está no facto dos brasileiros não reconhecerem a sua língua como “Língua Portuguesa” mas como língua do Brasil. E a culpa é de quem? Não será, de certeza, dos brasileiros ou dos outros falantes da Lusofonia. Quem deveria defender e projectar a Lusofonia? Os PALOP, o Brasil, Timor? Não!!! Cabe ao antigo colonizador e “implantador” da língua defendê-la. Aos colonizados cabe-lhes enriquecê-la com ditos locais e defender, no caso dos países afro-lusófonos, a existência das suas línguas tradicionais. Ao antigo colonizador cumpre-lhe a obrigação de não a deixar desfalecer. E o que tem feito o antigo colonizador? Nada!!! rigorosamente nada ou quase nada… Mas também se os dicionários (em português, de Portugal, e português, do Brasil) do “Word” desconhecem a palavra “Lusofonia”.
Lusofonia ou Brasilofonia? – Moçambique para todos
Macau has sucessfully developed a full-text translation software from Portuguese to Chinese. The network version of the Portuguese/Chinese Bi-directional Translation System (PCT), developed by INSEC-Macau, makes use of local networks or intranets to connect the translation systems of all users through the central server. The knowledge among users in translations can then be shared, and can therefore guarantee the consistency of the translated contents and the efficiency of translation work. It can also serve as a lug-in for Microsoft Word, so that a more friendly translation platform can be provided.
Portuguese-Chinese translation software developed – blogmacau.info
And for this post's final note,
… here is a musical presentation produced by Chanuchan about Macau, with Emil Chau's “Song of the Ferryman” as the background music.

author: Jose Murilo


text:
Nepal: Women in the Supreme Court · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The Supreme Court in Nepal just got a bit more gender neutral according to Legal News from Nepal. “The spouses of female judges of the Supreme Court can now go with their wives when they go abroad on official duty and enjoy government allowances and facilities during such visits.”


text:
Nigeria: Vice-President in self-denial · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Aba Boy argues that the Nigerian Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, is in self denial: “His fight to clear his name has led a few to believe that his denial is taking the form of spreading outright falsehood, and by implication refusing to address the facts. Reading his letter, one could easily come to the conclusion that he is tailoring his story and thereby leaving out certain details that need to be addressed.”


text:
Pakistan: Lahore Fort · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A history tour at Metroblogging Lahore. “Hathi Pol was built by Shah Jahan in 1632. It was meant to be exclusively used by elephants carrying the royalty. From this splendid gateway begins the renowned picture wall of Lahore Fort.”


text:
Philippines: Darkness after Xangsane · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Mr. Fuji in Manila describes the situation in downtown Manila in the wake of Typhoon Xangsane. “looking out from my manila hotel room, makati is dark, right to the horizon. it’s eerie to see a city that was full of lights now sleeping. there a little flecks of light here and there, but it still seems so odd. it also makes things very dangerous (especially at night) in a city where traffic is so chaotic. in a ride through the city this evening, it still appears that power will be at least a few days away.”


text:
Philippines: Fiesta in San Agustin · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Ivan Henaras visits the town of San Agustin and attends a fiesta there. The blogger is surprised to find a lost tradition still being practised in San Agustin/ “I was surprised that an old pre-war tradition was still being done in San Agustin. Unlike the current fiestas were we hold beauty pageants, San Agustin still organizes a carnival queen or popularity contest. Jules and I were kidding about it since they reverted back to the “dark ages.” Haha! The winner of the competition was the candidate who got the most number of votes, with each vote being purchased.”


text:
Philippines: Typhoon Milenyo · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Manuel Quezon in Philippines rounds up the typhoon Milenyo stories from the papers and the blogs. The typhoon, knows as Xangsane internationally struck the Philippines on wednesday and is now moving north towards China.


text:
Poland: Coalition-Building Crisis · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot reports on Poland's government crisis: “So even the Peasants don’t want to get into bed with PiS, it appears. Which shows how bad the image of the government has become: in the past 17 years since parliamentary democracy began in Poland PSL have been known to get into bed with just about anyone if it meant a place in the coalition.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


text:
Poland: Elevator Graffiti Transformation · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Boo writes about an anti-Semitic graffiti in a Polish elevator that was later replaced with a message of tolerance.


text:
Russia: Open Letter on Orphanage Child Abuse · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Russia Blog posts an open letter from an American mother of three adopted Russian children: “While looking for articles about the orphanage abuse that occurred in late July, 2006 in Krasnoyarsk, I came across your story about the “Boys for Sale“. It has had a profound affect on me. Thank you VERY MUCH for doing the research, then reporting your findings. I view the article differently than most of the folks who replied, I view it as a mom who realizes that the abused boys could have been my sons, and still could be.”


text:
Senegal, Chad, Belgium: Where Will Hissene Habre be Judged? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Generation Consciente, Un Autre Afrique explains that (Fr) after a 5-year negotiation between Senegal, Belgium and the African Union on which of the two countries should host the trial of former Chadian leader Hissene Habre, “Abdoulaye Wade has decided at the African Union summit in Banjul that former Chadian leader  should be judged on African soil.”


text:
Serbia: Kosovo Is (Not) Changing · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Wu Wei observes the changes that are taking place in Kosovo and those that aren't.


text:
Serbia: Torture Story Retraction · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Balkan Ghost of Finding Karadzic has found out that a heartbreaking story about “the Sri Lankan-American Buddhist who was tortured by her Serb captors while on an aid mission during the Bosnian war, [was] fictional“: “I regret posting the story when my verification was incomplete. But I also believe that one of the important functions of this blog is as a truth-seeking forum, where rumors are taken and face value and dispelled or confirmed by various readers. […] If I applied journalistic standards to my Karadzic writing, I would have very little to write about, as it is tough to investigate and verify wide-ranging rumors from behind a computer screen. For me, this blog about the complex Karadzic problem is underpinned by a spirit of truthseeking and inquiry.”