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Taiwan: Migrant Worker Rally-“I want my day off!!” · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

On International Human Rights Day, the dogfighting politics of the two major parties still occupied the front pages in Taiwan's mass media. The politicians consume the terms “democracy” and “freedom” for their own political odds while neglect basic rights of underprivileged communities. GVO Taiwan team would cover some important human right issues and firstly we bring you the story of biannual rally of migrant workers in Taiwan.
photo by RCAN
humblest appeal
In the last 15 years, Southeast Asian migrant workers have become an important manpower in many Taiwan labour-intensive industries. These works may jeopardize their health, safety and even life, nevertheless, their rights are often neglected. Moreover, they are suffered from the double oppression of being “aliens” (foreigners) and marginalized labors in Taiwan society.
photo by RCAN
Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT) initiated a migrant worker rally to fight for their own right on December 9, the eve of International Human Rights Day. The rally drummed up migrant workers from Philippine, Thailand, Indonesia , Vietnam and some local NGOs. The route crossed the high streets of Taipei and participants shouted out their appeal for basic right– I want my day off!, to attract passers-by attention. They ask Taiwanese to be aware of the fact that there is still a group of people forced to work long hours without any break in this “modernized” society.
migrant worker's street performance, photo by bad mouth
There are 160,000 migrant workers serving in domestic sector like nursing and care-taking. However, they are excluded from the Labor Standards Act, a basic labour protection law in Taiwan and they don't have any right to holiday nor extra payment for overtime work. Chen Show-Lien and FoolFitz, volunteers of TIWA, have written up stories of two run-away migrant workers. They are exploited by their employers without any legal protection. Miss Chen also looks into the migrant workers’ contribution to Taiwan underprivileged families :
因為被排除於勞基法的適用範圍，外籍家庭類勞工沒有任何法令的保護，來到台灣只能碰運氣，運氣好的遇到好僱主，運氣不好只能在惡劣的勞動條件中，為了生存 而奮鬥。台灣人對這些來台工作的外勞，常常用：「她們都是來賺台灣的錢」帶過。這句話掩蓋了太多的東西，她們來台灣其實撐起了兩個家庭，一個是她們母國的 原生家庭；一個是僱用她們的台灣家庭。如果不是她們願意以極低的薪資，負擔起全年無休的照顧工作，彌補了台灣社會福利漏洞，替台灣人照顧臥病在床、行動不 便的家人，讓他們能出去工作養家，不知道有多少弱勢家庭會垮掉。在一次訪談中，一位聘請家庭看護工的僱主告訴我，如果不是有外勞幫她，她會帶著她的母親一 起去自殺。
Without any protection, the migrant caretakers can only depend on their luck when they are working in Taiwan. Most Taiwanese simply regard migrant workers as money seekers and ignore their inhumane working conditions. In fact, migrant caretakers have to shoulder double burdens– one is the pressure of economic income from their home countries, and another pressure comes from the employers’ families in Taiwan. They take care of people in needed, so other family members can earn more income. Once in a conversation, an employer told me from the bottom of her heart that she would kill her elderly mother and herself if they were not assisted by migrant caretaker.
New immigrants and gender/sexuality Rights NGO also support migrants workers. photo by vc2401
Taiwan authority nevertheless leaves all home caring responsibilities of the elderly and handicapped to the families and migrant caretakers without providing any social assistance. MOI offers “Respite Care” to families that need some break from long-term home care. But this respite service has excluded families with migrant caretakers. Migrant workers thus are unlikely have holidays and breaks from their work. MENT demands MOI to amend the regulation of home care with five suggestions:
photo by coolloud
Two employers on wheelchair joined the rally to show their support and appreciation to migrant workers. Together with their migrant employees, they sang a popular song like a family on the stage.
photo by RCAN
And here is a video clip of the rally on Peopo.
Benla posted his thought:
坐在輪椅上的是兩位身體不方便的朋友，他們是雇主，但，支持移工們要有休假的權利。我不曉得有多少台灣的朋友會有同樣的想法，但，我相信許多僱主可能並不知道規範家庭看護工的法令並不合理，因為，僱主自己對勞動法令恐怕也是相當陌生。  我想告訴移工朋友：謝謝你們，要感謝的，並不是因為妳們幫忙分擔了台灣許許多多的家庭負擔，或者，成了台灣經濟奇蹟的另一群無名英雄，而是，你們讓我們看清了自己，看清了自己的傲慢與不足，因為你們，讓我們反省，讓我們成長。  感謝，我們還在學習，我們會更努力。
Two employers were on wheelchair, they came here to show their support. I am not sure how many Taiwanese would share their views. I guess many employers do not really care about labour regulations and have no idea how unreasonable the working conditions are.  I want to thank you all, the migrant heros and heroines, for shouldering the home-care burden and contributing to Taiwan's economic miracle. Your presence serves as a mirror to reflect our arrogance and insufficiency. You make us realize the need for introspection and improvement.  Thank you, we will united and work together for change.
everybody cosigned on the long narrow strip, photo by RCAN and coolloud
This article is originally written by Foolfitz in Chinese, and translated into English by nairobi. Both Foolfitz and nairobi are dedicated members of GV Chinese Lingua.

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Zimbabwe: Activists beaten in Harare · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

WOZA blog has a post about police brutality in Zimbabwe: “Whilst the three people arrested after the WOZA demonstration in Harare on Tuesday were released after paying a fine and without being harmed, it has emerged that riot police beat at least 10 WOZA members as they were dispersing near Angwa Street.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Armenia: The Kurdish Question · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

In response to a post by Paul Goble on the apparent belief that Armenia's Kurdish minority is obstructing a peace deal with Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Oneworld Multimedia identifies a number of inaccuracies in the analysis.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Georgia: Military Buildup in Abkhazia · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Steady State comments on reports that Russia is building up its military presence in the breakaway region of Abkhazia. Moscow instead says what is happening is nothing more than a regular rotation of peacekeeping troops.


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Georgia: Misha is Cool! · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The BBC's Matthew Collin writes on This Is Tbilisi Calling about the latest attempt by the Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to woo voters ahead of January's election. A song, Misha is Cool, has been recorded by a former boy band member, now a regional governor.


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Japan: Final Report on Internet Regulation · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

The idea that a country boasting one of the world's most active net cultures, with possibly the world's largest blogosphere and almost certainly its largest online forum, would attempt to regulate online content within its borders may appear to some not only far-fetched, but infeasible. Plans unveiled (with little fanfare) earlier this year by the Japanese government, however, aim to do exactly this, targeting a broad range of content, including blogs and personal homepages, in fairly vague terms.
In an interim report [ja] on the proposed regulation published in June by a study group under the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the broadest of three major types of online communication to be regulated was expressed in the vaguest of these terms. An article posted in June at atmarkIT explains that:
最後の公然通信は最も対象コンテンツが幅広い。中間報告は「ホームページなど公然性を有する通信コンテンツ」と公然通信を定義する。電子メールなど特定の人とだけ行う私信以外のすべてのネット上のコンテンツが、対象になると見られる。「2ちゃんねる」などの掲示板や、個人のブログも公然通信だ。
The interim report also recommended that public opinions be sought on the issue, so back in June and July the ministry opened a space on its webpage for people to submit comments. Later coverage [ja] indicated that the government received a total of 276 responses, 222 from individuals and the remaining 54 from organizations. Whereas organizations such as the Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI and Sky Perfect Communications were in favour of legal restructuring but expressed reservations about the regulation of content, the Keidanren, Asahi Television, Fuji Television, Japan's public broadcaster NHK, and the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association were entirely against the plans. Many organizations, including Yahoo Japan, requested clarity about the range of what exactly constitutes “open communication”.
With the publication early this month of a final report [ja] on the proposed regulations, setting down steps to move ahead and submit a bill to the regular diet session in 2010, the topic has finally entered the spotlight. Blogger tokyodo-2005, who covered the issue extensively while it was in the public comments phase, posted an extensive post on the topic of the final report, translated here in its entirety.
In the post, he began by remarking on the achievement of the 222 individuals who submitted comments against the regulation:
ネットについての規制が政府主導でなされ、ネットの表現の自由が奪われるのではないかというおそれがある、「通信・放送の総合的な法体系に関する研究会」の「中間取りまとめ」に対しては、異例の多さのパブリックコメントが寄せられた（※１）。その多くは規制に反対するものだった。その結果、同研究会が１２月６日にとりまとめた通信と放送を融合させる法制度に関する最終報告書には、反対の声を少し配慮したような表現が盛り込まれた。罰則を阻止したようにも読め、大きな成果といえるかもしれません（ﾊﾟﾁﾊﾟﾁ）。パブコメをお願いするシリーズを展開した当ブログとしても少しほっとしています。しかし、規制は一度始まれば強化されます。しかも、致命的な欠陥である「政府による監督」については「独立行政委員会」を設けるべきだという提言はされていません。このまま、法制化させないように、今後も、声を上げ続けましょう。
まずは、最終報告書（※２）の記述（２１頁以下）から。
He then quotes directly from page 21 of the final report, translated below:
日本国内では現在、著作権法や薬事法等の個別法において違法情報の発信規制が行われているほか、ＩＣＴ利用環境整備の観点からは、個人の権利を侵害する情報についてプロバイダの責任制限や発信者情報開示請求権を定めたプロバイダ責任制限法が制定されているが、社会的法益を侵害するような違法な情報への法制的な対応は諸外国に比して十分とは言い難い。プロバイダが自主的に行っている対策について、法的根拠等の規律整備を求める声や、迅速な被害者救済を求める声も多い。
しかしながら、違法な情報に対して国が包括的かつ直接的な規制を課すことは、言論・表現活動の過剰な萎縮を招くおそれがあり、また、ブロードバンド網の発展等を背景にここ数年で急速に開花した我が国の自主・自律を旨とする豊かなネット文化と相容れない可能性が高い。パブリックコメント等でも同様の意見が多数寄せられたところである。
これらを総合的に勘案し、情報通信法という包括的な法制においては、違法な情報に対する国による包括的かつ直接的な規制は当面差し控えることとし、情報通信ネットワーク上で情報を流通させる全ての者が本来遵守すべき最低限の配慮事項を、具体的な刑罰を伴わない形で整備することを検討すべきである。同時に、社会的法益を侵害するものも含め、違法な情報への迅速な対応・被害の防止・被害者の救済を図るため、例えば、関係者の法的責任の明確化や、ＩＳＰ等による削除やレイティング設定等の対応の法的根拠の整備など、行政機関が直接関与しない形での対応を促進する枠組みを整備すべきである。なお、違法な情報の流通状況・被害状況については今後詳細な調査を行い、必要があれば刑罰の付与等の適否についても検討すべきである。
The blogger goes on to quote a passage from the interim report (Note 3), translated here:
【具体的には、「公然通信」に係るコンテンツ流通に関して、各種ガイドラインやモデル約款等が策定・運用されていることを踏まえ、違法・有害コンテンツ流 通に係る最低限の配慮事項として、関係者全般が遵守すべき「共通ルール」の基本部分を規定し、ＩＳＰや業界団体による削除やレイティング設定等の対応指針 を作成する際の法的根拠とすべきである。「プロバイダ責任制限法」などＩＣＴ利用環境整備関係法制度についても、可能な限り一元化すべきである】（１０ 頁）
The blogger then comments:
両者の違いは、どうやら罰則の有無のようだ。中間とりまとめ段階では、明記されていなかったが、罰則が設けられる予定だったが、最終報告書では罰則をはずす方向で明記されたということらしい。
もし、そうだとしたら、これはパブコメによるかなりの収穫だと思われる。罰則を伴うということは強制捜査を伴うということで、その場合、いやがらせ逮捕などによって、表現の自由を封殺することができる。しかし、罰則がなければ、強制捜査はできない。
…とはいえ、もし、パブコメでの反対表明がなければ、罰則がつく方向で最終報告書が作成されていたのかと思うと、ぞっとする…。
もちろん、【行政機関が直接関与しない形での対応】（最終報告書２２頁）といっても、放送に関する独立行政委員会のない日本では形式的には間接的であっても実質的には直接的な関与となることが十分に考えられるため、油断できないし、【なお、違法な情報の流通状況・被害状況については今後詳細な調査を行い、必要があれば刑罰の付与等の適否についても検討すべきである】（最終報告書２２頁）とまで言っているのだから、なおさらだ。
なお、有害情報（違法な情報とは必ずしも言い難いが、公共の安全や秩序に対する危険を生じさせるおそれのある情報や特定の者の権利や福祉にとって有害と受け止められる情報）については、中間とりまとめでも最終報告書でも、ゾーニング規制を採用するべきだと述べており、この点は変更がない。
ところが、最終報告書（２３頁）によると、【具体的にはフィルタリングの提供の在り方について検討すべきである。また、民間事業者による有害か否かの具体的判断を支援するための第三者機関を制度化することについても、その必要性も含め検討すべきである】とされており、危険性が顕在化した格好だ。
つまり、第三者機関を設けて有害性の判断をする方向へ持って行くようだが、その第三者機関は、政府主導のもの となりそうなのだ。なぜなら、同じページに、【具体的な有害性の判断について、ＩＳＰ等では現実的には個別に判断することが困難だという問題点が指摘され ており、現行の自主的な対応では十分ではなく国の積極的な対応が必要との声もある】と明確に書かれているからだ。
フィルタリングソフトによって遮断すべき情報の選択に政府が絡むなんてとでもない話だ。到底容認できない。
しかも、個人のブロガーの問題だけでなく、いわゆる報道機関にとっても、問題の残る最終報告書となっている。毎日新聞（※４）によると、【新法が制定されれば、影響力の大きいメディアによってネット配信されたコンテンツが政治的に偏っていたり、有害だと判断された場合は配信者（事業者や個人）に対し削除や訂正を求めることができるようになる】という。確かに、その趣旨のことが、最終報告書１７〜２０頁にかけて掲載してある…。
政府が、メディアに対し、「政治的な偏り」を訂正するよう指摘できる国…それって共産国とか独裁国なみの自由しか与えられないってことではないだろうか…。放送については電波の有限性から説明がなされうるが、そもそも、日本では放送行政を政府が携わっていること自体が問題なのだ（※５）。
本報告書の決定的な問題点は、通信と放送を融合した法制度を設けるに当たって、監督機能を政府から「独立行政委員会」に移すべきだという提言をしていないことなのだ。政府による監督を許す限り、日本の表現の自由は、共産国や独裁国なみだというほかない。
この点、パブコメでも多くの方が、指摘していたが、「通信・放送の総合的な法体系に関する研究会」は、これを無視した格好だ。
上記毎日新聞によると、総務省は来年１月にも情報通信審議会（総務相の諮問機関）に制度の見直しを諮問し、新法の具体案を詰めるたうえ、２０１０年の通常国会に提出する構えだという。
それまでに、独立行政委員会の必要性をより多くの市民に理解してもらわなければならない。みなで、情報流通させましょう！
Notes for the blog entry are listed below:

author: Chris Salzberg


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Korea: Upcoming Election · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Only a few days remain until the presidential election in Korea. While one candidate is much more popular than other candidates according to statistics from major media, a TV panel program, Chujeok 60 Minutes, showed something else. The least popular candidate got the first ranking after analyzing election pledges and realities of their promises.
A netizen shows how big the gap is between popular votes and reliable policies.
정말 나 자신도 반성하고 대선 후보도 반성해야 할 계기가 될 시간이었다고 생각했다. 내가 반성해야 될 이유는 각 후보들의 공약에 대해 자세히 모른다는 것과, 대선 후보들이 반성해야되는 것 중 하나는, 군소 후보인 전관 후보님이 말씀하신 표퓰리즘에 빠진 선거에서 탈피 해야된다는 것. 그리고 또 하나는 공약의 실현 가능성과 그 구체적인 대안이 부족하는 것 이었다. 이는 대선 후보 합동 토론을 보면 알 수 있었다. 그리고 뉴스를 보아도 알 수 있고, 광고를 봐도 알 수 있었다. 예를 들어 정동영 후보. 그리고 권영길 후보. 이 두 후보는 플래시 광고를 통해 이명박을 비난했다. 광고비가 얼만데 비난하는데 사용하는지 이해가 안 갔다. 그리고 뉴스만 터졌다 하면 정동영 이명박 비난 뉴스. 신당의 이명박 까대기. 처음 볼 땐 이명박이 잘못했으니까 했는데, 참 계속 그딴 뉴스 나오는 거 보니 공약은 언제 말씀해주실껀가요, 라는 생각이 들 정도 였다. 그리고 이회창 후보의 경우엔 자신의 세번째 도전이니 뽑아달라고 했다. 이는 망언인지 실언인지 아니면 동정표를 원하는건지 ….
행정과 교수가 나와서 이야기 했는데 공약이 부실 한 건 현 대선 후보를 뽑는 경선에 문제가 있다고 했다. 대선 후보 등록 이전에 뽑아대니 공약에 대해 철저히 준비하는 기간이 짧았다는 것이다. 이 말에 심히 공감했으며 한국 정치의 또 다른 일면을 보는 듯 했다.
공약 호감도, 신뢰도인가 지지도를 나타냈을 때, 사회복지부분과 경제분야에서 문국현 후보가 각각 1위와 2위를 했다. 정동영 후보의 경우 일자리 창출 부분에서 1위를 하였는데, 개인적으로 일자리 창출 부분은 정동영 후보의 공약에 찬성을 안 할 수가 없었다. 하지만 복지 분야에서 그 차이가 드러나 문국현 후보가 1위 정동영 후보가 몇 위였는지 모르겄지만, 그다지 실현 가능성을 비추진 않은 듯 했다. …
아무튼 추적 60분에서 공약 지지도 부분부터 봤는데, 한 가지 웃긴 점은 일자리 창출 부분에서 권영길 후보 문국현 후보 정동영 후보 측 정책실장 인터뷰에서 각 진영에서 공약에 대해 빈약하지만 되도록 구체적인 방안을 제시하고 이해도를 높여주려 하였지만, 한나라당 정책실장은 추상적이거나 공약에 대한 부실함을 드러냈다. 이는 경희대 행정과 교수가 말한 부실한 공약을 말하는 것이 아닌가 싶다. 그러니까 앞서 말했던 경희대 교수의 발언에서 보면, 자신이 각 진영의 공약 실정에 대해 조사를 해보았는데, 급하게 공약을 준비한 진영도 있어서 황당했었다고 했다. …
각 후보들의 공약에 대한 구체적인 대안 미흡.표퓰리즘에 빠진 대선.공약을 신뢰하지 않는 유권자와 공약을 잘 알고 있지 못하는 유권자. 그리고 이명박 후보를 지지하는 지지자들은 이명박을 지지하는 것이 아니라 거북이마냥 오래 살아가고 있는 한나라당이라는 당 하나 때문에 지지한다는 것. 덕분에 올바른 내 마음은 더욱 굳혀졌고…
A professor at the Administration Department said that the reason why the election pledges is unsatisfactory is because of the parties’ primary elections. Being focused on those, they didn’t have enough time to prepare election pledges. If you agree with this, you see another aspect of Korean politics.
When we talk about favor of election pledges, faith, and job-approval, social-welfare and economic parts, Moon Kook Hyun got the first and second ranks. Jung Dong Young achieved the first rank of the aspect of creating jobs. In my opinion, I can’t agree with his pledges….
One funny thing was that Kwon Young Kil, Moon Kook Hyun, and Chung Dong Young talked about their own pledges regarding creating jobs and suggested detailed methods even though they were not excellent. However, explanations of the representative of the Grand National Party were way too abstract or poor. It seems like the poor election pledges that the professor talked about. He mentioned that he went through all pledges from presidential candidates and was perplexed that some parties just made up the pledges….
Insufficiency of detailed pledges of each candidate, presidential election that focuses on populism, voters who don’t trust and don’t know about the contents of the pledges…and supporters of the Grand National Party who don’t support Lee Myung Bak and just support him because he’s from the Grand National Party. Owing to this program, I made up my mind….
A candidate who sent his representative to the panel program is questioned over whether he understands his own policies.
정책에 대해 설명하는데 모두 대선후보들이 나와 설명하는데 한나라당만 왜 이명박이 아니고 다른사람이 나와 말하는거얌?? 자기 정책도 제대로 설명하지 못하는거야? 그런거야? 응~?
Not a few netizens are surprised with the results of the program.
추적 60분 정말 말 잘 풀어나가준다. 무엇보다 각 공약 검증에 관해서 이야기 하는데, 문국현 후보가 사회양극화 1위…그러니까 복지. 그리고 일자리 창출은 확실히 정동영 후보가 옳은 거 같고, 이명박 후보는 3위 무엇보다 정책실장이 나와서 이야기 해주는데, 문국현 후보나 정동영 후보 그리고 권영길 후보 진영은 말 정말 잘한다. 근데 한나라당은 왜그리 추상적인 단어 많이 쓰냐? 그리고 문국현 후보 일자리 창출 2위였고, 그 다음이 뭐시기였는데 그건 1위… 공약에서 다른 장수 정치인들한테 꿀릴게 없다.
하지만!
추적 60분에서 이렇게 말했다. 공약에 대한 구체적인 대안이 없다. 이건 정말 대공감…
But!
Choojeok 60 Minutes said this. There is nothing alternatives about election pledges in detail. I absolutely agree….
Some netizens hope that the results of the program might change the result of the presidential election.
사실 문국현 후보 공약이 다 그렇다. 현실적이고 1000명 있으면 999.9명한테 도움 되는 거. 단지 0.001명의 대기업 경영자들 나눠 먹을 게 없지. 저기 꼴찌는 100분 토론때 부동산 투기 근절에 아무 계획없고 그냥 제가 건설회사 사장이었습니다. 허허. 구체적으로 어떻게… 그냥 20년. 허허허. 하긴 그 회사 1조 5천억 딴나라 공사해주고 대금 못받아서 망했지. 그 와중에 지 연봉은 다 챙겨갔고. 직원들이 2,3년씩 가서 일했는데 그대로 다 떼였다. 외화낭비+헛된 강제노역 -_- 온국민을 부도난 현대건설 직원처럼 만들고 싶습니까?
역시 문국현 후보가 압도적이다.
지금 중소기업이 2000만개 일자리 만들고 있고 대기업은 130만 개다. 그나마 들어갔다 다시 짜르지. 세금으로 대기업 지원한다고 일자리가 느는 게 아니다. 오히려 중소기업 망하면 대기업 들어가게만 해달라는 사람이 느니까 대기업 입맛대로 엄청 골라서 비정규직으로 굴려버린다. 문국현 공약 중에서 지금 카드수수료 골프장은 엄청 낮고 영세사업장은 높은 거 조정해서 영세사업장은 1%로 규정해버리겠다는 것도 있단다. 진짜 현실적이다. 널리 알리자. …
Moon Kook Hyun is really noticeable. At present, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make 20 milion jobs and big enterprises make 1.3 milion jobs. Supporting big enterprises with tax doesn’t mean increasing jobs. As people would like to work at big enterprises because MNEs close down, those big enterprises change employees to irregular workers on their own. Accoring to Moon Kook Hyun’s pledges, the card commission of golf courses is very low and the commission of small enterprises is high. He would like to change it and regulate so that the small enterprises can pay 1 percent. It’s really realistic. Let’s let people know about it….

author: Hyejin Kim


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Mozambique: Voice of Free Africa 1976 · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Moçambique para Todos [pt] publishes a link to an article in English about African clandestine radio stations, among them Voice of Free Africa, from 1976. You can listen to the stations in MP3.

author: Paula Góes


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Myanmar: Getting Harder for Japanese to Visit · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

A Japanese passport usually enjoys hassle free entry to most countries in the world but now it has become more difficult for a Japanese citizen to visit Myanmar.

author: Preetam Rai


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Russia: Voting in Grozny · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

According to the Central Election Commission's data (RUS), over 99 percent of Chechnya‘s 580,918  eligible voters showed up for the Dec. 2 parliamentary election – and 99.36 percent of them voted for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.
According to Reuters, “this was the highest vote for Putin anywhere in Russia, where overall turnout was 62 percent and just over 64 percent of votes were cast for United Russia.”
Journalist Timur Aliev – LJ user timur-aliev – wasn't just a voter in this election; he also ran as a candidate for the Union of Right Forces (SPS), a party that came in third in Chechnya, receiving 449 votes (0.08 percent).
Below is Timur's somewhat surreal account (RUS) of what it took to exercise his right to vote in Chechnya's capital Grozny.
The problem with voting for me was that I lived at one address, but was registered at my old address – in the building where the federals from the commandant's office live now. In other words, it was not clear to me where my current polling station was.
I took a taxi, and we began our search. The first obstacle was that the central street was blocked and it was impossible to get to “[Minutka]” directly from the city center. And so we spent about 20 minutes driving around side streets, before we reached my home neighborhood.
We didn't find the polling station where it used to be – and it wasn't at the children's hospital or the prosecutor's office, either. We tried to drive slowly, looking for some [local election committee]'s sign. But in vain.
We tried to search in another part of the neighborhood. We got to Lenin [Avenue] again. School #46 was our next stop. No one there as well. But the guard suggested that we drive over to school #25.
So we went to the very beginning of Lenin [Avenue] – that's basically the city's edge. There was nothing there, a wasteland where the school used to be – and I didn't even know about it, been too long since I was in this area last. We asked the passerby where school #25 was. They waved – and we, following their directions, drove along the narrow, dirty streets. Then we found it – the school was located in the former kindergarten building. And the polling station was there, too.
Inside, there were surprisingly many people – about 7-10 people were crowding around the table with voters’ lists. Three of them had arrived right before us, in a Volga. Later I realized they were observers from the CPRF [Communist Party], they were there to let the election committee's officials know that they'd need the protocols, but they were voting there as well.
I glanced through the list of streets whose residents were supposed to vote at this very polling station. My street wasn't there, but the neighboring ones were. I asked the people sitting at the table. One of them turned out to be the head of the [local election committee], and he recognized me and said: “a-a, he is a frequent guest at our TV.” He asked if I were a lawyer – because of my very knowledgeable performance during the debates – and wished me good luck, saying – we need people like this at the Duma. I gave him a vague ‘hmm’ in response.
They handed down the lists to me, so that I could search for my name in them. But I wasn't there. Moreover, of all the buildings that used to stand on our street, there was only one present on the list – the first one. The rest of the people weren't listed. I asked them where they got these data from. From the administration, they'd given it to us, replied one of the committee's members. That is, what happened is that the residents of only one building out of 45 on our relatively short streets had been added to the voters’ lists. Even if barely anyone lived there [physically] – but these people hadn't changed their registration addresses, hoping to receive compensation, and they all still live in Grozny – I had seen practically all of them. But still, they were not listed.
Finally, they entered me on the additional voters’ list – I was #15 there. I filled in the ballot, and we moved on (but that's a different story).
After some time, as we were driving through “Minutka,” I saw yet another man who had voted at our polling station. He was waiting for a [bus] to take him to the center, which meant that he, just like myself, had come over specifically for the vote.
Here's what's interesting – even if I still lived at my old address, would I feel like searching so intensely for my polling station, considering I didn't have a stake in it and it was a 40-minute walk in the mud away (in the Soviet times, one could get there using public transportation – about five stops with one transfer). I doubt it.
But it turns out people have not been deterred – judging by the official results, they all showed up for the vote. Though, to be fair, it should be noted that with the way they were recording voters in the ruined Grozny, when it's not clear where anyone lives, it wouldn't be an impossible thing to show a 200-percent turnout, by including those additional voters’ lists, too.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Algeria: Sitting in a Tent  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Algerian blogger Jilal (Ar/Fr) has achieved a life long dream and sat in a tent – not in the Middle East, but in Paris. Click here for photographs.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bangladesh: Documenting genocide · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

On Victory Day in Bangladesh, Rezwan announces “I have started a project supported by E-Bangladesh which will publish an online archive of all the available information, evidence, eye witness portraying the true story of the genocide committed by the Pakistanis in 1971″.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Bangladesh: On Justice · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Voice of Bangladeshi Bloggers on the renewed call for justice in the context of war criminals of 1971, and if it's just a ploy to hide the misdeeds of the current government.


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Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dragomir Milosevic Gets 33 Years · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Srebrenica Genocide Blog reports on the sentencing of Dragomir Milosevic “for the shelling and terrorism campaign (all 5 counts of terror) against Sarajevo and its citizens from August 1994 to late 1995.”


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Brazil: Respecting Bolivian immigrants · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Sakamoto [pt] takes the International Migrants Day commemorations in São Paulo to write a long post reflecting on the situation of the many South American migrants, most of them Bolivians, working in inhuman conditions and sometimes even as slaves in Brazil. “When will this country treat “its” Bolivians with dignity?”, he asks. The International Migrants Day is today, December 18.


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Caribbean: A More Violent World?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Are we living in a more violent world?  Some say we are; others believe that violence is simply more widely reported.  Earlier this year, the World Bank suggested that the Caribbean (as a region) may have the highest murder rate in the world – and it is having a serious effect on economic growth. More and more, Caribbean bloggers are discussing the issue – and their concerns transcend territorial boundaries, economic realities and regional politics…
Living in Barbados posts an overview of the regional crime situation:
Most countries in the Caribbean region have had a long experience of peace with other nations; few have actually been directly at war with other nations. However, we find that we are increasingly “at war” amongst ourselves.
He also worries about the escalating crime rate in Jamaica, the island of his birth:
If you have no notion of what violent crime does to a society you need to visit Jamaica. A rate of murders that leads the world and many acts of brutal violence has scarred this country and changed dramatically how people live their lives.
On the heels of two high-profile murders in the Bahamas, Craig Butler, writing at Bahama Pundit, says we're living in “trying times”:
…We as a nation need to figure out what the nature of our problem is before we can adequately address it.  It is my view that education, or the lack of it amongst marginalized young men, is the key. I will continue to say that a man who has no training, and thus an inability to think and make reasoned decisions, is susceptible to anything. In our case, it’s a life of easy money derived from crime.
Butler's fellow Bahamaian blogger, Nicolette Bethel, writes:
There’s a lot of fear going about out there. My mailbox lights up on a regular — almost daily — basis. I receive local news circulars, you see, and the focus of every one is violent crime. There’s one email update that keeps count of 2007’s murder rate; there are others that blaze headlines across their tops when you open them. And talk shows and newspapers keep us thinking about our crime rate.
In analysing her country's crime situation, she refers to studies which suggest that “the higher the religiosity of any society, the more violent that society is.”
Like many other bloggers, Daniel Henrich, a journalism professor at the College of the Bahamas is trying to be an agent of change, outlining a “barebones strategy to combat the rising incidences of violence in Bahamian society among at-risk youth.”
Even heads of state are not immune to threats of violence, notes A Limey In Bermuda, who was “horrified to hear about the bullet and threatening letter sent to the Premier.”  He is also uncomfortable with the political intonations that accompanied the death threat:
I suspect it's still too early for the police to say who mailed the bullet. It could have just as easily come from a deranged PLP supporter unhappy about Dr. Brown's leadership as it could from a supporter of the UBP.  It's time for all politicians and their supporters to end the spiral of nastiness and mistrust that has lead to this latest low.
Cuban bloggers are quite vocal about the violent tactics used against demonstrators who chose to march on International Human Rights Day, while Jamaican Francis Wade attempts to find a link between violent crime and GDP.  Domestic violence is also quite prevalent in Caribbean societies and Stella Ramsaroop blogs about the issue from a Guyanese perspective.
Trinidad and Tobago bloggers have a lot to say about spiraling crime rates in the twin-island nation.  Jumbie's Watch posts front-page images from the local media to make his point:
This is what crime is doing to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. This is the face of grief, of pain, of hopelessness.
Ramblings and Reason acknowledges that “things are bad. The numbers are undeniable…such an awful picture, such horrible statistics!”  She also wonders about the media's role in shaping perceptions of violence.
Now Is Wow says ” there was a time when seeing the photo of a dead body on the street inspired shock and horror. Then, sadly, we ‘get used to it’ as a nation.”
If the reaction of the regional blogosphere is any indication, the Caribbean does not want to ‘get used to it’, but Ramblings and Reason laments that “we are giving in to the fear”:
It causes churches to reschedule midnight mass and priests to turn away murder witnesses. It gives rise to notions about which kinds of places are safe to lime in and which kinds of people are likely to rob us. It makes us crawl inside the safety of ourselves, separating us from each other more and more.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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China: Fake Meat at University Canteen · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhaomu blogs about the fake meat issue at Peking University's Canteen. Because of the rise of pork price, the canteen used bean fiber as substitution. When the issue had been exposed in the school BBS, the canteen manager refused to apologize and defended that he was trying to improve the aesthetic effect of the dishes (zh).

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Lust, Caution and Cultural Revolution · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Wu Li from my 1510 finds out that those university students who had made appeal to the Cultural Bureau to criticize the movie Lust, Caution!  hadn't viewed the movie when they signed the appeal letter. The blogger felt that such attitude reflected the deep social conflict similar to the social background of the Cultural Revolution (zh).


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China: Mock Press Conference  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Zhao Shilong blogs about a mock press conference organized by the Journalism department of Zhongshan University for training their students (zh).


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China: New Holiday Plan · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Labour Day Golden Week has become history, the government has announced a new holiday plan in China. Details via Dan Washburn, from Shanghaiist.


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China: Pollution map of China released · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Just over a year since their first [zh] mashup was released, the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE), headed by journalist-environmentalist Ma Jun, has just released its Air Pollution Map [zh], complete with its own BBS and space for feedback forum.
Based on official statements and public records of pollution incidents dating back to 2004, 40 of the 4,000 corporations the mashup fingers are foreign-owned multinationals.
Video uploaded to 56.com by user feihe in May this year and shot on the outskirts of Beijing.
A step toward making pollution economically unsustainable for offending corporations, or just another way to postpone fixing China's pervasive pollution problems? The environment has been a steady topic in prominent parts of the blogsphere this year and the air pollution map made no small splash on the internet over the weekend.
Judging from this Dec. 14 post, is it possible the indie blogger ‘Picturesque Darkness’ has only just heard of IPE's existence?
环境是人类赖以生存的根本，但一些企业、商家、甚至跨国企业为了效益，根本不管不顾。除了领导及相关责任人的玩忽职守之外 ，国家管理机构为什么没有治理， 我们的法律 法规还是跟不上发展的步伐。领导的意识要走在前面。
此外，大家应该理性的思考问题，对关于自己和子孙后代切身利益的问题。要敢于为自己说话。我们虽不能做什么大事情，但是群众的力量是不可小觑的，支持一下这家民间组织（公众与环境研究中心）作点力所能及的事情，声援、或者捐款。方式众多，量力而行。对于那些不负责任的企业、公司进行谴责、声讨。他们会感觉到压力的、政府会感觉到压力的。从量变会发展到质变。请大家一起努力。再次感谢公众与环境研究中心、感谢他们敢于说实话。敢于面对各方压力。祝公众与环境研究中心越来越权威，越来越有威慑力。
What's more, people need to be thinking rationally about this problem of their own vital interests and that of the next few generations. People need to start speaking up for themselves. Though there's not a lot we're able to do, the strength of the masses is undeniable. Support this NGO (IPE) by doing what you can, as a cause, or through donation. There are many ways, so do what's within your capability. As for those irresponsible corporations and companies, denounce and condemn them. They'll feel the pressure, and the government will too. Quantitative change will grow into qualitative change. Everybody, please work together. Again, thank you, IPE, for daring to speak the truth. For daring to face down all sorts of pressure. May the IPE grow in its authority, and in its deterrence.
Also an indie blogger, Xiao Kong merely adds a line to a reposted media report regarding the new Air Pollution Map in a Dec. 15 post titled ‘Let every corporation lose face’:
看来，中国的污染不是说让老百姓少开一天车或者少抽一根烟就缓解了的，大企业应该在这方面率先解决问题。
MSN Spaces blogger Ina Huang picks up on recent Western mainstream media coverage of health risks China poses in her Dec. 16 post, “First toys, now marine products“:
今天NEWSMAX头条和周六的NEW YORK TIMES都报道了CHINESE SEEFOOD的水质问题.标题为: Chinese Commercial Fish from Toxic Waters.一看到这个标题我就想,玩具刚平息一段时间, 水产也要完了.
目前还没有在国内媒体上看到这方面的报道,不知道会不会又引起像玩具那样的广泛关注与讨论.如果我们将玩具问题说成是美国的技术壁垒,那么水产真的是中国人的咎由自取. 当时出铅玩具问题的时候,吴仪说要严抓质量,尤其是食品质量,想不到才过几天,又被老美真真抓了把柄.食品安全早已是老生常谈了.从大米,到奶粉,到蔬菜水果,到多宝鱼,哪一样是真正可以让人安心的?鱼米之乡的我们都会吃得不安心. 据说有些菜农,去卖的菜和自家吃的菜是分开来种的.心寒啊.
国外说我们中国has notoriously lax environmental standards,也是有道理的.工业发展,却对环境不管不顾.但其实老外是没有资格来评论我们这一点的.外企工厂不是在中国的土地上肆虐吗? 马军的那张电子地图就说明了一切. 怕就怕: 老外保护自己国家的环境,把要破坏环境的工业迁移到中国,赚了钱,用了产品,完了还说中国环境差!
中国人只有以一颗诚信的心, 发展工业,保护环境,这才是生存之道.否则像玩具和水产, 一旦出了问题将会付出很大的代价来收复市场失地!
在这样的人文环境下,谈诚信又何其容易? 所以只有从自身做起了.很佩服马军, 希望大家都可以去关注他一下.一年之前看他的专访,有些鼓掌难鸣的无奈,现在他还是.毕竟,环保是全社会,全人类的事业.
Overseas they say we in China have notoriously lax environmental standards, and there's some truth in that; industry, as it develops, cares nothing for the environment. But those foreigners have no capacity to criticize us on this one. Aren't foreign companies and factories here ripping through Chinese land? That mashup map of Ma Jun's says it all. So what if they're afraid? Those foreigners protect their own countries and environments, and move all their environment-destroying industry over to China, make their money, use their products, and then they still say China's environment is bad! The Chinese people must develop industry and protect the environment, all in good faith, this is the only way we will survive. Lest things go the way of the toys and marine products and something goes wrong and we have to pay a big price to recover markets and lost territory!
In this kind of environment, just how easy is it to speak of good faith? That's why this can only start with us. I really admire Ma Jun, and I hope everyone can pay him more attention. A year ago I saw a feature on him, and he spoke a bit of feeling helpless faced with lack of support, as he still is. But when it comes down to it, protecting the environment is a project for everyone, for all of humanity.
Ina's reader Jay left the following comment:
什么时候变得这么忧国忧民了：）
其实从注重盈利到讲究品质是每个国家和社会发展道路上的必经之路。美国在市场经济发展的初期也是这样的，有毒奶粉，劣质猪肉，民众对企业的极度不信任。每个行业都需要时间来实现自身的制度化和标准化，给自己国家的企业一点宽容和改进的时间嘛。美国这个样子说话，就像一个研究生在说一个小学生没有文化一样，这个客观来说是对的，但是也有斟酌的地方：）
Back to air pollution, MSN Spaces blogger Chen Jiangang picks up on the International Olympic Committee executive games director Gilbert Felli's mention last week that Olympic events will be rescheduled if Beijing's air pollution poses a threat to athletes’ health by looking closely at what other steps the Beijing Olympic Committee is or has been prepared to take:
北京的其他计划包括在奥运会期间暂停大规模建设以及关闭制造污染的工厂。
北京的奥运会组织者将北京改善空气质量的努力称为“蓝天计划”，在目标时间内将污染物浓度控制在可接受的水平内。
北京已经向奥运会环境项目投入了大约1200亿人民币，关闭污染工厂，禁止数千高污染出租车和公交车上街。
Ma Jun hasn't updated his own blog since August this year, and the title of the most recent post reads: ‘Bringing water pollution under control needs the public to first be making green choices.’

author: John Kennedy


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China: The Warlords’ Political Debate · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Josie Liu from China in Transition discusses the political debate around a newly released Hong Kong movie “The Warlords”.


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Costa Rica: Banking Frustrations · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Costa Rica en El Presente [es] writes about frustrations with Banco Nacional and writes about a response to an earlier blog post from bank officials.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Ecuador: Daily Expressions · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Some of the daily expressions used by Ecuadorans may be difficult to understand [es].  Luigi Salas provides a list with detailed meanings to expressions used in Ecuador.


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Haiti: Restavek  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Denise Green at Haiti Innovation blogs about the island's Restavek situation.


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Honduras: Micheletti to Run for President · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Honduran National Congress president Roberto Micheletti will be able to run for President after a favorable Supreme Court ruling according to Honduras News.


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Iraq: Alive in Baghdad Correspondent Killed · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Alive in Baghdad‘s special correspondent in Iraq Ali Shafeya was killed at his home in Sadr City, announced the site, which is collecting donations for his funeral and family. Ali took 31 bullets between the chest and the head and died immediately. Two of his brothers were killed in the Firdos Square bombing in 2005. He is survived by his mother and sister, who are living as refugees in Syria.


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Jamaica: Bought or Sold? · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“When a Jamaican moves abroad…they learn the cynicism that comes with repeatedly being ‘sold”: Francis Wade relishes the freedom that has come with moving back home.


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Japan: Drop in Average Height · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

James from Japan Probe analyzes how the news about the decrease in average height of Japanese male was reported in Japan by comparing the situation with U.S.


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Lebanon: Who Killed Francois Hajj and Why? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanon grabs the international headlines again, with another assassination. Who was killed and why? Who is blaming whom and what have the region's bloggers got to say.
Lebanon's army chief of operations General François Hajj, who was tipped to be the next head of the country's army, was killed in a car bomb-assassination. According to news reports: “it was the first time that the Lebanese army, which is widely seen as the only force capable of holding the country together, had been a target, representing the worst crisis since the civil war.” Hajj‘s assassination also has a rippling effect on the doldrums paralysing the selection of Lebanon's next president. The 55-year-old Maronite Catholic was a potential candidate to succeed the army commander Michel Suleiman, who could be appointed president.
The region's citizen journalists were quick to point fingers at everyone – from Israel and the US to the usual suspects – political foes, Syria, Iran, Hezbullah and Al Qaeda.
Assassinating Salvation:
Blacksmith Jade expresses her shock and is clear about who she thinks is behind the carnage. She writes:
It’s not easy to quantify the sense of shock, desperation, and fear that this most recent ‘hit’ [on Lebanese Army Brigadier General Francois el Hajj] by the Syrian killing machine has rendered on the country.
Indeed, for a country now all too used to the roving bands of assassins striking at its politicians [while other politicians quickly move to exploit their murder], this latest assassination has struck a particular chord. Echoing off the Army’s recent victory against a malicious terrorist cell in Nahr el Bared, and striking at the one institution in which most Lebanese had placed their faith for their salvation. A salvation they had pursued so far as to propose the amendment of the constitution, in order to bring to the nation’s head the man at the head of that [perceived] salvation.
This latest assassination is what it always is: Syria’s use of death, terror, and destruction to try and keep the Lebanese “in line”.
Complete Brutal Domination:
Along similar lines, and in more detail – including how inter-Arab relations come to play, Tony Bey explains the motives behind the assassination here.
The bottom line is that Syria's only conception of its relationship to Lebanon is complete brutal domination, where Syria decides every single minutae of Lebanese life, including who gets to be president, prime minister, speaker, Army Commander, security officials, election law, cabinet make-up, cabinet portfolios, cabinet policy statement, etc. This is precisely the threat Bashar relayed to Rafik Hariri in their last meeting before he ordered his killing: I alone decide who Lebanon's president is, and if you disagree, I will break Lebanon over your heads.
This is the framework within which the assassination has to be placed, along with another parallel, inter-Arab framework..
3.5 Theories on Who Killed Hajj:
Beirut Spring‘s Mustapha shares with us his 3.5 theories on who the assassins could be. They range from Syria, to Israel and America to Al Qaeda and Islamic fundamentalists. The final 0.5 “suspect” is former President Fouad Siniora, who gets an honorary mention here:
Honorary mention, Theory 3.5: The Evil Saniora
Who killed him: Fouad Seniora’s negligence
Why he did it: To undermine the Christians and monopolize power.
Why it’s plausible: It’s always Seniora’s fault
Who believes this theory: Michel Aoun
Why the theory could be in doubt: …
His readers add a few more “suspects” in the comments section.
Lebanese-Palestinian Politics to Blame?
Lebanese commentator and Angry Arab, Assad Abu Khalil, weighs in. He blames Lebanese-Palestinian politics for the incident.
Who killed Francois Al-Hajj, chief-of-operations for the Lebanese Army? Nobody knows of course. He certainly was not close to the Hariri camp; and there is the widely circulated reference to an article in As-Siyasah (from January 26th, 2007) in which he was identified as an enemy of March 14. Personally, I think the explanation may be found not in Lebanese politics, but in Lebanese-Palestinian politics. I had predicted when the Lebanese Army (supported by March 8th and March 14th–government and opposition alike) was destroying the Nahr Al-Barid camp that the horrors would produce a new vengeful organization, just as Black September was born out of the Jordanian massacres of Palestinians. Al-Hajj had a key role in the Lebanese Army operations in Nahr Al-Barid.
Bombs Give Way to Other Bombs:
Egyptian D B Shobrawy tackles the issue from a different aspect. He explains:
People have trouble understanding the fragility of the Middle East sometimes. Lebanon especially is a country whose political structure demands chaos. The constitution requires a Maronite Christian president, a Sunni prime minister and a Shi’a speaker. Positions along religious lines go straight down to the military as well. The most powerful position in the country is represented by a small minority and I dont have to tell you how sensitive religious identities are in this region…Now consider that the different groups in this country have a very difficult time getting along and EVERYONE has guns in their home. A friend of mine has a couple AK-47’s, a M-16, some other assorted machine guns, 3 Desert Eagle’s and 2 rocket launchers…and his family are a bunch of well off bankers and business owners.
All we can do now is sit and wait to see what happens next. Bombs have a way of giving way to other bombs, hopefully this bomb doesnt give birth to more.
Video Footage:
Finkployd, from Lebanon, brings us video footage from the assassination scene in this post.
Simple Idea for the Simple-Minded:
Frustrated with dead-end investigations into car bombs, Lebanonesque‘s JoseyWales shares his thoughts on how to pin down culprits:
Asking for special or expanded powers to search for weapons, explosives and political assassins is still not high up on the government’s priority list…
After your now routine car-bomb and routine condemnations, the other very familiar story: people arrested in connection with the exploded car, people claim they sold the car to unknown, people released, end of story and end of investigative track…
It’s getting to be boring by now, in each car-bomb murder the sales chain ends with a guy who sold it to “unknown” for cash.
(H)ow about making it ILLEGAL to sell to “unknown”, like after the 4th or 5th or 6th car-bomb. We are now at number 12 or 14 depending on how you count.
How difficult is it to pass a law that puts the (or some) responsibility of these crimes on the last KNOWN idiot in the chain of sales. You are selling your car? By law, you will need to know the name of the buyer and ID him/her. Make a lapse punishable by 10 years in jail or even by a death sentence for all I care.
More reactions can also be found here, here, here, here, here, here and here.


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Libya: Modern Day Amazons  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lalla Lydia sheds light on Libyan president Muammer Gadaffi's all women security guards in this post.


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Malaysia: Flood Assistance Needed · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Rocky's Bru is calling for corporate donors to aid the people affected by floods in Malaysian state of Pahang.


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Malaysia: Flood Images · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Kickedefella has some images of the flooding in Kampung Gelang Mas- Eastern peninsular Malaysia.


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Malaysia: Visiting A Border Town · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Visit Padan Besar,  a Malaysian town on the border of Thailand.


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Morocco: Improve Aeroport Mohammed V · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan Adilski has finally arrived in Casablanca – after 20 hours in airports in three continents – and offers advice on how to improve the conditions at Aeroport Mohammed V.


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Morocco: On Hammams  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Morocco, Samuel Gunter writes about bathing or the Hammam (public baths).


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Namibia: Are Scientologists a threat to Namibia? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Rob warns Namibians against the Scientologists: “Scientologists are a big threat to poorer nations and especially to a populus who will be more vulnerable to the scheming, cunning, seconhand car sales pitch they spew. Watch out Namibia – the loony scientologists are coming for you.”


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Nepal: Nepali Congress and Socialism · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

United We Blog! on the apparent gap between talk and action when it comes to the Nepali Congress.


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Nicaragua: Mombacho Volcano Memories · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Nicaragua de Mis Recuerdos [es] reminisces about the “charming” Mombacho volcano in Nicaragua.


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Pakistan, Bangladesh: 36 years · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

All Things Pakistan on Bangladesh turning 36, and the need to bring Pakistanis stranded in camps back to Pakistan.


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Panama: The Kuna Indigenous Group and the Use of Technology · Global Voices
Melissa De León

It was a great moment when I learned about Gilberto Alemancia and his profound contribution to Panama’s tourism industry as a multilingual guide in the Panamanian rainforest indigenous areas, and in the most colorful of the jobs ever, capturing nature and people with the lens of a digital camera.
Gilberto Alemancia is an independent eco-tourism consultant – he is also an advisor on various eco-tourism programs in indigenous communities for Central America, Asia and Panama. He has given talks on ecotourism, conservation and culture at universities throughout Central & South America, Asia and Europe. He has also spoken at various international eco-tourism conferences for Outside and National Geographic Magazines.  (from Pilotguides.com)
One of the first things he mentioned when we were first corresponding by e-mail was that he is from Kuna origin. Then, he went on and mentioned it again in another e-mail, without me even asking. It was then when I reacted and wondered, “…well, he might be a person who has experienced in his lifetime the cultural stigma that labels people with indigenous roots in our country. Maybe not, …maybe he is just a very proud one.”
Then, I found myself before the missing link I have been looking for so long: someone with the knowledge on the different indigenous groups of our country and their dialects, with the disposition to share and interested to teach his own. I started asking questions, it was my chance…Finally!
Melissa De León: From the cultural perspective, what is your perception of the impact technology and internet has had in the Kuna ethnicity?
Gilberto Alemancia:  It is sad to admit that today, technology is almost non existant in the Kuna Yala islands. There is no internet available in the Comarca Kuna Yala, although through the islands runs a fibre-optic submarine cable which provides vast infraestructure capacity making Panama highly competitive in the use of communications in logistical services, a project developed by Cable & Wireless Panama and financed by ARCOS (Americas Region Caribbean Ring Systems). The Kuna caciques (chiefs) and the General Kuna Congress failed to include in the contract signed in April 2001 that Cable and Wireless would provide Internet to the Kuna islands and its people. I understand technology is very important in the education precess and could help us teach others about our culture and traditions. In nowadays Cable and Wireless only pays a monthly fee for the use of the Kuna Yala territory to host the submarine cable, but that’s all. I know this company (Cable & Wireless) always talks about supporting education through technology, but that may be in the city, because the story is totally different in our islands.
MD: What motivated you to learn photography? Where did you learn it?
GA: To tell you the truth, I never formally studied photography. My work is in the Turism and Recreation field, but eight years ago we began organizing photographic excursions in Panama with a very good friend from New York, Rick Sammon, who writes for the Associated Press and is the author of ten books about digital photography. I was very much interested when I saw him taking photos of nature and people, then I start organizing exclusive photography tours in Panama with other internationally famous photographers. At the same time I was learning from their workshops. It is a hobby for me, but some of my photos have been in magazines in Panama and internationally they have been published in publications as such as Iris Times, Outside Magazine, Native Peoples, Island Magazine. It is very important that every time we try to teach the people from the indigenous groups we visit about photography, at the same time we make donations.
In our photographic excursions we visit Kuna Yala (Kunas), Darien (Embera y Wounaan) and the Ngobe Bugles. I have noticed that young people want to learn and maybe work in this field, but the only problem is that the digital cameras are expensive. We teach them, because what we do are interactive classes, and because it is good for them and a way to show the world about our culture and traditions.
Photo Credits: All photos from this post are by Gilberto Alemancia and used with permission. All rights reserved unless authorized by the author.
Hungry for more? …well, then you’ll have to visit his Flickr!

author: Melissa De León


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Peru: Gratitude for Free Trade Agreement · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Peru's Congress recently approved the Free-Trade Agreement with the United States.  Juan Sheput of Mate Pastor [es] writes about a personal handwritten note from George W. Bush sent to former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo thanking him for his previous work in making the agreement happen.


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Portugal: The best Portuguese blog 2007 · Global Voices
Paula Góes

“Welcome to the best blog in Portugal”. Bitaites [pt] celebrates having been chosen as the best national blog at the MBP07 and explains the reasons why they might have won the prize.


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Russia: Andrew Kuchins’ Report · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eternal Remont writes about Andrew C. Kuchins’ “Alternative Futures for Russia to 2017″ report and the Russian media's reaction to it.


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Slovenia: A Walk in Ljubljana · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“Every now and then it really feels good to simply take a walk,” writes Dr. Filomena. And so she does walk around Ljubljana, taking pictures.


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Slovenia: Miklavz, Božiček, and Dedek Mraz · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Adventures in Wheelville writes: “It turns out that instead of just one plump and rosy-cheeked wintertime gift-giver, Slovenia has three jolly old men who come baring gifts during the holidays.”


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Slovenia: Pepi Sekulic Honors Salih Mahmoud Osman · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Adventures in Wheelville writes about and posts some picture from a Ljubljana exhibit by Pepi Sekulic, honoring Salih Mahmoud Osman, a “Sudanese human rights lawyer who has recently been awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament.”


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Slovenia: Political Battles · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

An update on Slovenia's political battles – over at Sleeping With Pengovsky, here and here.


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Slovenia: Urbanc Store Renovations · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Jennifer Dorroh writes about renovations at Ljubljana’s Urbanc Store, a 104-year-old art nouveau landmark.


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South Africa: Stormhoek’s social media innovation · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Andy is excited about Stormhoek innovation in social media: “Bloody hell. These guys KEEP innovating above the bar in the social media field. They've recently secured a distribution deal with Checkers – nice move. If I'm not mistaken Checkers has created quite a nice store-space display for broad price range wines.”


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South Africa: Tell us what Zuma has done · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Mpumelelo is reporting from Polokwane, South Africa where the ANC is holding its historic conference: “Please Mbeki and Ngcuka, tell us what Zuma has done,” came the song from inside the ANC conference tent as Jacob Zuma’s supporters restated their case. The conference is edging forward, but there is still no sign of when the nominations for president will be finalised.


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South Korea: Civil Organization to Expel All Illegal Aliens · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CINA blogs about the establishment of a “civil organization” campaigning to expel all migrants without legal document.


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South Korea: Corruption Scandal at the Eve of Election · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Robert Koehler bets that the reinvestigation of presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak's involvement in the BBK scandal wouldn't change the election result because: nobody’s voting for Lee because he’s the “clean” candidate — they’re voting for him because he’s the “I’ll get shit done” candidate.


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Sri Lanka: Abducted by the LTTE · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

aruni pradeepika reports that her father has been abducted by the LTTE.


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Windies Win · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“One could be forgiven for thinking that Christmas came a few days earlier”: Abeni celebrates a West Indies victory.


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Thailand:  · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Thai-American Joa Moragoat's observations on how the Thai people have “over interpreted-over assimilated foreign cultural contributions giving such imports their own unique Thai character”


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The Balkans: Kosovo War Inevitable? · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Slovenian photographer Borut Peterlin does a photo story on a Serbian paramilitary group and leaves Kosovo and southern Serbia with a conviction that “another war in Kosovo is inevitable.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Dancing Bamboo  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Now Is Wow creates some interesting effects with her camera, bamboo and natural light.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Give One, Get One?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“While there may well have been practical reasons to limit participation in the programme to the US and Canada, I find the idea philosophically distasteful and steeped in on-behalfism”: Caribbean Free Radio blogs about the One Laptop Per Child, Give One Get One programme.


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Venezuela: Forum on Social Issues · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Gustavo Coronel of Las Armas de Coronel summarizes the content of a forum about Venezuelan social issues held at the Center of Strategic and International Studies.


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Afghanistan: More aid, more personnel · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bboyd reviews a new report on aid progress in Afghanistan, published by Senlis, a European-based think tank, which is saying that aid inflows have been inadequate.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Afghanistan: Who’s to Blame?  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Barnett R. Rubin analyzes the change of tactics in dealing with NATO allies in Afghanistan, announced by Robert Gates, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, at a NATO meeting in Edinburgh.


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Africa: Will No One Let Africa Speak for Itself?” · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Kenyan Pundit asks, “Will No One Let Africa Speak for Itself?”: “However, I’m have been pretty outspoken about the fact that I’m tired of the Bono’s and Sach’s of this world articulating my views as an African.”


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Angola: Police mistakenly kills actors · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Orlando Castro [pt] reports that two actors were killed by the police yesterday in Luanda, capital of Angola. They were rehearsing a robbery shoot.


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Armenia: Bloggers Protest Days of Azerbaijan · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Oneworld Multimedia reports that a group of Armenian bloggers have protested the Days of Azerbaijan currently being held at a school in Yerevan. However, while the bloggers do not represent every Armenian with a blog, it is interesting to note that certain media outlets neglected to report the incident at all.


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Armenia: Days of Azerbaijan · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Despite the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Oneworld Multimedia comments on press reports that a school in the Armenian capital is currently staging an event, Days of Azerbaijan in Yerevan. The blog wonders if there will now be a Days of Azerbaijan in Armenia.


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Armenia: Elephants Marry · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

After quite a few international controversies surrounding attempts to find a mate for Yerevan Zoo's only elephant, Blogian reports some happy news. Hrantik can finally share his life with an elephant from Moscow and the new relationship was apparently cemented by a “marriage ceremony.”


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Armenia: Protest Highlights Blogging · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Armenian Observer comments on yesterday's protest by four Armenian bloggers against a Days of Azerbaijan event hosted at a local school in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. The blog says the protest “brought massive media attention to the understanding of blogging […] as a form of civil activity in Armenia.”


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Azerbaijan: Highest Flag · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Baku Fragments reports that the “highest and largest flag” has been raised in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital. The flag flies at a height of 61.5 meters.


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Bahrain: Demonstrator Dies  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A Bahraini taking part in a demonstration to mark Martyr's Day has died, reports Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif. Reports say that the deceased died due to tear gas exposure, while the Ministry on Interior says he died of a heart attack. Rioting continues in Bahrain.


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Bahrain: The Meaning of Blogging  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bint Battuta in Bahrain debates the true meaning of blogging in this post.


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Barbados: Dissociation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Gallimaufry realises she has “been doing the dissociation thing without knowing that it was called” and links to a New York Times article that dicusses “the right balance between dissociation and association.”


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Bermuda: Election Day  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Today is Election Day in Bermuda and Politics.bm is getting the sense that there is a desire for change in the community”, while A Limey In Bermuda endorses what he calls “the protest vote”.


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Bolivia: Analyzing the New Constitution · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Boli-Nica recommends the latest piece by Fernando Molina in Pulso Magazine about the new approved Bolivian Constitution.


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Cambodia: Cakes in Celebration · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Borin is trying to figure out the significance of blowing the candles on a cake with respect to Cambodian weddings.


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Cuba: Castro Retiring?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cuban bloggers are abuzz about speculations that Fidel Castro may be about to retire.  The Cuban Triangle says: “To my knowledge, this is the first time Fidel has addressed his future role”, while Child of the Revolution says: “Unless the man is truly near death or under strong pressure from within to step aside once and for all, it's not in Castro's nature (or style) to retire.”


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Egypt: Lesbian Film  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“(A) new Egyptian film by the director Khaled Yousef has a Lesbian character in it. There is even rumor of a kiss…” writes Amal, from Palestine. “Before anyone gets too excited about the new age of liberalism in Egyptian cinema, the leaks indicate that the lesbian character is an evil one.”


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Egypt: On the US Presidential Race · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The American presidential race for year 2008 is like no other seriously , till now each of the two parties has not chosen yet its final candidates so we are watching a huge war between all of them,” writes Egyptian blogger Zeinobia, who gives us her analysis of the presidential race.


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India: Death of two students · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Two Indian PhD students are shot dead at Louisiana State University. Sepia Mutiny has more.


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India: Women and Islam · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Indian Muslims on Islam, women and the Quran.


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Iran:24 Internet cafés closed,23 people arrested · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

According to Reporters Without Borders, 24 Internet cafés in the course of a police operation in Tehran on 16 December were closed and 23 people, including 11 women, were arrested for “immoral behaviour.”

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iraq: In Memoriam, Ali Shafeya Al-Moussawi · Global Voices
Salam Adil

It is with great sadness that I report the death of an Iraqi blogger. Ali Shafeya Al-Moussawi was a contributor to the video blog, Alive in Baghdad. He was killed while at home, during a raid by the Iraqi National Guard in his street. Ali took 31 bullets between the chest and head and died immediately. Ali was not the only victim of that raid. Hussain, his neighbour, was found dead. Hussain's brother and nephew have disappeared too.
Ali is survived by his mother and sister. Alive in Baghdad are collecting donations to help the family with the funeral costs.
The blogosphere today is huge and diverse yet for all its size we are still a close-knit community. There are only a few degrees separating each and every blogger – from the legends down to the occasional twitterer.
And when one of our community is killed we all bleed together. So here is my small tribute to Ali. His struggle is over and may he rest now in peace but we will all stuggle with renewed vigour in his memory.
None of the blogs that I quote below are from Iraqi blogosphere but every one is united in grief at the loss of a member of our community and are all my honorary Iraqis for the week.
Robert Scoble:
this week ends on another tragic note. I know all three of these bloggers. PodTech awarded Alive in Baghdad its highest award at last year’s Vloggies event. One of their correspondents was killed. I’m looking forward to a better week next week. Sigh.
Committee to Protect Bloggers:
Ali’s brothers were killed several years ago in the Firdos Square bombing and his father was kidnapped and killed after that. His mother and sister are all that remain of the family…
If you’re unfamiliar with AiB, it is an on-the-ground news gathering service, built up with native Iraqi journalists. They cover things foreign journalists can’t or won’t. They are, in spirit, bloggers. Ali was one of ours. Let’s take care of his family.
Hugh McGuire:
I can’t even imagine. I keep thinking about the safe little projects I work on, imagining what it would be like to have a web project where people started dying. It’s so easy to start good web projects. But it takes so much courage to continue in the face of reality this bloody.
… of all the projects [Alive in Baghdad] is – to me – by far the most important. AiB is exactly why the web changes things – even if it has been mostly ignored.
Josh Wolf:
Alive in Baghdad is one of the only destinations providing weekly video of life in Baghdad from an Iraqi perspective. The reporting examines current issues facing the country, and also features evergreen material documenting what life in a war-torn country looks like.
Mike of Blip.tv (which hosts AiB videos):
The news made me cry. I know how deeply Brian cares for his team, and how consistently worried he has been for their safety and security. I also know how important it is to Brian that the world see what life is like for Iraqis by way of coverage that flies in the face of network television’s “live from” model. Ali helped make it possible for us to see Iraq as what it was, not as what the Green Zone was.
Ali was someone who did God’s work — showing people around the world what life was actually like in Iraq for Iraqis. He showed us the reality of the Iraqi condition in his life, and he shows us the reality of the Iraqi condition in his death. Our entire office is in mourning, as is the entire Web video community. … Please join us in remembering Ali, someone most of us barely knew but whose work touched thousands. Please join us in remembering all of the Iraqis who have perished over the course of the past few years. And please do not allow politics to enter into it.
Rocketboom:
this is a heartbreaking loss for Ali's family. Ali is survived by his mother and sister. As you know, we here at Rocketboom are huge devotees of Alive in Baghdad and are proud to run their work on our show. We wish Brian, Omar, and the rest of the AIB staff the strength to live through this.
Laurel Papworth:
As I go back to working (on a Sunday) writing up stuff on online communities regarding University students and finishing an article on the different revenue streams for social networks, I remember what David N Wallace said to me, quoting Adam Fields…:
“There’s really only one rule for community as far as I’m concerned, and it’s this – in order to call some gathering of people a ‘community’, it is a requirement that if you’re a member of the community, and one day you stop showing up, people will come looking for you to see where you went.”
… and I stop to consider the world outside, both known and unknown, with it's beauty and it's evils. My worlds collide: cloistered writing/blogging, my adventures in exotic lands and a war that impacted one lone blogger in a way that the evening News will never capture.
Yes, Ali Shafeya, you will be missed.
Josh Cohen of Tilzy.tv:
t's fourth months away from the March 19, 2008 Five Year Anniversary of the launch of the US invasion of Iraq, and over that time we’ve had to endure an unfortunate number of sobering experiences. The death of 22 year-old Alive in Baghdad correspondent Ali Shafeya is one that has hit particularly close to home.
Brickgrrl:
Ali Shafeya, a correspondent for Alive in Baghdad was shot and killed at his home by Iraqi National Guardsmen.
He took thirty-one bullets between the chest and head. Thirty-one.
I'll say that again.
Thirty-one.
bicyclemark:
Ali Shafeya Al-Moussawi. You’ve never heard me mention that name before. I’ve never written the name before. Yet Ali was a colleague of mine. He was someone who participated as a correspondent for one of the greatest independent news reporting projects today: Alive in Baghdad…
Ali’s murder is a tragedy to add on to this neverending list of tragedies. Perpetrated while the whole world COULD be watching, but lets be honest, most of the world isn’t watching, they’re probably Christmas shopping.
This post is to offer my heartfelt condolesces to a colleague that probably did not know I existed or how much his work meant to me. This post is also to renew my pledge as an independent internet based journalist and podcaster; I will not forget the importance of his work… and if I may be so bold as to compare… of our work… I will remember Ali.
David Semeniuk:
Although blogs no doubt bring out a more endearing perspective on local events where mainstream media falters, and allow both professional journalists and ordinary folks to have their message publicized by their comrades in bloggery, lest we forget there are individuals and governments that don’t want this to happen.  Although people living in a war zone have access to a vast amount of information concerning their everyday lives, they lack a shiny press badge, a camouflaged “PRESS” army vest, and a chopper warming up and waiting to take them back to their hotel.
C. C. Chapman:
These guys are DOING what new media is suppose to be about. Sharing stories and giving insight into the things that mainstream media is overlooking. Giving a voice to the stories that need to be shared.
To have one of their reporters killed is just….well I don’t know. I’m beyond words right now.
And last but not least, one should read through Brian Conley's (of Alive in Baghdad) Twitter feed to understand the true devastation of realising that one of your colleagues has died.
Brian writes:
what is it they say about grief? denial, sadness, anger? here comes the anger… aaaagggghhhh!!!!!
Happy Birthday Ali Shafeya Al-Mousawi, I'm sorry you didn't live to see your 23rd birthday. you will be missed.

author: Salam Adil


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Iraq: Iraqi Refugees in Syria  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Alive in Baghdad highlights the plight of Iraqi refugees in Syria in this video.


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Iraq: Moktada Al Sadr Back to School · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moktada Al Sadr is back in school. IraqPundit has more


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Iraq: The Suffering of Iraqis  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

While we have touched on the plight of Iraqi refugees in neighbouring Arab countries previously, nothing compares to the real misery they are facing away from their homes and jobs more than Iraqi blogger Faiza Al Arji's (Arabic) report from the ground.
The mastermind behind an online charity project to collect funds and help start up small cottage industries to enable Iraqi refugees in Jordan make ends meet, Al Arji takes us to homes without curtains and carpets, children sleeping on the floor and without adequate health care and clothing and fathers unable to work because of Visa restrictions, in this post I am translating from Arabic.
Setting aside time in her busy schedule, Al Arji introduces her pioneering Collateral Repair Project, as follows:
With so many needy Iraqi refugees around, Al Arji  explains how difficult it is to choose deserving beneficiaries for the project:
Al Arji also takes us into the homes of refugees, describing them in plain and simple words as follows:
Despite the need and unbearable conditions facing refugees, Al Arji wonders where Iraq's oil money is going. She asks:
The blogger goes on to tell us how sad she is with the situation and heartbreak around her, and pledges to continue in her stride to make life a better place for the refugees she meets. She is also touched by the support of Americans to her online project and helping Iraqi refugees on the ground. She explains:
وعملي المتواصل هو الشيء الوحيد الذي يواسيني لانني احاول ان أرمم مصائب الناس , أحاول ان ادخل السعادة الى قلوب وبيوت اناس معذبين مظلومين يمرون بظروف تعيسه , رغم علمي ان حجم الكوارث كبير في العراق, وان كل ما نحاول تصليحه هو اشياء صغيرة من هنا وهناك, لكنها افضل من الصمت او السلبية أو الانانية …
واسعدني جدا ان أرى نساء أمريكيات من ثقافه مختلفة ودين مختلف وعالم مختلف تماما عن عالمي الذي تربيت ونشأت فيه ببغداد وغيرها من عواصم عربيه
لكن سبحان الله الذي جمعنا ووحد قلوبنا للعمل على مساعدة العراقيين ,…
لم نلتق من قبل أبدا, لكننا نملك رؤيا مشتركه للأمور..
Al Arji then takes us into the home of a family of seven, showing us the horrific conditions they live in and the health and employment problems they battle on everyday to make a living. She writes:
While apologising for burdening us with the problems Iraqi refugees face, Al Arji pays more tribute to her American collaborators on the project. She notes:
In conlusion, she wonders if Iraqis will ever be able to return to their homes.


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Jamaica: In-Your-Face Culture  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Francis Wade says that Jamaican culture comes at people “like a truck barreling down on them on a highway that is impossible to avoid.”


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Jordan: A Doctor’s Journey  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“People know that it takes a long time for a doctor to graduate, but they don't know about the whole process. I'll give you a brief description of how a clueless high school graduate ends up a doctor,” writes Jordanian blogger Hareega.


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Kazakhstan: Offshore Islands as Best Investors and Importers · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Marat reviews statistics on the investments in Kazakhstan and exports from Kazakhstan – and in both cases the offshore paradises occupy a significant space.


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Kazakhstan: Zebra Mussels Invade U.S. · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Steve LeVine says that communities around the U.S. are in a panic over the creeping invasion of a native Caspian Sea mollusk called the Zebra Mussel, which had been first described in the eighteenth century by a visitor to the mouth of the Ural River in the northeastern Caspian near present-day Kazakhstan.


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Kenya: Bank Review 2007 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Bankelele's Kenya Bank Review '07: “The low end of the banking sector showed little growth in loans or deposits – bank sizes are stagnant.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Korea: Drama and Politics · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

With time running out before Wednesday’s presidential election, the event has turned more dramatic. Following a chaotic and physical fight between members of the Grand National Party and the United New Democratic Party at the National Assembly,  Lee Myung Bak’s supporters broke into the National Assembly to protest the request for another special investigation Lee’s involvement in a financial scandal on the 16th. A video clip showed Lee Myung Bak saying publicly that he established BBK, the firm at the center of the scandal, while he has denied it.
On the 17th, Lee Myung Bak accepted the investigation into the BBK scandal. While he was on the way to the National Assembly, members of the United New Democratic Party called him ‘Lee Myung Bak, Crook!’ and, on the other hand, members of the Grand National Party called him ‘Lee Myung Bak, President!’
Rather than being focused on what candidates can do as president, scandals and slander fill the media. Will a series of scandals affect the result of the election?
Netizens rather seem to take these chaotic happenings as a target for mocking politicians.
A netizen abroad talks about how politicans’ fighting was shown outside Korea.
어제 국회에서 있었던 ‘이명박 후보 특검법'처리를 위해 격돌한 대통합민주신당 의원과 한나라당 의원간의 국회 본회의장에서의 대혈투… (표현 정확할까나…?)
상황은 우리나라인데… 설명은 영어로…
그렇다… 이 뉴스.. 영어로 유튜브 서버의 한자리를 차지하게 된것이다.
….가장 중요한것은.. 유튜브상에서 많이본동영상 78위 (코미디부분)에 올라감.
이걸 웃어야 할지 울어야할지…아… 이뉴스를 이렇게 볼줄이야..
Shall I laugh or cry? I didn’t expect I would see news like this.
A netizen’s blog became popular describing the fighting scene.
오늘 국회에서는 아주 오랫만에 국회의원 본연의 모습을 보여줬다. 요즘 너무 국회가 조용한게 아닐까 생각했었는데.. 역시 그들의 DNA는 속일 수 없나보다.
1. 대통합민주신당 의원들이 국회 본회의장을 점령하고 있는 한나라당 의원들을 몰아내기위해 집결지에서 집결중이다.
2. 대통합민주신당 의원들이 원군을 불러와 국회역사상 최초로 전기톱으로 본회의장 문을 열고 있다. 공성전이 시작되었으나 한나라당 의원들은 손도 제대로 못 써보고 대통합 민주신당 의원들의 침입을 허용하고 말았다.
3. 환호하는 대통합민주신당 의원들. 그들의 표정에서 굳은 전투의지가 느껴진다.
4. 드디어 전투 시작!
5. 전투도중 오늘 국회대첩의 히어로~ 정봉주 의원이 상대방의 눈을 찌를 기세로 솟아 올랐다.
6. 첫번째 시도 실패. 한나라당의 위력은 생각보다 강했다.
7. 심재철 의원의 지팡이 신공 위력이 발휘되는 순간!
8. 완전 난타전!!  정봉주 의원 1차시도 실패!
9. 정봉주 의원 물 한잔 마시며 전열 재정비!
10. 대통합민주신당 죠낸 밀리고 있음
11. 바로 이때 오늘의 히어로우~~~ 정봉주 의원 재등장!!
12. 완전 홍콩영화의 한장면! 소룡, 이연걸이 부럽지 않다!
나경원 대변인 표정에 주목! 왜 여자 앞에서 폼잡고 그래.. 무서워 하잖아.
13. 하지만 그 멋있는 장면도 잠시.. 바로 제지 당하는 정봉주 의원, 표정 쥑인다!
14. 정봉주 완전 밀리다. 나경원 의원 무서워 죽으려고 한다. 아.. 불쌍해.. ㅠㅠ
15. 정봉주 의원은 넘어가고, 나경원 의원은 거의 울기 일보 직전..  왜 여자를 울리고 그래!!
10년 전 고등학교에 다닐땐 원래 국회의원들은 국회의사당에서 싸우는게 자연스러운 일이라고 생각했는데.. 10년이 지난 지금 생각해보니.. 그들이 싸우는 이유가 분명히 있다는 생각이 들었다. 즉, 그들의 생존권을 위해서 그들은 그렇게 치열하게 투쟁하고 있는 것이다…
…하지만 한나라당은 대통령 당선된다고, 자신들이 10년 만에 정권을 잡았다고 좋아하기엔 조금 자중해야 될거 같다. 대통합민주신당이 그렇게 호락호락하게 당할 사람들은 아니니까…
When I was in high school ten years ago, I thought that National Assemblymen’s fights at the National Assembly are so natural. But now, thinking about it, there is a reason for the fight. That is, they struggle for their own survival…. Even though the GNP will win for this election, they should be cautious rather than happy about taking power after 10 years. People in the UNDP are not going to be easy…
A netizen called them ‘true fighters in our country.’
And people who are confused.
이순간, 대한민국의  한 국민으로서 울분을 토합니다.
다수의 국민이 이명박을 대통령후보로 지지 한다고 하여도,그래서 이명박 한나라당 대통령 후보가 대통령이 된다고 하여도,
그것이 진정 다수결의 원칙에 의한 민주주의의 최선의 선택이였다고 하더라도…..
검찰은 말했습니다. 수사를 전담했던 서울지검은 문제의 동영상이 추가로 공개된 이후에 이렇게 말했습니다.
“이미 밝혀진 수사결과처럼 변할 것은 없다. 사실관계는 발표된 것 그대로이고 이명박후보가 광운대 특강에서 자신이 BBK를 설립했다, 안했다는 국민여러분의 도덕적판단에 맡긴다”라는 취지의 짧은 브리핑을 했다는 것을 아십니까?
모르겠습니다.국민의 한사람으로서 정말 혼란스럽습니다.
어느 누구의 말이 맞는지는 알 수 없습니다.
진실은 밝혀 질 것이라는 믿음이 사라진지 오래이기 때문입니다.
되돌릴 수 없는, 그래서 이명박 후보가 대통령에 당선된 이후에 “이명박 특검”이 진행된다면,무엇이 달라 지겠습니까?
The investigator said even though the problematic video clip has been publicized, “It’s not going to change the result that we inspected and made. We will leave it to the people’s moral judgement about what Lee Myung Bak said about establishing BBK in a special speech at Kwangwoon University.
I don’t know. I’m confused.
I don’t know who is right. My belief that the truth will be exposed has been gone a long time ago. Then, if the special investigation will continue after his victory, what will it make different?
A series of scandals and fights among politicians is simply described in a sentence.
거짓말의, 거짓말을 위한, 거짓말에 의한
While the media clearly demonstrates who is the most popular candidate, he is not popular on the internet or netizens, like Isha, are still confused over who they should vote for.
누굴찍냔말이지…나한테 가장 중요한 문제는 찍을 사람이 없다는거…


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Kuwait: Buying Gucci in Bulk? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ever seen people buying Gucci in bulk? Mark has the story from Kuwait.


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Kuwait: Egg Crisis  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Kuwaiti blogger Nibaq studies this country's egg crisis in depth in this post.


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Kuwait: Good Morning · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Kuwait, Fonzy has had a good morning – and here's the photograph as proof.


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Kyrgyzstan: A Kyrgyzstani nominated for Grammy · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Asel reports that Eldar Djangirov, a Kyrgyz musician, has been nominated for the 2007 Grammy Best Contemporary Jazz Album.


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Kyrgyzstan: Criticism Prevails in Elections Estimates · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Asel posts official results of the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, and provides an overview of observers’ reactions to the conduct of the vote.


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Kyrgyzstan: Election’s Over · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report says violations during yesterday's voting process (not counting the pre-election irregularities) were massive.


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Kyrgyzstan: Women and Youth Score Worst in Elections · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

GenderStan opines that the way Kyrgyz society is structured does not allow for diversity in the parliament. The party called “New Power” won as little as 0,23% of the votes. It has included mostly women and young people and was not able to invest into a large-scale campaign.


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Lebanon: Empty Gas Tank · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“How far can you go after the gas light in your car comes on?” asks Lebanese blogger Mark, who provides a link which allows drivers to check how far their cars can take them on an empty tank.


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Mozambique: Fighting AIDS with information · Global Voices
Paula Góes

gotaelbr [pt] publishes some information, a video and educational links about AIDS, the most challenging disease to plague African countries. “Are we ready for this fight?”


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Palestine: Brass Crescent Award Winners  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah announces the winners of the Fourth Annual Brass Crescent Awards.


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Peru: Sculptures of Amazon Indigenous Groups · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Juan Arellano of Globalizado [es] posts pictures and explanations of a series of sculptures depicting Amazon indigenous groups during his recent trip to Iquitos.


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Russia: 1996 Attack on Red Cross in Chechnya · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about the 1996 murder of the International Committee of the Red Cross personnel in Chechnya.


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Russia: Deti Picasso · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Georgia & the South Caucasus is impressed by the ethnic Armenian indie band from Russia, Deti Picasso. Fusing both traditional Armenia with alternative contemporary sounds, the blog hopes that the band will one day make it to Europe.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Singapore: Social Media and Our Penchant for Perversity · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

“In the age of social media, one particular trend seem to stand out more so than others. And that is our penchant for perversity” writes Walter Lim.


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The Battle of Polokwane and the Future of South Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

The ANC's 52nd National Conference in Polokwane, South Africa has entered its third day. The voting for the hotly contested ANC presidency and other leadership positions has ended. The results, which will most definitely determine the future president of South Africa, are expected to be announced later on today. South African bloggers have not been silent about this historic conference of the South African ruling party.
Nik notes the complete absence of white South Africans:
There are a couple of things that have struck me as interesting this past weekend about the ANC presidential struggle in Polokwane*. [*for offshore readers: an obscure provincial capital in the northern part of SA.]
Listening to the chat lines, the newscasts on radio, and observing via many television networks, the following thoughts came to mind.
The first was the almost trivial reality that the entire affair was is and shall be driven by dark skinned people mostly, overwhelmingly in fact, of ethnic origin. With the exception of the odd [so-called] ‘white’ skinned newscaster from the BBC or similar, and a random handful of tokenist honorary black podium persons ‘white’ does not exist in Polokwane.
When someone in New Zealand sent me an SMS to ask me where Polokwane was I had difficulty for a moment remembering what it was once called in an era when a gathering of the momentous level represented by this particular leadership contest would have been exclusively white.
I would hypothesise here that Polokwane represents a watershed in the evolution of the new South Africa. Before Polokwane all defect was blamable on honkys and Apartheid. After Polokwane all defects are self-made and sustaining. Apartheid is dead long live togetherhate.
He compares the South African president, Thabo Mbeki with Jan Smuts, one of the proponents of segregation between black and whites in South Africa:
Now I have always seen a certain analogy between the former [often despised] leader of SA, Jan Smuts and the present leader of transformed SA, Thabo Mbeki. Both leaders loved to strut the world stage and were/are regarded as major players by those outside the country punching far above their homeland’s natural weight. Both neglected their home turf, and both consequently aroused antagonism amongst their own supporters; in different ways perhaps, but no less fatally…
The battle for the ANC presidency is between Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, the former Deputy President. Zuma is more likely to emerge as the winner. Eric writes, President Jacob Zuma:
Only those with their head in the clouds, would not have heard about the nail biting race between Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma for leader of the ANC.
It’s been a fascinating few months watching the ANC succession race develop – the new elected leader of the ANC will (unless some dramatic events unfold) assume the presidency of South Africa in 2009.
And it’s a close race – Tokyo Sexwale, who was a contender in the early stages, is now backing Jacob Zuma.
The voting is taking place in Polokwane in the Limpopo today and results should be known later today or tomorrow. The first time I heard that Jacob Zuma had a serious chance of winning the ANC leadership was at a business breakfast about 2 or 3 months ago when DA leader Helen Zille hinted in her speech that Jacob Zuma as the next South African president was a definate possibility.
How will things change in South Africa if Jacob Zuma becomes president of South Africa – I don’t think anyone knows.
Carol Patton is blogging the conference for the Financial Mail:
Thabo Mbeki and his supporters must know they have lost the electoral battle – but they are not going down without a fight.
In what was obviously intended as a show of strength, TM [Thabo Mbeki] supporters from all provinces held a 1000-strong impromptu rally in the sports stadium adjoining the conference venue today at lunch time, pledging to keep up the fight and keep spirits high. They cut an impressive picture as they toyi-toyied back to the hall in formation singing their rousing anthem, a liberation song praising Thabo Mbeki.
But numbers are sure to be against them: there are more than 4000 delegates, the overwhelming majority of which have already rowdily shown their support for Jacob Zuma. Zuma supporters hastily convened their own rally on the grass outside the venue in response to their opponents. One of the party’s bright young intellects said that the refusal by the leadership of TM caucus to stand down was not so much that they thought they would win but that they had to do it.
”It’s a message to JZ to realize that he is not supported by everyone. They are preparing to be an opposition.”
Ray Hartely of the Sunday Times discusses the “nightmare scenarios”:
1. Mbeki wins vote = Gets third term as ANC president= Alliance plus populists split off to form left opposition = SA has proper political competion in parliament for the first time = Mbeki grooms sucessor for 2009, probably Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Weak president, but not a bad outcome.
2. Mbeki wins vote = Gets third term as ANC president = Alliance plus populists split off to form left opposition = SA has proper political competion in parliament for the first time = Mbeki amends constitution and stands for third term in 2009, ostensibly to keep Zuma threat at bay in national interest. Not good.
3. Zuma wins vote = Purges Mbeki crowd = Gets tried by Scorpions = Leads popular rebellion against criminal justice system = succeeds = Becomes 2009 president of country with no hope of fighting crime. Not good. Move meagre pension into offshore fund.
4. Zuma wins vote = Purges Mbeki crowd = Gets tried by Scorpions = Leads popular rebellion against criminal justice system = fails = Deputy Kgalema Motlanthe takes over = Motlanthe presidency in 2009. Not a bad outcome.
After years of denial, reality bites the ANC at last, declares Brendan Boyle:
After years of denial, the ANC is finally unable to escape the reality of division within it’s ranks.
“We are (worried), definitely. There is no fluffing around that now. In the past we have never had this kind of huge contestation around entrenched positions,” ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama said in a radio interview.
At the last conference in Stellenbosch, the leadership slate was largely pre-negotiated.
“There was consensus, there was negotiation, there was horse-trading even before the conference,” Ngonyama said with an obvious implication that this was the preferred mechanism.
Now it’s a shoot-out, but is that such a bad thing?
Idasa analyst Steven Friedman insists this is just healthy democracy at work. He has been bending any ear in reach to argue that the ANC should be celebrating this change, not lamenting it.
Ray Hartley condems the behaviour of Zuma supporters who booed Thabo Mbeki and his other members of his camp:
There is shock among ordinary people at the sight of chanting ANC members shouting down President Thabo Mbeki and his cabinet ministers in what appears to have become a vindictive assault on his person and his leadership.
Mbeki’s presidency has had its flaws and there have been some grounds for criticisms of some of his policy failings.
His decision to seek another term in office instead of seeking and grooming a successor early on in his presidency has backfired dramatically and the ANC has signalled it wants change.
But none of this justifies the boorish behaviour of Jacob Zuma’s supporters who have sent an alarming signal about the kind of political culture that will accompany a Zuma presidency, should this materialise, in the coming days.
Mbeki was stunned and distressed:
President Thabo Mbeki was stunned by the unruly behaviour of his young opponents on the opening day of the ANC conference, says party spokesman Smuts Ngonyama.
ANC Chaierman Terror Lekota was booed and jeered on the opening day and Mbeki was heckled during his presidential review. Pro-Mbeki speakers were shouted down at times and gangs of Zuma supporters rallied repeatedly with posters and Zuma t-shirts despite a prohibition on personalised campaigning.
Though his face has been a picture of distress at times, Mbeki has said nothing about the rowdy showdowns between his supporters and the more noisy band backing Jacob Zuma.
Eddie Both writes about the mistreatment of journalists at the conference. Journalists were not allowed in the voting area and some were involved in a scuffle with ANC security officials:
Let me tell my colleagues that not even in PW Botha’s time were we ever threatened in this way when we covered theNationalist Party conference. We were even allowed inside the conference venue and not a kilometrfe away that I understand my colleagues are restricted to. Only once I felt physically threatened and that was during an AWB (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging) meeting when luckily AWB leader Eugene TerreBlanche intervened.
To my fellow colleagues a word of advice: if this is what awaits us, God forbid!
Here is the list of candidates for the top six positions and their respective camps from Guy McLaren:
President:
Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma
Deputy President:
Kgalema Motlanthe (Zuma camp) and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Mbeki camp)
National Chairperson:
Joel Netshitenzhe (Mbeki camp) and Baleka Mbete (Zuma camp)
Secretary-General:
Gwede Mantashe (Zuma camp) and Mosiuoa Lekota (Mbeki camp)
Deputy Secretary-General:
Thoko Didiza (Mbeki camp) and Thandi Modise (Zuma camp)
Treasurer-General:
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (Mbeki camp) and Mathews Phosa (Zuma camp)


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Soviet History: 1963 Race Rally · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about a little-known 1963 rally in Moscow's Red Square, when 500 African students rallied against racial discrimination, following the death of a Ghanian fellow student.


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Sri Lanka: Peace Process · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

transcurrents.com on the mistakes in peace making initiatives in Sri Lanka.


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Syria: Friend Kidnapped in Saudi Arabia  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian Kinan Jarjous, who lives in Dubai, narrates to us hos his friend was kidnapped and robbed in Saudi Arabia.


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Tajikistan: Fortune Tellers to Be Banned · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Vadim reflects on the authorities’ decision to banish witchcraft and fortune-telling, and thinks that this is another trick of authorities to draw away the attention of people from more important issues, such as electricity cut-offs, increase in food and oil prices, lack of gas etc.


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Tanzania: Have you tried dried fish heads? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Pernille writes about “chakula” (food in Swahili) in Tanzania: “Rice, beans and ugali – after three months I've concluded that these are the most important Tanzanian food ingredients – and that it might never ever change. Well, sometimes there are small alterations: This Friday the rice and beans came along with dried fish heads.”


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Thailand: Disadvantages of Being a Eurasian Kid · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Pisnau reminisces childhood days and lists the disadvantages of being a kid with mixed ethnicity.


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Thailand: First Hand Account of Voting · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

The New Mandla blog has a first person account of voting in the ongoing Thai elections.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Technology as Marketing Tool · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

KnowProSE.com has definite ideas about what he wants the Internet to reflect in the coming year: “I want it to be about the individuals who are using technology to get themselves seen.”


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Turkmenistan: Life of Turkmen Conscripts · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula tells about terrible situation of coscripts in the Turkmen army – reportedly, they escape from military bases, sell their forms and sometimes also guns, and then they hide in their relatives’ homes.
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Ukraine: More Work From Olechko · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Olechko posts two more of her beautiful 2007 paintings.


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Ukraine: PM Tymoshenko · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Ukrainiana writes about today's vote for Yulia Tymoshenko as prime minister – a “completely public vote,” notes Orange Ukraine – and lists the new ministers in her cabinet. Foreign Notes explains the new defense minister's reluctance to vote for Tymoshenko – and points out Tymoshenko's “dilemma”: “If she is elected PM tomorrow she knows that she will have to operate in almost impossible conditions with the most slender of majorities in the VR, and with some in her cabinet she would rather not be there.” Mark MacKinnon believes that “future summits between the Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers will have a touch of drama to them.”


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Uzbekistan: News Portal Not-Approved by Google Sec · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Libertad writes about the incompatibility of Fergana.ru with Google Web Search’s security system. Fergana.Ru is known for its timely and objectively given information about Central Asian countries.


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Uzbekistan: Rightless and unprotected militia · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bordersca shares a story of a former militiaman, who lives now in Europe tells his own story about what he had to go through, while working in Uzbekistan, and why he had to do “evil” things.


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Afghanistan: Taliban in 2007 · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Joshua Foust is discussing the most significant events of 2007 for Afghanistan, highlighting the entrenchment of the rise of the Taliban.


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Argentina: Train Strike By Workers from Three Lines · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Un Grano En El Orto [es] announces a protest march by workers from three train lines in Buenos Aires, Argentina in order to announce a full strike on December 27.


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Bahamas, Barbados: Island Time  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Both WeblogBahamas.com and Barbados Free Press blog about “island time”.


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Bahamas: Hail to the Chief?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Larry Smith at Bahama Pundit agrees that The Bahamas 2007 Special Report, a book published with public funds in order to help attract foreign investment, is really a “hail to the chief book.”


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Bermuda: Election Results  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Bermuda election results are in – Politics.bm says: “Accountability and government reform in Bermuda politics is officially dead”, while The Devil Island congratulates the winning party and hopes “that we can all move forward and come together as one Bermuda.”