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Tajikistan: The Economics of the Drug Trade in a Poor Country · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

It sometimes takes a story published in a foreign magazine to spark a discussion in a society where local media is tightly controlled. In Tajikistan, it took an article run by the The Economist to trigger a conversation on news websites about corruption among the country’s officials and their involvement in drug trade.
The article, titled ‘Drugs in Tajikistan: Addicted’ claims that stability in the country depends on an uninterrupted flow of narcotics through its territory. Following a seven-year civil war in the 1990s, the small Central Asian nation sharing a porous border with Afghanistan has become a major transit route for Afghan heroin smuggled to Russia. As a result, the country finds itself “at the heart of a multi-billion-dollar network smuggling heroin” and, rampant poverty notwithstanding, its capital is “awash with cash, construction and flash cars.”
Border tower on Tajikistan's southern border with Afghanistan. Photo by Alexander Sodiqov (2009)
According to The Economist, the drug trade is managed by officials who are formally in charge of combating the trafficking. These officials maintain local security. In exchange, the government turns a blind eye to their involvement in heroin trade. The Economist claims that any attempt to challenge this arrangement risks sparking violence in the country that experienced a bloody civil war in the 1990s.
Although the article was published on April 21, 2012, its content became available to many people in Tajikistan only after parts of it were translated and reproduced by select local media in early May.
After Radio Ozodi summarized the article and published [tj] it with critique from Tajik officials and experts, one reader suggested in the comments section that the claims made by the magazine were a “lie” or at least an exaggeration. But other readers disagreed with this assessment:
Инсон: Рост гуфтаст ин “Economist”. Кучояш дуруг аст??? Ягон гапи хато нагуфтааст, биёед аз руи инсоф гап занем.
Махмуд: Ин мачалла магзи хакикати гапа гуфтааст.
Most of the discussion on news websites has focused on corruption that enables heroin trade. People in Tajikistan seem to have little doubt about the origin of lavish cars and expensive apartments owned by public servants, particularly senior officials in the law-enforcement agencies. Luxury stands out in the country where almost half of the population still lives below the poverty line.
Ravshan_1980 on the TopTJ.com [ru] suggests:
Ну конечно весь наркооборот контролируется людьми, связанными с государством! И руководители страны и правоохранительных органов смотрят на это сквозь пальцы. Иначе почему никто не спрашивает у работников МВД, прокуратуры и АКН откуда у них шикарные автомобили и дорогие квартиры несмотря на мизерные зарплаты?
Another commenter, writing on the Radio Ozodi’s website, has a similar opinion:
Мачаллаи бритониёи бисёри бисёр Точикистони азизи дилу дидаи моро сад дар сад дуруст фахмидааст. Хамаи кормандони сохибвазифаи ватани мо кариб 99 фоизашон ба ришвагири машгуланд, кадом коргари имрузаи точик бо музди мехнати таинкардаи имрузаи давлат сохиби хонаву дар сохиби мошинхои аз 50 то 100 хазордоллара мегардад? Ягонтаашон сохиб намешуд, на прокурор на суд на полис на дигару дигар… Ана хамин сохторхои гуфташуда ва чанд сохторхои дигар сохиби хамаи нушу неъмати зиндаги хастанд… Вой бар холи мардуми камбагал, бовар кунед, кариб ки нони хурдан надоранд,
Can corruption that enables narcotics trade be fought effectively? One reader thinks more control is needed:
Ravshan_1980: Я думаю, что необходимо заставить наших чиновников предоставлять налоговые декларации и объяснять откуда у них автомобили и дома.
Another reader believes that narcotics trafficking is almost impossible to fight because corrupt officials involved in the trade are closely tied to the government.
Мохира: Проблема в том, что наши правоохранительные органы – на всех уровнях – крышуют наркобизнес и живут за его счет. Эти же органы являются фундаментом нынешнего режима. Лишение правоохранительных органов денег, которые они получают за крышевание преступности, означало бы разрушение фундамента нынешнего режима. Все взаимосвязано.
A high-level Tajik anti-narcotics official has recently acknowledged [ru] that “not a single narcotics trafficking group can operate without support from senior public servants” in the country. In February 2012, the authorities announced a number of high-profile arrests on corruption and narcotics-trafficking charges. Yet there is little indication that these developments represent a serious and long-term effort by the government.
In a report (pdf) released this month, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that 75 to 80 tons of Afghan-made heroin and 18 to 20 tons of opium pass through Tajikistan annually. This means that about 200 kilograms of heroin and 50 kilograms of opium enter the country every day. Only a tiny fraction of this amount is seized. The report also notes that many senior officials are either directly involved in the trade or take bribes to look the other way. According to the UNODC, much of the $1.4 billion made from heroin trade in Central Asia in 2010 went to Tajik traffickers. The report notes:
Drug money is fueling abnormally high property prices in Dushanbe and in the provinces. Other signs of great wealth are visible, including lavish houses and vehicles that are well beyond the means of the public servants who own them.


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Elders Call on Youth to Help Lead the Way at Rio+20 · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

Imagine if legendary leaders like Archbishop Desmond Tutu used the power of blogging, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to convey their ideas, influence and experience. No, wait. Don’t imagine. Visit TheElders.org and experience it for yourself.
Founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007 and joined by world leaders like Fernando Cardoso, former President of Brazil, Mary Robinson, first female President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Gro Brundtland, first female Prime Minister of Norway, Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Laureate, Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States and Nobel Peace Laureate, and many more – The Elders are an “independent group of global leaders who work together for peace and human rights”.
Unlike many other groups working for the same causes globally, in their own established fashion, this group seems to be taking to the streets. The streets of the World Wide Web, that is.
They have reached out to bloggers across the world to help get as many people involved in the conversation as possible. Marija Bingulac, a blogger for EnvironmentalGovernance.org points out:
The ten member group is made up of independent leaders who do not hold public offices and do not have any official ties to governments or national agendas. The Elders have pre-established rapports with the international community due to their integrity and leadership. They work on bringing sustainable peace, and enhancing human rights. Elders+Youngers is a public forum and welcomes outside participation.
The Elders + The Youngers (with Desmond Tutu in the middle)
On the occasion of Rio+20, set to be the United Nation’s largest conference in history from June 20-22, 2012, The Elders have invited several “Youngers” on board to help support and lead their efforts.
In a discussion titled, “Is sustainable development a luxury we cannot afford?” on The Elders blog, Desmond Tutu poses an interesting question in regards to global sustainability solutions:
The great challenges we all face are very clear: poverty eating away at our social fabric; our dwindling ecosystems; the well-documented threat of climate change… And yet so many of our leaders tend to put these challenges right at the bottom of their agendas…
My question, really, is why is it that our leaders do not think more like you?
In this series of online discussions, The Elders seem unafraid to ask the real questions facing the world today, even 20 years after the concept of sustainable development was introduced to the mainstream. Gro Brudtland emphasizes in one discussion:
This year we should be celebrating the Rio Earth Summit’s twentieth anniversary – and yet seven billion people now co-exist on our fragile planet, many of whom are dangerously short of food, water and basic economic security.
On another post, Desmond Tutu says:
Many of you will remember the first Earth Summit in Rio precisely 20 years ago, when a new idea, ‘sustainable development’, echoed around the world…
Since that moment, however, too little has changed…
We want to make sure the voices of future generations – those that will inherit this planet – as well as all global citizens, are heard loud and clear.
In tone with that message, he is being quoted on many blogs as having told The Youngers: “You must succeed where we have failed.”
The young counterparts chosen by this group of leaders, from Nigeria, China, Sweden, and Brazil, don’t shy away from asking bold questions either.
One of The Youngers, Pedro Telles from Brazil, began a discussion on the site by posing the question, “People, profit and environment – can we balance them all?”:
It seems to me that we will only reach real economic prosperity when we have an economy that works to serve the people and preserve the environment, and not the other way around…
We need something new. And it seems that sustainable development is not only the goal, but also the way to get there.
Gro Brundtland responds to Pedro’s question, referencing her experiences as part of a UN Commission she headed in the late 1980s, and says:
I would like to pick up on one of your points in particular, where you ask where each sector is failing to deliver. That is precisely the right question because you already demand that we think about each and every sector of society. Such thinking is still too rare, and that of course is key to the balancing act you describe.
They are calling themselves The Elders and The Youngers, like a band of intergalactic superheroes sent to bring sustainable development to liberate the planet.
So the next time you feel like chatting on global issues with the likes of Nobel Peace Laureates and former presidents, drop them a line in one of their discussions. Or better yet, join The Youngers’ efforts to succeed where our elders have failed.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Danica Radisic


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Video: Youth Media Organization Sign up for Mozilla Popcorn Story Camp · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Mozilla will be running a free six weekly modules summer camp to empower youth to use online tools for telling compelling interactive stories. Youth organizations can sign up on behalf of their students. (via @futuresoup)

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Armenia: Fascist Rubo (Hayrapetyan) · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

With anti-gay hysteria breaking out in nationalist and official circles, Unzipped: Gay Armenia now reports that Ruben Hayrapetyan, a ruling Republican Party MP and President of the Armenian Football Association, has joined in by declaring that homosexuals should be ‘punished.’ One of Armenia's notorious oligarchs also known as ‘Nemetz (German) Rubo,’ the blog says that one social media user has suggested he change his nickname to ‘Fascist Rubo.’

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Live Eurovision Human Rights Discussion on Facebook · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

On the eve of this year's Eurovision Song Contest final in Baku, Azerbaijan, RFE/RL is planning a live Facebook chat with Elisa Munoz, Acting Executive Director of the International Women's Media Foundation, and Khadija Ismayilova, investigative reporter and talk show host for RFE/RL's Azerbaijan Service, at 13.00 EDT (17.00 GMT) on Friday 25 May.


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Bangladesh: Using Blogging to Expose ‘Eve Teasing’ · Global Voices
বিজয়

Eve teasing (sexual harassment of women) is one of the major problems in Bangladesh which many women face everyday. This social problem exists everywhere be it in rural or in urban areas. One of the main reasons of girls being married off at an early age or them dropping out of school is “eve teasing”. Many times these incidents lead to violence and even deaths. There had been instances of parents or siblings giving their lives to stop “eve teasing”.
Strict laws and regulations cannot deter these incidents from happening. Sometimes the harassers get away because of the silence of the society. Recently in the capital Dhaka, a blogger has taken a strong stance against the perpetrators of an “eve teasing” incident and he asked the help of other bloggers to unmask the identity of these violators.
On 11 May, 2012, Sorbonasha, an anonymous blogger, wrote a post titled ‘At this moment I am seeking help of thousands of bloggers from somewhereinblog.net (blogging platform) … right now‘ [bn]:
Then he described an “eve teasing” incident:
দাঁড়িয়ে ছিলাম ধানমন্ডি এলাকার রোড ৫/এ, মেডিনোভার উল্টা দিকের মেইন রোডে। রাত তখন প্রায় ৯:৫০ এর মত বাজে। হঠাৎ দেখলাম, ইউ ল্যাব ইউনিভার্সিটির দিক থেকে কিছু উঠতি বয়সী ছেলে হেঁটে হেঁটে স্টার কাবাব যেদিকে, সেদিকে যাচ্ছে । একজন তরুণী দাঁড়িয়ে একটি সিএনজি অটোরিক্সার সঙ্গে কথা বলছিলেন। ছেলেগুলো তাঁর থেকে অনেক কম বয়সী হওয়া সত্ত্বেও হঠাৎ তারা মেয়েটির জামার নিচ দিয়ে হাত বাড়িয়ে পাজামার পেছন ধরে টান দিল .. দিয়ে হাসতে হাসতে এগিয়ে চলল .. ঘটনার আকস্মিকতায়, অপমানে তরুণীটি হতবিহ্বল হয়ে দাঁড়িয়ে আছে, লজ্জায় মুখে কিছু বলার ভাষাও হারিয়ে ফেলেছে।
Then he described how he fought for her [bn]:
আর সহ্য করতে পারলাম না, দৌড়ে যেয়ে ছেলেটিকে পাকড়াও করে প্রতিবাদ করলাম। নিমিষেই ছেলেটির সঙ্গী-সাথীরা আমার উপর চড়াও হল। উপর্যুপরি কিল-ঘুষি-লাথি-চড় !! আমি চিৎকার করে এর প্রতিরোধ করতে চাইলে ছেলেগুলো তাদের ইউ ল্যাবের ছাত্র বলে পরিচয় দেয়। আমাকে টেনে সেদিকে নিয়ে যাবার চেষ্টা করে। মেয়েটি আমার সাহায্যে এগিয়ে এসে হাও-মাও করে কাঁদতে থাকে। আশ-পাশে এরই ভেতর অনেক লোক জমে গেছে। তারা জানতে চাইলে আমি তরুণীটিকে দেখিয়ে ঘটনা বর্ণনা করি।
However the blogger was surprised to see that many were advocating for the perpetrators instead of the victims [bn]:
লক্ষ্য করি যে, ইউ ল্যাবের ছাত্র, পাশের সিগারেটের দোকানদার, ছাত্রদের গাড়ী চালক সবাই ঐ বদমাস ছেলেগুলোর পক্ষে সাফাই গাচ্ছে, কেউ কেউ ওদের সমর্থনও করছে। বলার চেষ্টা করছে, রাস্তা-ঘাটে এরকম হতেই পারে, ওরা হয়তো একটা ভুল করেই ফেলেছে, কিন্তু তা বলে আমার এত বাড়াবাড়ি করা উচিৎ হচ্ছে না, ঝামেলা না বাড়িয়ে আমি যেন তাড়া তাড়ি সেখান থেকে চলে যাই .. আর আমজনতার বিশাল এক অংশ নীরব, নিশ্চুপ। প্রতিরোধ দূরে থাক, অন্যায়ের প্রতিবাদটি পর্যন্ত কেউ করছে না।
But the blogger did not stop there. After reaching home he wrote a blogpost trying to identify those boys. He proposed some steps including a blogger's meeting. In his post he asked the netizens to help him expose the real identity of those involved in that harassment.
The post was widely read (43,839 times at the time of writing the post) and many people commented on it (1062 comments).
Shafiul Alam [bn] commented that he will be able to help in finding their identity.
অনেক কিছু বলার ছিল, কিন্তু কিছু প্রবলেমের কারণে বলতে পারছি না। যাই হোক। আমি ঐ এলাকার এবং ইউল্যাবের অনেকের সাথেই পরিচয় আছে। যদি ওরা ইউল্যাবের কেউ হয়, তাহলে মনে হয় বের করতে পারব।
Nostalgic [bn] is angry to learn about this incident. But he is hopeful seeing the protest of the blogger:
জঘন্য অনুভূতি হলো পড়ে!
আপনার সাহসকে সম্মান জানাই! আমরা সবাই ভিড়ের মানুষ হয়ে যাই নাই। আপনার মত মানুষ আছেন, যারা ভিড় ঠেলে সামনে দাঁড়িয়ে প্রতিবাদ করতে ভোলেন না এখনও।
Birendra [bn] tells why these criminals should be punished:
সামগ্রিকভাবে সমাজের নৈতিক অবক্ষয়। আপনি যে প্রতিবাদ করেছেন এ জন্য আপনাকে অনেক অনেক ধন্যবাদ।
এদের যদি শাস্তি হয় তাহলে ভবিষ্যতে অপরাধ কমবে।
Sajid [bn] commented that these kinds of problems can be solved through everybody's help:
আপনাকে স্যালুট, কারো পক্ষে সম্ভব না এর সমাধান করা, যদি না আমজনতা জেগে উঠে
Ashikur Rahman Amit [bn] was angry to see bystanders doing nothing:
কোথায় চলে গেছে আমাদের নৈতিকতা, ঘৃণা প্রকাশ করতেও লজ্জা লাগছে ইউল্যাবের ঐ সকল জানোয়ারদের প্রতি। সেই সাথে ধিক্কার তাদের প্রতি যারা প্রতিবাদ করতে দেখেও এগিয়ে আসেনি।
Noman Mir [bn] lauded the courage of the anonymous blogger:
আপনার মানবতা এবং সাহসিকতার জন্য স্যালিউট।
তবে থেমে না থেকে এগিয়ে যান, আমরা আছি।
Kangal Murshid [bn] has expressed his support in this initiative from afar. He also expresses his concerns:
আপনাকে ধন্যবাদ দিয়ে ছোট করব না – আপনি যা করছেন তার প্রতি অকুণ্ঠ সমর্থন রইল। আমি থাকি চট্টগ্রামে, তাই ব্যাক্তিগত ভাবে অংশ নিতে পারছি না। আপনারা এগিয়ে যান – বিবেকবান মানুষেরা নিশ্চয়ই আপনাদের সাথে থাকবেন। শুধু একটাই অনুরোধ – বিষয়টি কিছুতেই যেন রাজনৈতিক ইস্যু হয়ে না ওঠে।
The blogger did not limit this campaign online, he called [bn] a meeting offline to help in this cause.
প্রস্তাবিত তারিখ : ১৩ মে ২০১২
প্রস্তাবিত সময় : রাত ০৮:১৫
প্রস্তাবিত স্থান : টি.এস.সি. চত্বর, ঢা.বি.
আগ্রহী সবাই দয়া করে মন্তব্যের স্থানে উপস্থিতির ব্যাপারটি নিশ্চিত করুন।
I call every blogger, online activist and anyone interested in this cause to a bloggers meeting:
Proposed date: 13th of May 2012
Proposed Time: 08:15 PM
Proposed venue: TSC square, Dhaka University
Many expressed interest to be in that meeting. The ULAB authority also posted a comment on the blog [bn]:
আপনার ব্লগে প্রচারিত ইউনিভার্সিটি অব লিবারেল আর্টস বাংলাদেশ (ইউল্যাব) এর শিক্ষার্থীদের জড়িয়ে একটি বক্তব্য ইউল্যাব কর্তৃপক্ষের দৃষ্টি গোচর হয়েছে। এ ধরনের একটি ঘটনা যা ইউল্যাব ক্যাম্পাস এর অদূরে ঘটেছে তা অনাকাঙ্খিত ও অত্যন্ত নিন্দনীয়। আমরা এই ঘটনার শিকার সকলের প্রতি গভীর সহমর্মিতা ও সমবেদনা প্রকাশ করছি। এটা অত্যন্ত দুঃখজনক যে, আজকের সমাজে জনারণ্যে আমাদের মা বোনেরা নিরাপদ নয়। এই ধরনের একটি বিষয়ের বিরুদ্ধে উচ্চশিক্ষা প্রতিষ্ঠান হিসেবে ইউল্যাব সবসময় বিপক্ষে দৃঢ় অবস্থান গ্রহন করে।
In the statement the institution expressed their support in the investigation [bn].
বিষয়টি নিয়ে ইতিমধ্যে ইউল্যাব তার নিজস্ব পদ্ধতিতে তদন্ত শুরু করেছে। আমরা ইতিমধ্যে SOMEWHEREINBLOG এর কর্তৃপক্ষের মাধ্যমে সংশ্লিষ্ট ব্লগার এর সাথে যোগাযোগ এর চেষ্টা করেছি। তদন্ত প্রক্রিয়াটি দ্রুত ও সঠিক করার লক্ষে আমরা পুনরায় তাকে আমাদের সঙ্গে সরাসরি যোগাযোগের জন্য আহবান জানাচ্ছি। এ ক্ষেত্রে ব্লগার ও ভিকিটিম কে আমরা পূর্ণ সহযোগিতার আশ্বাস দিচ্ছি।
Many commented on this statement and some did not support this kind of internal investigation
Headsir [bn] says:
সব ঠিক আছে। তাদের তদন্ত কমিটি যা আসল সত্য প্রকাশ করবে তার কি নিশ্চয়তা? যেহেতু এইটার সাথে ইউল্যাব এর সুনাম বা অন্য স্বার্থ জড়িত তারা সর্বোচ্চ চেষ্টা করবে এটাকে ধামাচাপা দিতে।
Konad [bn] says:
এই ঘটনার তদন্তের ভার কর্তৃপক্ষের হাতে ছেড়ে দিলে আসল অপরাধীরা কখনোই বের হয়ে আসবে না। তাছাড়া অপরাধীদের সবাই ইউল্যাবের নাও হতে পারে। তাই আমাদের, ব্লগারদের অনুসন্ধান অব্যাহত রাখতে হবে।
But many praised the stance of the ULAB authorities:
Zia Chowdhury [bn] said:
ইউল্যাব কর্তৃপক্ষকে ধন্যবাদ জানাই। এবার ইউল্যাবের ছাত্রদের এগিয়ে আসা উচিত অপরাধীদের ধরিয়ে দেয়ার ব্যাপারে।
After the first statement the ULAB administration posted an update on the steps taken by them.
While some commented in the blog post that the anonymous blogger reacted dramatically, most of them did not negate the incident as it sadly happens in Bangladesh.
The bloggers meeting, ULAB's statement, and the subsequent discussion of the bloggers with the administration involved common concern of how to nab the perpetrators. But after all these the boys are still to be identified. Nonetheless, one blogger raised his voice against one crime and thousand voices echoed to support him.

author: বিজয়


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Russia: Q&A with Tina Kandelaki · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

Tina Kandelaki is many things. She is a Russian journalist, a TV celebrity, a co-owner of Apostol Media Group, a widely read blogger, and — more recently — a visible presence in Russian politics. Her Twitter account (@tina_kandelaki) has nearly half a million followers, and her LiveJournal blog has received more than 128,000 comments, since its creation just four years ago. Be it on the cover of Russian Maxim magazine or in her endorsement of United Russia and Vladimir Putin, Kandelaki has aroused the interest and sometimes the ire of other prominent actors on the RuNet and elsewhere. In mid-May, 2012, Global Voices’ RuNet Echo spoke to Ms. Kandelaki over email. What follows is the text of that exchange:
Tina Kandelaki. Photo by W Communications, used with permission.
Ms. Tina Kandelaki, Global Voices warmly thanks you for agreeing to this interview, and we're very excited to discuss your career as a journalist and voice on the Russian Internet.
Thank you, I'm glad to be here.
In January this year, Echo of Moscow and several other media outlets published a list [ru] of Russia's 100 most influential women, where you were ranked 28th [ru]. Kirov Governor Nikita Belykh offered commentary on your rating, saying that your “capacity for work” and your “energy” are “uncharacteristic for women” and that you “think absolutely like a man.” Do you agree with this assessment? Has your femininity been an asset or an obstacle in your professional life?
I am a close friend of Nikita Belykh, and I can honestly say that his character assessment is accurate. I have been working since a young age, and that’s why I possess some male characteristics — a certain independence and ability to stand up for myself. At the moment, I am responsible not only for my family, but for 280 people employed at my company, Apostol. I am not afraid to be responsible for a large number of people — responsibility means moving forward.
In the past six months, your public support for United Russia and Vladimir Putin have often been contrasted with Ksenia Sobchak's recent emergence as an oppositionist. Do you consider your relationship to have become a political rivalry? Whether yes or no, why do you think social commentators have identified a feud between the two of you?
Ksenia and I were colleagues and partners. At one point, I made the decision to stop working in entertainment-television and I started my own business. I was interested in educational issues, and have since become the host of “The Smartest” (Samyi umnyi), an intellectual TV-show for children. Meeting so many talented youths, I wanted the opportunity to help such children realize their potential. So, in 2009, I accepted an invitation from Dmitry Medvedev to become a member of educational commission of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation. I have been attracted to both business and public activities, and for me they have been connected. Ksenia continues working in the sphere of entertainment-media, but there is no political rivalry between us, and we have never argued because of politics. The thing is: we have different points of view concerning the best path for Russia and its future. Regarding social commentators, I can say that nothing there surprises me — the Internet is a very sensitive sphere, and Internet users pay attention to everything that happens, though they don’t always interpret everything correctly.
Your project “Nereal'naia politika” began as an Internet series and later migrated to network television. Ksenia Sobchak's show “GosDep” initially aired on Russian MTV, but it was quickly canceled and later revived as a web-based program on Snob.ru. Why do you think these shows developed in the opposite directions, yours Internet-to-TV and Sobchak's TV-to-Internet?
To be honest, I don’t think we can compare these two projects. In the case of Sobchak's show, “GosDep,” she simply had no choice — she would have had to close her show completely, if she did not start broadcasting it on the Internet. “Nereal'naia politika” was the first online start-up in Russia to become hugely popular on the Internet. It appealed to a large audience, and for that reason was sold successfully to a television channel.
In recent months, you have devoted attention [ru] in your blog and elsewhere to the potentially dangerous influence the Internet can have on young people, citing violent trends that promote bullying and even murder. Oppositionists often describe the Internet as a tool to circumvent state-controlled media channels, allowing the public access to unfiltered information that, they argue, increases the odds of opposition to the Kremlin. How do you think the expansion of Internet access will influence the politics of the next generation of Russian citizens?
As I’ve already noted, I have no doubts that the Internet is the future of mass media. On the Web, there is true freedom of speech. You know, in February, I was a guest on [Vladimir] Pozner’s program, where we discussed the social and political aspects of my public activity. I was surprised to find out that an extract, where I mentioned Alexey Navalny, was cut from the final broadcast. Nevertheless, the whole and uncensored video could be found easily on the Internet.
Besides, the Internet enables people to create their own content and react quickly to all news and events. This type of communication can very easily and quickly receive feedback, as well. There is another side of this total freedom, however: it gives a very broad field for the distribution of dangerous information. Teenagers abuse their classmates and post it on the Internet. Most disturbingly, these videos attract a huge number of views, creating deeply unfortunate role models for impressionable teenagers. Taking into account all of these facts, we need to take measures to control such information. We need to find balance between the freedom of speech and the control over dangerous content. On the question of the Internet’s influence on the political activity of citizens, it’s obvious that peaceful demonstrations became possible only thanks to online social networks. This kind of feedback from citizens is very important for governments because it truly reflects the needs of the people.
As citizens get the right to speak up, slowly but surely a Civil Society appears that can affect key presidential and governmental decisions to improve our country.
In a December 2011 interview [ru] with Roman Dobrokhotov, you said that “proving [election] falsification is an issue for lawyers — not journalists and bloggers.” You then added, “But [journalists’ and bloggers’] role in this process is extremely important.” What exactly do you think bloggers’ role in Russia's recent elections should have been?
The main difference and peculiarity of bloggers is foremost that they can express their own personal opinions about events. Secondly, social networks are very dynamic environments — new information can be disseminated immediately. Journalists sitting at a press-conference can post new quotes to Twitter, which instantly produces material for bloggers. The honest coverage of events by active bloggers is very important, because they can do something beyond the scope of journalists.
In that same interview with Dobrokhotov, you stated your concerns that direct elections for governors would “return [to Russia] the problem of regional sovereignization.” As you may be aware, Putin recently ordered [ru] the Ministry of Economic Development to draft a law creating a new goskompaniia to oversee the development of Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. Do you view this as an attempt to stem possible “sovereignization” that could result from the direct election of governors? How do you respond to critics, who claim that the new goskompaniia is Moscow's way of ‘colonizing’ the East?
You know, I think it’s too early to draw any big conclusions about the new structure. There is a certain traditional reaction to all innovations — people are afraid of them and criticize new things without even grasping their gist.
As far as existing experience goes, we have a number of very effective state corporations today that make other enterprises (some frozen for many years) more effective, as well. State corporations act as the guarantors for foreign investors and attract new technologies and money to the Russian economy. That’s why we need to look closely at how this project develops.
You were very active in the monitoring group “Za chistye vybory” over the course of Russia's elections this past March. Days before the vote, you invited [ru] several oppositionists to visit the organization's headquarters, though Georgii Alburov, a coordinator for Rosvybory (the brainchild of Aleksei Navalny), ultimately refused to come, on the grounds that “Za chistye vybory” was a “Kremlin project.” You have always denied such accusations, though your special access to state officials is well established. Indeed, you told Dobrokhotov, “One can write a lot of posts in a blog or on Twitter, but for decisions to concrete problems it is contact with the authorities that accelerates their solutions.” Why do you think oppositionists view your “contact with the authorities” as evidence of the state's control over you?
The answer is simple. Control can be implemented in two ways: through money or power. I don’t get money or influence from the authorities. I have my own business that provides a good income; my company doesn’t have any state contracts, and I am not a state official. Being a member of the Public Chamber helps me appeal to high-ranking politicians, and it helps to solve some problems faster, but it is a social role.
For instance, I worked to address an issue with the Moscow Cadet Corp, where a new building is under construction, though the process was expected to last another 13 years. 1.7 billion rubles were invested, but the building work was stalled. The head of the Cadet Corp reached out to me and asked me to help publicize this situation, and I appealed to the Moscow city government several times. During a meeting with Dmitry Medvedev, this issue was raised and a solution was reached. This is an example of my so-called “affiliation” with the authorities. I consider it a resource, and not something to fear.
On the other hand, I strongly agree with Dobrokhotov: we do need to build a dialogue with the authorities. The government is not as sacred today as it was five years ago. At the moment, the gap is narrowing: people want to talk to the authorities; people want to participate in changes to both the country and their lives; and I hope the government will be ready for that. Already, we are talking about some new innovations that — if they get enough support — will be transmitted to the State Duma. I hope that such initiatives will be implemented and that they will multiply, and that they will change the forms of social and political interaction we have today.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Taiwan: When News is Sold to the Chinese Government · Global Voices
I-fan Lin

In recent years, more and more Taiwanese media workers have been worried that press freedom has been eroding since the lifting of martial law in 1987. In fact, Taiwan's ranking in Freedom House's Annual Press Freedom Report has been regressing since 2008.
In addition to the “embedded marketing” practice which cloaks advertising as news and makes journalistic articles less reliable, the mainland China government has extended influence on the Taiwan public sphere through news industry acquisitions.
Influence of mainland China
On May 7, 2012, a public hearing was held because the Want Want China Times group plans to acquire the second largest cable television system in Taiwan. Since Taiwanese businessman Tsai Eng-Meng purchased the media group in November 2008, China Times, one of the most influential newspapers in Taiwan, has made a subsequent change in editorial policy [zh] in the direction of softening criticism of the Ma administration, Beijing, or improvements in cross-strait ties.
Image from Reject China Times Facebook Campaign Page
More than 50 social science and journalism professors in Taiwan signed up to the ‘Reject China Times’ campaign [zh] in February 2012, in response to Tsai's interview with the Washington Post, in which he claimed that the June 4 Massacre (Tiananmen Square) did not happen.
The campaign statement pointed out that:
事實上，《中國時報》自蔡先生入主後所展現許多「積極排除不利中國言論」之「自我審查」事例，早已引起知識界的嚴重質疑。蔡先生以其在中國所取得之資本，搖身成為台灣媒體集團大亨後，在華郵所發表之為中國打壓民主、踐踏人權種種極權行徑擦脂抹粉的荒謬言論，更印證了我們對於中國企圖透過直接間接掌控我國媒體，操縱台灣公共輿論與市民認知的憂慮。
The further expansion of Want Want China Times from printed media to cable television has undoubtedly alerted many Taiwanese. In fact in the recent public hearing, Tsai admitted that he had received money from the mainland Chinese authorities to publish “news” that propagates a positive imagine of mainland China. However, his defence was that “embedded marketing” has been a common practice in Taiwan and there is no reason to stop China Times from doing it.
Journalism Professor Chang Chin-hwa pointed out that such political advertisement is a potential threat to national security (via a report from ‘Reject China Times‘ [zh] campaign website:
張錦華教授亦憂心地提醒，不僅是我國政府在「買新聞」，連「中華人民共和國的政府」也在台灣買新聞，並促使監察委員吳豐山提出調查報告加以指摘，在這個事件中，「中國時報就是主犯」！旺旺中時收了錢以後，它自己賣新聞不算，它竟然去跟其他的報紙「幫中國政府買新聞」！在監察院的糾正報告中，即指出這種行為不僅影響新聞專業，更已提昇至危及「國家安全」的層次。
Embedded marketing
For years, the issue of “embedded marketing” has been criticized by many media workers. Back in 2010, an experienced journalist Dennis Huang (黃哲斌), quit his job on the China Times and launched an online protest [zh] against embedded marketing:
從昨天起，我離開了工作十六年又五個月的《中國時報》。 我越來越難獨善其身、越來越難假裝沒看到，其他版面被「業配新聞」吞噬侵蝕的肥大事實，新聞變成論字計價的商品，價值低落的芭樂公關稿一篇篇送到編輯桌上，「這是業配，一個字都不能刪」。 然後，它們像是外星來的異形，盤據了正常新聞版面，記者努力採訪的稿件被擠壓、被丟棄。記者與主管被賦予業績壓力，不得不厚著面皮向採訪對象討預算、要業配。
我更相信，「人生總有非賣品」。 例如，讀者的信任；例如，專業判斷與良知；例如，自己的人格與報社的信譽；例如，寫或不寫的自由權利。 業配新聞破壞了這一切，奪走了這一切，它以每字一、兩百元的代價，將新聞變成廉售的開架商品。
在各種業配新聞中，公部門以納稅人的辛苦錢收買媒體，最是可議，我常說，「政府左手伸進我們的口袋，拿錢賄賂媒體，然後將右手伸進我們的腦袋」…政府不努力為政策辯護、不努力作民間溝通，現在連文宣廣告都懶得做，直接砸錢買新聞，這是一種最最混蛋加三級的媒體控制。

author: I-fan Lin


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Tajikistan: Singers Turn to Religious Motifs · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

In his blog, journalist Kayumars Ato writes [tj] that pop singers and rappers in Tajikistan increasingly use religious motifs in their songs. The use of music for religious purposes remains a controversial topic in the country.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Video: How Societies Work – a Look at Unconventional Arrangements · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

The VJ Movement has partnered with the London School of Economics to bring us videos and stories that attempt to show how societies in conflict and crisis-affected areas across the globe are facing their futures.
In places such as Afghanistan or Zimbabwe, despite the apparent lack of clear structures of governance, “things” still seem to get done. This happens in large part thanks to all sorts of local customs, new-found practices and intricate deals made between groups in power. Understanding these everyday arrangement is key to knowing what kind of policies can help to improve the lives of those living in these countries affected by conﬂict and crisis.
From Latin American countries dealing with the murders of journalists, to indigenous people struggling to defend their territories, to women from East Asia defending their right to be mothers and to work, the subtitled videos cover a wide range of topics and all provide a look into the problems and issues faced by the communities, and the steps they've been taking to overcome them. Here is a sample of the type of stories featured in their project
In Philippines, government run programs train women to become better domestic workers, assuming and accepting the fact that most of the national income is brought in by migrant workers. In this video story, a young woman, Mia, travels to a training center where she learns how to use appliances and clean houses with equipment that is far from what she would use to clean her own house. All this, in the hope of going overseas and being able to bring in enough money to help her family back home.
Disabled women in Thailand face prejudices and obstacles from a society which deems them unfit to be mothers, judging and shaming them while excluding them from mobility in a city full of staircases and crumbling pathways.  This video shares their stories and the message they would like to send out to their society.
This video challenges common preconceptions on indigenous people with an example from Peru:
70 families from the ethnic Group Shipibo conibo, moved from Pucallpa (near the border with Brazil) to look for a brighter future in the Capital City of Lima.
Despite the backlash from some anthropologists saying they should return to their Amazonian lands and defend the forest, they are determined to make their way in this new community where without losing their roots – their children go to bilingual Shipibo-Spanish schools – they are looking for progress and advancement with better opportunities for income, education and health.
In Karachi, Pakistan, a former schoolteacher took it on herself to start a free school for those children who could not access the free education programs the government provides. With funds raised in the USA during half of the year and her own personal funds, Rafat Ishaq gives these students a shot in life their parents possibly never dreamed for them.


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Africa: Celebrating Africa Liberation  Day on Twitter · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa Liberation Day is the annual commemoration on May 25 of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Africa Liberation Day 2012, originally called Africa Freedom Day, marks the 49th anniversary of Africa Day and the 10-year existence of the African Union (AU).
Africans and friends of Africa have been tweeting Africa Liberation Day throughout the day.
@Chrisfordshind1: It's africa freedom day.but what i know you can't be ignorant and be free at a same time,but knowing the truth is a begining of freedom.
@Luyanda_Peter received a t-shirt to celebrate Africa Day in 2010. Photo courtesy of Twitter user @Luyanda_Peter
@Thagman_Hits: Its not just a matter of celebrating “africa freedom day”.its a question of,”are people experiencin real freedom?”
@laokov: Happy Africa Freedom day people,but is Africa FREE?
@NikiMapoma: Good Morning! Today is Africa Freedom Day. I've read Zambia is one of only four countries where it's a Nat'l Holiday. How will YOU spend it?
@Thato_wally: Its nt a happy africa day if our ppl r stil in the illusion of freedom,if corruption is seen as a norm nd a common practise…
@Pepuzani: Africa freedom day, well I guess there is some freedom to celebrate. Freedom Of using Facebook.
@champoj: Do not make the same mistakes your parents made,learn from them n make your life bright even as we are celebrating africa freedom day!
@Mutakala88: Am celebrating Africa Freedom Day by reading the Zambian Draft Constitution #ZambianPride #fb
@khadijapatel: RT @khayadlanga: Since it's Africa day, here Thabo Mbeki's great “I am an African” speech. Refamiliarise yourself http://bit.ly/LxspGq
View media
@lead_sa: RT @williamwealth: @702JohnRobbie @lead_sa Are you an Afri-CAN or an Afri-CAN'T? I believe we can! Enjoy Africa Day!
@stwala20: Happy Africa day. People be proud of being an African with your cultural practices. Forward with economic freedom in Africa forward.
Kenyan Poet celebrates the day with a poem:
It all started as a vision of one man,
A the dream of one son,
A son of Ghana, a Nkrumah who sang a song
whose words were written with the blood of our brothers sailed off
to plantations as slaves to white masters.
A song whose rhythm and tune was hummed
by the cries of our people
Feet shuffling, hands trembling, mouths begging
We don’t know them!
We don’t know the freedom fighters
The rhythm of whips cracking on their backs
The sound of gunshots reigning in the dull yet sunny days,
Dark, yet moonlit nights.
The sounds had become a dirge to their ears
Maafa, Maafa [atrocities in Swahili]

author: Ndesanjo Macha


text:
Africa: Talking About Africa’s Digital Future · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Will Mutua talks to CEO and co-founder of buni.tv, a new internet video platform specifically focused on content created in Africa or about Africa.


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Argentina: Controversy Surrounding Labour Conditions in Production of Yerba Mate  · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

The Province of Misiones, which features one of the natural wonders of the world, the recently selected Iguazú falls, is a current area of controversy concerning working conditions of the employees in the cultivation of the popular yerba mate in Argentina.
Yerba mate was the centre of controversy in March of 2011 when the Federal Administration of Public Income (AFIP, an entity in charge of implementing policies enforced by the Executive arm of government in taxation, imports and exports, and collection of social security resources) discovered slave labour in a yerba mate field. The website Fortuna Web [es] published the results of an investigation done by Argentina's tax agency:
La Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) detectó mediante inspección el trabajo de niños en la recolección de la cosecha y la ausencia de sanitarios, agua potable y energía eléctrica en el campo ubicado en Puerto Esperanza, a 260 kilómetros de Posadas.
On the other hand, the website Artículos y Debates de Política [es] (Articles and Political Debates) published an article with respect to the working conditions of the yerba mate workers:
Hacinamiento, insalubridad, trabajo en negro, incumplimiento del jornal diario, trabajo de menores, pago con vales, algunas de las irregularidades que se pudo relevar en un campamento de tareferos en Caraguatay. El Sindicato de Tareferos denuncia la ausencia de los inspectores del Ministerio de Trabajo para controlar las condiciones de la cosecha y la complicidad del poder político de la zona.
Yerba mate farmers protest in Misiones – photo by Pablodf (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
In a post from April 2012, Global Voices published citizens reactions to the increase in the price of the popular yerba mate. One of the motives in the authorisation of the rise in this raw material is to improve the marketability of the industries and the working conditions of the employees. Increases are approved on a  six-month basis. The Resolution of 119/2012 of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries [es] of Argentina, published by the National Institute of Yerba Mate,  [es] says:
entre las funciones del INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE LA YERBA MATE (INYM), la de acordar semestralmente, entre los distintos sectores participantes del mismo, el precio de la materia prima.
Que el Artículo 12 del Decreto Nº 1240 del 12 de julio de 2002 establece, como períodos semestrales, a los comprendidos entre los meses de abril a septiembre y de octubre a marzo de cada año.
Que el precio de la materia prima debe resultar de un acuerdo en el INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE LA YERBA MATE (INYM), basado en el precio promedio de venta al consumidor de los productos elaborados con yerba mate,
This regulation of increases at six month intervals was put into place since 2002 through the Decree law Nº 1240 of the same year. However, there have been reactions referring to working conditions that seem to persist. Dario Aranda's blog [es] writes about the situation of the worker:
La distancia entre el hogar y el yerbal determina la hora de levantarse, siempre de madrugada, entre las 4 y las 6. Un camión recorre los barrios, sube a los trabajadores al acoplado y comienza la travesía. Pueden ser veinte kilómetros, también 40 o 50. A las 7 están en el yerbal, mojados por el rocío y la helada. Tijera o serrucho en mano, cortan las ramas pequeñas de la planta, acumulan las hojas sobre plásticos abiertos como mantel que esperan en el piso. Luego se unen las puntas del plástico y forman una gran bolsa, el “raído”, cien kilos, 20 pesos. Un tarefero experimentado, y con suerte, puede hacer cuatro raídos al día, 80 pesos de salario bruto, con descuentos se transforma en 60 pesos en mano, por jornadas de nueve a doce horas: equivale a tres kilos de yerba.
Alternatively, the Secretariat of the Federation of Agriculture, a private entity that deals in the labour issues affecting small and big producers, declares in Urgente24.com [es]:
imposible mantener en blanco al personal. Esto más allá de que la AFIP diga que se debe mantener en blanco a los tareferos, que son quienes hacen la cosecha de yerba mate.
The Universidad Nacional de Misiones [es] (National University of Misiones), a public and free institution, presented research [es] of the sector in the province of Misiones [es], its point of reference being new recruits in the area of Jardin America [es]. The results revealed the following:
fueron 1131 tareferos registrados, de los cuales el 84 % son varones cuyas edades oscilan entre 18 y 50 años.
De los datos registrados también se desprende que los jóvenes de 11 a 17 años, representan el 10 % de los tareferos (tarea u obra que se debe concluir en tiempo determinado; se hace por empresa o a destajo) de esta localidad, de los cuales el 50 % comenzó a tarefear entre los 5 y los 14 años y aprendió la tarea mayormente con sus padres.
De ese total de 1131, el 60 % alcanzó un nivel educativo -primaria o EGB- y casi el 83 % lee y escribe.
En cuanto al pago más del 80 % manifestó que se le paga en dinero y por familia recolectan un promedio de 1300 kilos por día.
there were 1131 registered tareferos, of which 84% are male and are between the ages of 18 and 50 years of age.
From the registered data, youths between 11 and 17 years of age account for 10% of the tareferos (a tasks that must be finished at a determined time; it is either done for a company or on contract) in this area, of which 50% begin to do this kind of job between the age of 5 and 14 and they learn mainly from their parents.
Of this total of 1131, 60% have reached one level of education- primary or Basic General Education (EGB)- and almost 83% read and write.
In terms of salary, more than 80% manifested that money is paid in cash and each family collects a daily average of 1300 kilos.
The Misiones controversy seems endless with the issue of the price of yerba mate and the conditions of the workers.
Garganta del Diablo – Iguazú  Falls- Photo by: Laura Schneider

author: Laura Schneider


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Armenia: US Embassy Condemns Attack on Gay-Friendly Bar · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Ararat has more on the firebombing of D.I.Y., a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan, in a post by Global Voices’ Caucasus Regional Editor while Unzipped: Gay Armenia publishes a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Armenia condemning the ultra-nationalist attack.


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Azerbaijan: More Arrests Despite ‘Eurovision Effect’ · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

This post is part of our special coverage Eurovision Azerbaijan 2012.
On the eve of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, held this year in Azerbaijan, police in Baku, the capital, have arrested dozens of pro-democracy activists protesting against human rights violations in the oil-rich former Soviet republic. Some reports put the number of those detained at over 30 with others as high as 60-70.
Whatever the number, one thing is clear. If Eurovision has been considered as politically charged in the past, with bloc voting and regional rivalries tainting the intended good spirit of the competition, this year's event has taken controversy to new and higher levels.
Freedom of Speech in Azerbaijan! Baku 24 may 2012! Eurovision gəlsin! Photo by Mehman Huseynov
Freedom of speech in Azerbaijan. Let Eurovision come!
Baxın necə biz Eurovisiona hazırlaşdıq! Polsilərin Qadınla bü cür rəftarı! Ayıb olsun sizə! Bakı 24 may 2012 Photo by Mehman Huseynov
Look how we got ready for eurovision! This is the police's treatment of women! Shame on you!
Foto Azərbaycandaki durumu əks etdirir! Baku 25 may 2012 Photo by Mehman Huseynov
This photo reflects the situation in Azerbaijan!
@leylanajafli: who are these plainclothes?? when will this stop?? #azerbaijan brutal force used on peaceful activists http://on.fb.me/JBSCWN #eurovision
@adnanhajizada: @leylanajafli they are frm ministry of internal affairs
@sakitoglu: 60 #activists were detained today. They are still in custody. #Azerbaijan #Eurovision
@newint: #Armenia has pulled out, #HumanRights campaigners are angry… #Eurovision is as political as ever! http://ow.ly/b92lc #Azerbaijan
With the international media full of stories about Azerbaijan's human rights record, Glennmcmahon470 comments on increased attention this year.
Eurovision has long been subject to ridicule by much of western Europe with its trashy and manufactured pop considered far below our musical tastes with audiences consisting of largely excitable teenage girls and members of the gay community.
But as this year’s competition in Azerbaijan is used as a platform by human rights and pro-democracy campaigners to highlight abuses largely ignored by the western media until now, should the conscientious among us be taking it a little more seriously as a tool for change?
[…]
Previously the competition has been used by other former soviet states to promote themselves to a western Europe who barely knew they were there.
[…]
Azerbaijan is also clearly taking it very seriously, spending more than a billion dollars on the event – the most expensive contest ever, and equally hoping to put themselves on the map, bolster tourism and prove they are capable of putting on prestigious international events.
But the government clearly didn’t bargain on the attention given to its human rights record with activists getting almost as much attention as the 56-year-old event.
[…]
Whether you love it or hate it, he said, the Eurovision has at least created a dialogue on the issues facing Azerbaijan. However it remains to be seen whether once the Eurovision road-show moves on, the media circus moves with it.
However, not everyone is happy with how foreign journalists have covered the event.
@MahirZeynalov: Dear international media, please let us enjoy Eurovision. Yes, yes we get it, Azerbaijan is the worst dictatorship on Earth. Enough bashing.
@nhacizade: by now we have a pretty solid prototype of the western-publication article on #Azerbaijan and #Eurovision. thanks for never surprising.
@onewmphoto: @nhacizade True, the reports are predictable and almost overload, but let's face it. Official Baku is giving the media plenty to write about
@nhacizade: @onewmphoto yeah, not unleashing the police everytime 20 people get together for a protest walk would have saved them a lot.
@nhacizade: @onewmphoto but the nature of the coverage also comes from the fact that when media says “country you've never heard of before”..
@nhacizade: @onewmphoto what they mean is “country we never cover and dont know much about”. same for almost all post-soc states that aren't Russia.
Dubbed the ‘Eurovision Effect,’ some like AmnestyBrum, an Amnesty International group in the U.K. explains why it considers the spotlight important.
Tomorrow it’s Eurovision time and there are number of concerns we’ve got on the human right situation in the host country Azerbaijan. The song contest is a rare opportunity for Amnesty International to shine a spotlight on the country. In just the last few weeks there have been a whole series of horrific incidents.
[…]
So when everyone else is curling up to watch Eurovision there couldn’t be a better time to turn the spotlight on the real big issues in Azerbaijan. And of course there is the bitter irony that the British entry for Eurovision by Engelbert Humperdink is entitled Love Will Set You Free.
Others, however, are concerned with what will happen when the foreign journalists up and leave Azerbaijan. One of them is Khadija Ismayil, the investigative journalist who was recently blackmailed because of her work and who voiced such concerns in a live RFE/RL Facebook event.
Marion Kipiani There is quite a bit of talk about how the ESC created an opening for independent journalists and HR defenders to speak to an international public. But what is your view on how to keep attention alive after world attention moves on, e.g. to Euro-2012? Do those who were brave enough to speak out now have to fear reprisals?
[…]
Khadija Ismayil […] we are going to have hot summer. Azerbaijani government will retaliate and punish those who spoiled their party. So people active in Sing for Democracy campaign will need more support further. We also expect more pressure on critical journalists and especially investigative journalists. My colleagues from RFE/RL and Bizim Yol newspapers found out how much money had been spent on ESC and that the government diverted money from water supply projects and pension increase to build a concert hall for ESC. Unfortunately, our government is tend to break mirror instead of brushing it's hair to look better.
RFE/RL's Transmission blog also reports that the organizers inside Azerbaijan have been attempting to control press conferences for the event, especially those involving one of the few contestants to show an interest in the internal human rights situation.
Following the second semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 24 in Baku, Swedish finals contestant Loreen was asked by a Reuters journalist about her meeting with Azerbaijan's political opposition.
She answered simply: “What I can say, there is two parts of me. One that is private and one that is my work that I'm doing here, and just today I want to keep the focus on this energy that we created right now.”
But Azerbaijani Public TV, which is broadcasting Eurovision, immediately had its moderator jump in to keep any more questions “relevant,” prompting howls of protest from the journalists in the room. What's more, its voiced-over translation of the reporter's question into Azeri on its domestic broadcast came through as only “How did you feel on stage?”
Meanwhile, as Azerbaijan prepares to host the final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, new security measures controlling admission for the audience have been announced at the last minute, perhaps indicating that the unprecedented controversy surrounding the musical event is far from over.
This post is part of our special coverage Eurovision Azerbaijan 2012.


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Brazil: Will President Dilma Veto the Future of Forests? · Global Voices
Rami Alhames

This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon
Online social media has been abuzz since the approval of the new Forestry Code in Brazil by the National Congress, on April 25, 2012, with 274 votes in support and 184 against [pt]. President Dilma Rousseff, who can use her presidential legal right in congress to veto the future of forests up until May 25, has been in the spotlight of online conversations over the past few weeks.
The rationale driving the bill is that agribusiness is hindered by the existing Code and Brazil is missing out on opportunities for economic development. However, environmental activists are campaigning for a “zero deforestation” bill for the sake of biodiversity, for the protection of ecological processes and for the slowdown of climate change.
Under the hashtags #VetaDilma, #VetaTudoDilma and #CodigoFlorestal on Twitter, and also out on the streets, worldwide citizens are urging President Dilma to veto the controversial bill.
Protest in Belo Horizonte, May 5, 2012. Photo by Fora do Eixo on Flickr (CC BY-SA)
Main environmental advocay organizations, such as WWF and Green Peace, show their objection to the bill. The most effective advocacy campaign in terms of online outreach has been Avaaz's “Tell Brazilian President Dilma to stop the #Amazon chainsaw massacre and veto the forest code!”, already signed by more than 2 million people:
We call on you to take immediate action to save Brazil's precious forests by vetoing the changes to the forest law. We also urge you to prevent further murders of environmental activists and workers by increasing law enforcement against illegal loggers and ramping up protection for people at risk from violence or death. The world needs Brazil to be an international leader on the environment. Your strong action now will safeguard the planet for future generations.
The petition was delivered directly to President Dilma on May 24, the eve of the “D-Day for the Amazon“, as Lou Gold, from the blog Visionshare calls it:
“D” is for Dilma's Decision, Deforestation, Development and Drought
"President Dilma, connect the dots and veto the new Forest Code!" Photo by Ricardo Lisboa/ 350.org on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Many creative campaigns keep emerging online while Dilma's decision is yet to be known, such as this set of cartoons [pt] in Humor Político and the following funk song by MC Cerrado:
Several bloggers have reported in-depth analyses about the new Forestry Code.
The blog Esse Tal de Meio Ambiente has a series of more than 40 posts [pt], in which they expose legal and political implications behind the new bill, aiming to ease rules on forest farmers who have cleared woodlands to make way for crops as well as to give federal states powers over the decision of how much forest needs to be replaced along riversides.
Journalist Julimária Dutra on her blog, Argumentto, wrote [pt] an overview about the Forestry Code, from its origin in 1934 – aiming to regulate the extractive practices – until nowadays when it establishes a new management scheme for forests and protected environmental areas in all six biomes of Brazil, delivering a long-sought after victory to the country's powerful agriculture lobby.
#VetaDilma in Fortaleza, May 6, 2012. Photo by Casa Fora do Eixo Nordeste on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
While the blog Brasil! Pra mim states that some “may argue that Brazil’s future economy is also at stake if the veto is given”, Dutra starts her article writing about a very specific illustration of the impact behind the exploitation of forest-based economy. The example she points out is on the international industry of cosmetics, the case of the famous perfume Chanel no. 5, which is made from oil essence of a rare tree:
Árvores como a do pau-rosa que medem cerca de 20 metros e possui uma essência penetrante e sutil fazem parte das 60 toneladas de essências exportadas para outras nações, sendo o pau- rosa, uma espécie em extinção e que por ano são arrancados de modo ilegal mais de seis mil pés.  A face oculta para manter o luxo anos a fio reduz o número da fauna e flora amazônica.
Despite which economic interests speak louder, Lou Gold, writing from Acre, summarizes the whole picture:
I guess it depends on whether or not one wants to maintain the forest as a vast storehouse of carbon and hedge against global warming; as home for an incredible number of plant and animal species; and as a biotic pump that draws rain inland for agriculture.
This post is part of our special coverage Forest Focus: Amazon

author: Rami Alhames


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Costa Rica: Discipline Reaps Success for National Cyclist · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Blogger ‘stwartmendez’ from La Tinta del Ocio [es] highlights the success of Costa Rican cyclist Andrey Amador who is participating in Giro d'Italia, the Tour of Italy cycling race. Amador came in third in the twelfth stage and first in the fourteenth stage. The blogger attributes this success to the athlete's discipline and wishes other national athletes would emulate his attitude.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Côte d’Ivoire: Controversy during 2012 Tech Conferences · Global Voices
Kanigui

[All links forward to French articles or videos unless stated otherwise]
Côte d'Ivoire recently played host to two important technology conferences in the space of three days. ‘Google Days’ [en] and JNTIC 2012 [en] (National Days of Information and Communication Technologies) took place between May 15 and May 18, 2012, causing a great deal of excitement in the local blogosphere. According to the official JNTIC website:
Les «Journées Nationales des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication» (JNTIC) sont un Salon annuel dédié aux Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC). Ce Salon est organisé par l’Union des Entreprises de Télécommunication (UNETEL) de Côte d’Ivoire, à l’occasion de la Journée Mondiale des Télécommunications et de la Société de l’information instituée par l’Union Internationale des Télécommunication (UIT).
Pour l’Edition 2012, le thème central arrêté par l’UIT est « Les Femmes et les Filles dans les TIC », le salon se déroule au Palais de la Culture d'Abidjan à Treichville, du 15 au 18 mai 2012.
Although the JNTIC has matured and become established within the minds of businesses, professionals and the public, several difficulties arose during organisation of the 2012 event. Ivorian internet users complained about the lack of organisation as well as the proposed content.
Blogger Yehni Djidj wrote a post condemning:
le désordre monumental et le parcours du combattant pour avoir le badge d'entrée gratuit qui s'est vu affubler d'une taxe obligatoire de 1000 F CFA.
She then published a complaint made by one of her readers who had decided to leave JNTIC 2012. This person condemned the absence of innovation, the parade of the same old Ivorian businesses with the same old products, and, above all, the lack of consideration shown to local requirements:
On ne nous montre que du réchauffé français ou américain ou encore asiatique et souvent même pas adapté au petit peuple que nous sommes. La preuve, après 20ans de téléphonie on a encore des problèmes de réseaux basiques. On se précipite pour nous identifier, alors qu'on est incapable de nous fournir un service conséquent.
Official Poster for
Blogger Israël Yoroba told of his disappointment in a post entitled ‘Why I Did Not Attend JNTIC’:
Je me pointe au troisième jour de l'évènement aux alentours de 11 heures et j’aperçois à l’entrée un long rang au soleil. J’use de ma« carte de presse » pour que le vigile à l’entrée après deux hésitations me laisse pénétrer dans la cour des JNTIC.
Grâce à des pôtes à l’intérieur j’arrive à obtenir deux badges. (Un pour mon épouse et l'autre pour moi). Je m’apprête à franchir les portes des stands d’exposition lorsque que je suis brusquement sommé de ne pas avancé. La raison : « il vous faut un badge avec sticker », me fait dire le vigile à l’entrée. Je suis surpris. « Il faut vous rendre sous la tente d’inscription. Et payer 1000 francs », m'indique une autre dame également à l'entrée. Je n’ai pas chercher à savoir pourquoi l’entrée était payante ce jours-ci mais je pense qu’avec toute la campagne médiatique qu’il y a eu, ils auraient pu nous avertir et mieux s'organiser. En tout cas j’ai constaté qu’au stand des inscriptions, c’était la bagarre et le désordre.
To this chaos was added an internet connection problem in the conference halls as mentioned in this tweet by Miss Kadio:
@Onorynk: je rapel ke je tweet avec mon phone, priere regler le probleme de connexion pour les autre #civtech #jntic2012 #insecdays
Regarding the content, internet users also condemned the lack of women at the conference, despite the announced theme. Mariam Diaby wrote the following on her blog:
Il est malgré tout dommage de remarquer que le thème féminin ne l’est que de façade. Sur la dizaine de sujets de conférences, combien y touchent réellement? Une seule a tourné autour de l’implication des femmes dans les nouvelles technologies de l’information et de la communication, à ma connaissance. Les filles sont utilisées de manière décorative, en tant qu’hôtesses, toutes filiformes pour répondre à je ne sais quel critère…
No women were honoured at the closing ceremony. Twitter user Nguessan Wilfried condemned the absence of a prize to encourage women:
“@wilfriedn: #jntic2012jemeplain #jntic2012 pourquoi pas eu de compétition pour recompenser des femmes ? #civtech“
Nevertheless, the item which caused the most controversy was the ‘hacking competition’ organised during the conference. The conference room provided for this was too cramped to hold all those who wanted to see the ‘pirates’ at work. This competition raised questions on Twitter, including the following from user G.K, known as @nightsnake1975:
“@nightsnake1975: @Ceschod Hacker ou Cracker ? Parce qs'il s'agit de trouver juste une faille sans apporter une solution ca sert a quoi ? #civ ?
Mariam Diaby wrote about the ‘worst moment’ on her blog:
Le point le plus négatif, qui au moment même où j’écris cet article, reste cette démonstration de Hacking, qui a fait l’objet de grande publicité. On aurait pu penser qu’il s’agirait de mettre à nue les failles des systèmes informatisés, mais ceci ressemble plutôt à “un cours de broutage officiel”. Salle plus comble que jamais, avec des jeunes à la face plus patibulaire qu’innocente, ils sont tous venus “admirer” les techniques de piratage. Pour en faire quoi? Surtout quand les exposants utilisent des expressions telles que “frapper à tout moment”, et que la foule applaudit chaudement. Se rendent-ils seulement compte de ce qui se passe?
There was so much interest in the pirating competition because the Côte d”Ivoire is cited more and more often in internet scams known here as ‘le broutage’ and in English-speaking countries as ‘phishing’ [en]. This interest led to a raging debate about an article by a blogger called Macmady in the comments section.
Jean Patrick Ehouman managed to see the positive side of the incident in this tweet:
@jpehouman: #JNTIC2012 … l'incident d'hier aux Insécurity Days a permis de faire encore + d buzz à propos de cet évènement. Q'en pensez-vs? #kpakpatoya
The following video posted on YouTube shows the Google team dancing the ‘coupé-decalé’ during the Google Days event in Côte d'Ivoire:
The positive aspects of these days was also brought to the fore by the Akendewa website, which posted a portrait of an an Ivorian woman described as ‘a beautiful illustration of the JNTIC 2012 theme’. Along similar lines, Twitter user Cyriac Gbogou described a success for women on the Ivorian internet:
“@cyriacgbogou: @ayana_webzine est une vrai success story des filles ds les TIC #jntic #Akendewa #kpakpatoya“
For further reading on this subject, the Akendewa blog has a post which includes links to 26 articles to help people understand and relive JNTIC 2012.
To find out more about cybercrime in Côte d'Ivoire, visit the Battle against Cybercrime website.

author: Kanigui


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Germany: Wanted Posters Against Delivery of Tanks to Saudi Arabia  · Global Voices
Mario Sorgalla

The German activist artist group “Center for Political Beauty” [de] launched a much buzzed-about campaign on May 21, 2012 to prevent the sale of tanks made in Germany to Saudi Arabia. The campaign 25,000 Euro [de] promises to award this amount to people who give tips that lead to the conviction of one or more shareholders of the German weapons manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann [de]. The campaign has already made big waves in the blogger community and in social media.
The background to the 25,000 Euro campaign is the planned delivery of tanks to Saudi Arabia made public in 2011. The weapons producer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann was contracted to deliver 270 of its Leopard 2 A7+ tanks. This model is specifically designed for use in urban areas. The Center for Political Beauty produced a video which illustrates the use of this tank to suppress protests [de]:
The Center for Political Beauty defends their campaign by saying that tanks can be used to suppress uprisings within Saudi Arabia as well as in neighboring Bahrain (Global Voices reported on the entrance of Saudi troops into Bahrain in 2011). Because the tank deal has already been approved by the German government, the goal of the 25,000 Euro campaign is to bring shareholders to court – not for delivering the tanks, but for tax evasion, money laundering, or similar crimes [de]:
Wenn die Politik den tödlichen Waffenhandel nicht verbietet, müssen wir die Täter auf kreative Weise einer Strafe zuführen. Bei Al Capone musste letztlich die Steuerhinterziehung herhalten. Das Strafgesetzbuch ist lang.
The unusual thing about the campaign, in addition to the offer of a kind of “bounty,” is the publication of “wanted” posters [de] in which the shareholders are depicted. There is particular emphasis on the fact that many of them identify themselves as “anthroposophists” or artists.
Reactions to the campaign in social media have in large part been very positive. John F. Nebel writes in his blog Metronaut [de]:
Es ist wohl eine der schönsten und radikalsten Kampagnen gegen die deutsche Waffenindustrie seit langem.
The popular blog Netzpolitik.org also reports [de] on 25000-euro.de.
In addition, many people are supporting this campaign by sending the following question via Twitter to Steffen Seibert, the German government spokesperson:
@RegSprecher Warum unterstützt die Bundesregierung den Export von Kampfpanzern für autoritäre Regime? #panzer #25000Euro
No answers have come yet from the spokesman via Twitter to the questions about the tank deal.
@kl_gelber_fish deviates from the pre-written question and would like to know [de] if the German government gives priority to stability or freedom.
@RegSprecher Ist Stabilität im Golf wichtiger als das Leben und die Freiheit der Menschen dort? #panzer #25000Euro
The Center for Political Beauty also posted a video of Abbas Al Omran (Bahrain Center for Human Rights) on 25000-euro.de, in which he appeals to the shareholders to stop the tank deliveries.
The Center for Political Beauty gives regular updates via 25000-euro.de on the progress of the campaign; for example, by posting tips it receives that could be useful in a future court case.

author: Mario Sorgalla


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Ghana: Make Petroleum Revenue Management Bill Public · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Seth Bokpe reports that a coalition of civil society organisations in Ghana has called on the government to make the draft Petroleum Revenue Management Bill public.


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Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2012: Countdown to Nairobi · Global Voices
Georgia Popplewell

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela.
Those, in case you were wondering, are the 70-plus countries—and counting—that will be represented at this year's Global Voices Citizen Media Summit.
In 38 days’ time, on July 2, 2012, over 250 people from the four corners of planet Earth will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, for the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2012. Moving this number of people across the globe takes some doing, and for us on the planning team, the past few months have been spent figuring out how to get people from cities like Vilnius, Bamako, La Paz, Kolkata and Naypyidaw to Nairobi, booking hotel rooms, sorting out visa applications, and, most of all, designing and refining the Summit format and program. Then refining it again.
Nairobi Skyline, by Mutua Matheka (used with permission)
Highlights of this year's Summit include:
- The announcement of the winners of the Google-supported Breaking Borders Award
- “Digital Media and Disruptive Publics“, a workshop for academics studying citizen media that takes place in parallel with the Global Voices organisational meeting
- Lots of Kenyan bloggers, including winners of the Bloggers’ Association of Kenya‘s recent blog awards, and winners of our own blogging competition
This year's program will include plenary discussions, topic-based breakout groups, open “unconference”-style sessions and hands-on training workshops. We'll be facilitating online, real-time participation and will be capturing, translating, and publishing the knowledge and conversations coming out of the meeting as part of the process.
If you'd like to join us in Nairobi, we've still got room. You can register via the Summit web site. The registration fee is US$75 for participants from outside of Africa, US$50 for residents of Africa outside of Kenya, and KES 2,500 for Kenyan residents.
If you'd like to join us, but can't, we'll be streaming portions of the program live on July 2-3. Also check out blog posts by the Global Voices community and our speakers at the Summit web site and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
The Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2012 is made possible by Google, MacArthur Foundation, Open Society Institute, Knight Foundation, Hivos, Adessium Foundation and Yahoo!, with support from iHub.

author: Georgia Popplewell


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Jamaica: Re-introducing Calabash Litfest · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Two Jamaican litbloggers are thrilled that the Calabash Literary Festival is back!

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Mali: A President Assaulted, a Nation in Turmoil · Global Voices
Rakotomalala

[All links forward to French articles unless stated otherwise]
It seems a long time since Malian citizens were eagerly awaiting presidential elections, initially scheduled to be held in April 2012. In the meantime, outgoing President Amadou Toumani Touré was removed from office by a military junta, led by Captain Amadou Sanogo.
The military announced the dissolution of government institutions, suspended the Constitution, and formed the National Committee for the Recovery of Democracy and Restoration of the State (CNRDR). On April 1, the Tuareg rebellion, consisting of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and the Salafist movement Ansar Dine, took control of three regions of northern Mali. On April 6, the MNLA declared the independence of Azawad.
These conflicts have displaced thousands of people fleeing the  influence of MNLA and Ansar Dine, a population already struggling against a food crisis [en] caused by drought.
Escalating crisis
The crisis does not end there. Interim President Dioncounda Traoré, who has been appointed for one month and must attempt to resolve conflicts in the north, as well as protests in the south in support of the junta, was recently attacked in the presidential palace.
Interim President Dioncounda Traoré (Wikipedia License CC-3.0)
During one of their demonstrations on May 23, protesters broke into the palace, and injured the president. Malijet gives the details on how this attack occurred:
..Les manifestants ont pris la direction du palais de Koulouba sur des motos et des véhicules. [..]  Sans rencontrer la moindre résistance malgré la présence des forces de l’ordre, les arrivants escaladent les murs pour se retrouver jusqu’au sommet de l’imposant édifice. Une délégation des marcheurs conduite par Boubacar Boré [président de l'association Yélé Wolo Ton] sera reçue par le président Dioncounda Traoré à qui elle explique l’objet de la marche. Dioncounda Traoré leur assure qu’il a pris bonne note des griefs formulés contre lui et réitère sa volonté de ne jamais constituer un problème pour le pays. Boubacar Boré et ses compagnons prennent congé et rapportent le contenu de l’entretien aux manifestants dont une partie se disperse aussitôt. Mais, un autre groupe de manifestants était resté caché dans le jardin de la présidence. Ces irréductibles exigent la démission, séance tenante, de Dioncounda Traoré. La colère monte et ils défoncent les portes du secrétariat général de la présidence où le président a son bureau et investissent les bureaux. Il est alors un peu plus de 13 heures. Ils gagnent le premier étage où Dioncounda Traoré avait été évacué par quelques gardes de la salle d’audience pour une autre salle un peu plus éloignée. Les manifestants enragés balaient les quelques éléments de la Garde républicaine présents et forcent les deux portes de la salle. Ils font irruption dans la pièce. Quelques uns d’entre eux recommandent bien « ne le touchez pas » mais les plus nombreux se ruent sur le président sans défense, le frappent à coups de poing, de pied…
An amateur videographer recorded these events [now offline], and confirmed the above report.
Malijet explains how Traoré escaped the demonstrators:
Il [Un garde républicain] a alors le bon reflexe de coiffer Dioncounda Traoré du casque qui servait à le protéger lui même. Ce geste a certainement sauvé la vie du président car certains agresseurs étaient armés de marteaux et s’en sont servis. La suite est un peu plus confuse. Selon des informations que nous n’avons pas pu recouper, les forces de l’ordre sont finalement intervenues en nombre.
The presidential palace after the assault on the president. Photo by Dex Traoré on Twitter (CC license)
How can Mali resolve the crisis?
While President Traoré was evacuated to France to treat his injuries, the Committee of Malian Patriotic Organizations (COPAM, a pro-junta group) announced their wish that coup leader Captain Sanogo take charge of the transition. A ceremony in the M. Keita Stadium assembled supporters of the coup, with the intention of inaugurating Sanogo as President.
A former Malian minister believes that the country can find its way out of crisis by respecting its own diversity:
Le Mali d’aujourd’hui est une nation qui doit assumer et s’enrichir de sa pluralité. Le fait d’avoir voulu, depuis l’indépendance, enfermer cette nation plurielle dans les carcans jacobins d’un État-Nation d’origine coloniale est la cause principale de l’indifférence des populations ou du rejet des institutions et de l’administration étatique. Nos ascendants ont fait cohabiter bamanan, foula, songhoi, soninkés, boua, tamasheq, etc.. dans les mêmes familles, les mêmes royaumes et les mêmes empires. Pourquoi ne pouvons-nous pas en faire autant aujourd’hui ? L’unité de la nation n’est pas antinomique du respect de sa diversité. Il faut les conjuguer au lieu de les opposer. Mettons alors en place des institutions et des procédures administratives qui comprennent et qui savent gérer cette question.
Mali today is a nation which must accept, and enrich itself through, its diversity. The fact of having wanted, since independence, to lock up this diverse nation in the Jacobin shackles of a colonial Nation-State, is the main cause of people's indifference towards, or rejection of, the institutions and administration of the state. Our ancestors, the Bambara, Fula, Songhai, Soninke, Boua, Amazigh, etc., lived together in the same families, same kingdoms, and same empires. Why can we not do the same today? National unity is not antithetical to respect for our diversity. It is necessary for them to join together, rather than opposing one another. So let's establish administrative procedures and institutions which understand this, and which will know how to solve this question.
Malians living abroad have also reacted to the situation in their country.
Gilles Olakounlé Yabi, director of the West African Project of the International Crisis Group, believes that the crisis will, alas, continue:
Il n’y a malheureusement plus de solution miracle à une crise qui est partie pour durer. La condition nécessaire mais pas suffisante à la mise en place d’un cadre politique et sécuritaire permettant un retour progressif de l’Etat au nord est la clarification de la situation à Bamako (capitale du Mali). Il faut soutenir le gouvernement civil incarné par le Premier ministre Modibo Diarra et le président intérimaire Dioncounda Traoré, quoiqu’on pense des qualités et des défauts de ces personnalités, maintenir la pression sur les meneurs de la junte et leurs soutiens politiques tout en veillant à ne pas fragiliser davantage l’armée malienne. Remettre sur pied l’Etat, c’est redonner de la crédibilité et de l’autorité aux autorités civiles mais c’est aussi aider à restructurer l’appareil militaire. Mais on perd actuellement beaucoup de temps à Bamako dans de vaines querelles pendant que les groupes armés s’installent confortablement et durablement au nord, et imposent leur loi aux populations civiles.

author: Rakotomalala


text:
Mauritania: Student Scandal Rocks Presidential Palace · Global Voices
أحمد جدو

On May 3 a group of Mauritanian students made a surprise revelation [ar] at a press conference they organized that was covered by Mauritanian state television. They announced that the president's chief of staff Isselkou Ould Izidbih [former president of the University of Nouakchott] had attempted to bribe them to give up their struggle for students’ rights as well as to stop sit-ins and protests.
The group's spokesperson said that the president's chief of staff had asked them to split from the National Union of Mauritanian Students in return for a position paying 500 000 ouguiya [approx. $1700] as well as financial support for a number of students and a scholarship in a country of their choice.
The group said that after a number of meetings with Izidbih in the Presidential Palace they had made him believe they would split off, and would announce it in a press conference. They prepared everything, such as arranging media coverage and booking a hall in the luxury Al Khaima Hotel.
But they gave him a slap in the face when they revealed his plot to the media and exposed him to the public, giving evidence of his direct interference in the university and attempt to incite unrest within it. The students also accused the president's chief of staff of being behind racist incidents at the university by hiring and inciting some students.
The following video [ar] shows part of the press conference:
After the announcement Mauritanian state television withdrew from the press conference; it is worth mentioning that this was the first time it had been present at an event of this kind.
Blogger Dada Ould Sheikh Ibrahim wrote about the case:
The Victims Against Corruption group made a statement about the case:
The activist known as Mahmoum bi Mauritania tweeted:
Nasser Al Hashemi also tweeted about the case:

author: أحمد جدو


text:
Mexico: #YoSoy132, the Beginning of the Mexican Spring? · Global Voices
Miguel Angel Guevara

On Friday, May 11, the presidential candidate of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Enrique Peña Nieto, attended an open forum with students from the Iberoamericana University. The meeting was marked with protests from the students who rebuked the candidate in several occasions.
A month had passed on that Friday since the official political campaigns for Mexico's Presidency took off. Such election, up until then, didn't generate any interest among the electorate, mainly because people perceived the top candidate was invincible.
For many, the media coverage of the candidate's visit was biased, like the Mexican Editorial Organization that chose as a headline for its next day edition: “Success for Peña at the Ibero in spite of planned boycott intent” [es]. This coverage, along with the students’ protests, became an explosive mixture that first found an outlet in social media and now has taken its energy to the streets of the main Mexican cities.
Furthermore, some politicians qualified the students as “porros” (slang for members of fascist organizations who use violence as a method to express their views) or thugs, to which the Ibero students responded with a video entitled “131 Ibero students answer back” [es] where they show their Iberoamericana University student ID's.
Right away, political analyst Denise Dresser (@DeniseDresserG) [es] published on her Twitter account:
RT 131 Alumnos de la Ibero pero somos mas los que sentimos igual,SUMATE #somosmasde131yo soy el 132.Y tú,te sumas?
RT 131 Ibero students but there are more of us who feel the same, JOIN #somosmasde131 (we are more than 131) I am the 132. So, are you in?
The tweet started a chain of tweet reactions among throngs of youngsters that called themselves “the 132″. A web page was also set up to inform about the movement and its activities: http://yosoy132.mx/ [es].
University students protest on May 23 against media manipulation. Photo by Hector Aiza Ramirez, under Demotix copyright.
Last Saturday May 19, young people from several education institutions called for a protest that started at the heart of Mexico City – the Zocalo – and marched to the emblematic Independence Angel with the objective to inform all Mexicans and the world about the media bias seen at this election.
On Wednesday May 23, young students organized another protest, this time starting at the Light Stele and marching towards Televisa (TV Station) Headquarters to demand an impartial coverage of the election process.
There were some like Andrés Oseguera (@AndresOsegueraV) [es] who started calling this demonstration “the Mexican Spring”:
¿Será esto -por fin- nuestra primavera mexicana? La #MarchaYoSoy132#NoMasTelevisa
Is this – finally – our Mexican Spring? La #MarchaYoSoy132 (I am 132 protest) #NoMasTelevisa (No More Televisa)
The movement has turned out to be the oxygen for political life in a country where apathy was the rule, as it was pointed out by Ivan CD (@ivan6500) [es]:
Esta pinche generación ha conseguido un milagro La #MarchaYoSoy132 cuando perdia mi fe en Mexico aparecieron ustedes!!! #GRACIAS!
University students protest on May 23 against media manipulation. Picture by Hector Aiza Ramirez, under Demotix copyright.
Part of the frustration comes from the similarity many have noticed between the winning candidate and the soap operas produced by Televisa. Leopoldo Pérez (@leo_lpv) [es] published a motto heard at the protest:
La #MarchaYoSoy132 no queremos novelas, queremos escuelas!
The #MarchaYoSoy132 we don't want soap operas, we want schools!
These protests have taken place in several cities across the country like Oaxaca, Cuernavaca, Saltillo, Mérida, Guadalajara, among others, showing the strong discontent the young have towards mainstream media. Erika-Flowers (@ErikaFlores27) [es] wrote:
La #MarchaYoSoy132 Los medios masivos de la comunicación son opresores y manipuladores de la información, usados por los “poderosos”…
The #MarchaYoSoy132 Mainstream mass media are information oppressors and manipulators used by the “powerful”…
This heterogeneous group of young people has woken up and shown their indignation to the heartrending problems of a country that coexists daily with frightening poverty levels, more than 60 thousand deaths due to a ‘war‘ against organized crime, and endless social issues that make it imperative, like David Sánchez Romero (@Deiv_SR) said, to have a better Mexico:
México entrará en un momento de: YO NO ME VOY A DEJAR FREGAR, YO YA NO, ENTIENDAN YO SOY UN JOVEN QUE QUIERE UN MÉXICO MEJOR
Mexico will enter a moment of: I AM NOT LETTING SOMEONE SCREW WITH ME, NOT ANY MORE, UNDERSTAND THAT I AM A YOUNG PERSON THAT WANTS A BETTER MEXICO

author: Miguel Angel Guevara


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Myanmar: Power Shortage Protests Spread · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

Power shortages are common during summer in Myanmar but the situation is much worse this year. Power plants can only provide six hours of electricity per day on rotational basis in most of the districts of the two largest cities in the country. The President of the Office of Electricity Supply of Yangon explained that the power shortage is due to a bomb blast that destroyed a transmission tower connected to the Shwe Li Hydropower Station.
The rotating power woes inconvenienced the public which sparked a rare but peaceful protest in Mandalay a few days ago. The protesters lighted candles and displayed posters to deliver their message. CJ Myanmar uploaded photos of the protest on Facebook.
Protest against electricity shortages around City Hall, Yangon. Image from Facebook page of CJMyanmar.
Thant Zin Oo Kse clarified [my] that the actual situation is much worse in Mandalay:
It's not even 6 hours supply and 12 hours shortage, electricity has been supplied only about 6 hours per two days, you can come here if you don't believe it. Even during the scheduled supply period, shortage did occur.
Nyunt Aung posted a sarcastic comment about it:
We are very rich to have “candle-light Dinner” almost everyday.Thank you.
Protests continued the following day and the actions spread to other towns. About 50 participants which included writers, poets, volunteers and members of opposition National League of Democracy were detained for questioning Myanmar's Special Branch Police. However, Hmuu Zaw who identified himself as a civil servant and is believed to be the staff of president's office denied that there was instruction to detain the protesters.
Candle Night in Mdy
No order or directive to detain anyone in this situation.
May be , just asking detailed information only, relating to the concern of violence.
Be cool, and be careful the blackmail behind the people.
All those questioned were released [my] without charge. On 22 May, 2012, there were already police forces in the area where protesters gathered in the last two days, as reported by CJ Myanmar.
The movement reached Yangon where people gathered and protested at Sule Pagoda. Maung Kaung uploaded a video of the protest.
Consumers demanded the resignation of Zaw Min, Minsiter of the Ministry of Electric Power 1, who said [my] that Myanmar's excess power supply should not be used for local needs only since it can be sold to nearby countries. Lay Maung Khin expressed [my] his opinion about the minister in a note [my] of Yeyint Nge.
Dear U (Mr. in Myanmar) Zaw Min, if you cannot perform your duty, resign. If you are not able to be dutiful, you have the responsibility to let others take over your position.
Kaba Phyar also wrote a Facebook status about the Minister:
Don't be down-hearted if you can only say rubbish. You can at least be the Minister of Ministry of Electric Power!
Kyaw Myo Khine commented on Myanmar Netizens Facebook page as well:
Zaw Min has ignored citizens concerns and sold electric power to China. This will not be tolerated and he needs to quit the goverment.
Some are furious at China as well because a huge amount of electricity produced by hydropower plants in Myanmar is sold to China. Sai Kaung Satt Thar pointed out that the reason of destroyed transmission tower is not valid:
The reason and action are too contradictory. 70% of electricity supplied to Yangon is from Law Pi Ta and Ye Ywar hydro-powered stations, those from Shwe Li station go to China, why there should be a shortage of electricity in Yangon? Go and cut China's power!
Aung Myo expressed his anger towards China under the album posted by CJ Myanmar, too:
Don't do anything. It's all empty since China took all electricity supply.
The protests didn't stop at Yangon. The movement spread to the towns of Monywa, Pyi, and Bago which are also suffering from rotating brownouts. There are Myanmar netizens who changed their profile pictures and timeline cover photo with an image of candles in dark background to show support to the protests.

author: Chan Myae Khine


text:
Puerto Rico: “Revuelo,” a Beautiful Commotion  · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

A stunning view of the sky woven with 500 kites covers the central patio of the National Gallery (Galería Nacional) in Old San Juan, the colonial city in the capital San Juan. “Revuelo” [es] (Commotion)-the name given to this breathtaking artistic and architectural project- is the proposal of the architects and designers Doel Fresse and  Vladimir García that won the contest of Ephemeral Architecture convened by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, the National Gallery and the Gallery Espacio-Temporal. “Revuelo” is a temporary installation that can be viewed until July 2012.
One of the press releases [es] about “Revuelo” explains:
Revuelo sumerge al espectador sumerge en una experiencia visual, auditiva y táctil que celebra nuestro trópico y la manera en que nos interrelacionamos con este, mientras reafirma nuestra identidad de pueblo.
The architect and photographer Raquel Pérez-Puig, who documented all the stages of the installation process, has shared some of her lovely photos with Global Voices. Here we present a selection, a feast for the eyes!
"Revuelo," in the making.
"Revuelo," in the making.
"Revuelo," in the making.
There is also a video on the construction process of “Revuelo” (by Roberto Rivera Sánchez):

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


text:
Saudi Arabia: Censorship of Wikipedia · Global Voices
Salah Almhamdi

Saudi Arabia, one of Reporters Without Borders’ Internet Enemies, has blocked access to many articles on the free encyclopedia Wikipedia. The Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission has censored over 130 articles in Arabic and English, including articles relating to sex and sexuality, the human body, and the theory of evolution. You can find the full list of censored articles here.

author: Salah Almhamdi


text:
Spain: How Social Networks are Cleaning Up TV · Global Voices
Elena Arrontes

Technological progress doesn't always equate to progress in quality of life.  The case of Spanish TV programming is a clear example of this disconnect of these two.  For several years low-quality content has been broadcast in Spain. Called telebasura in Spanish (trash TV),  it has been a very profitable business model for its low cost production and wide audience reach.  These programs earn lots of money for the television networks by broadcasting the worst facet of humanity, often dwelling on the scandalous or immoral.  The sensational is played up for financial gains which raises serious questions about the ethics and whether the public is being well-served or honestly served by the information in these programs. A large part of reality shows and gossip or roundtable programs are dressed up with a journalistic appearance.  These are some of the comments of  the Manifesto against TV trash [es], of the Platform For Quality TV:
Bajo una apariencia hipócrita de preocupación y denuncia, los programas de telebasura se regodean con el sufrimiento; con la muestra más sórdida de la condición humana; con la exhibición gratuita de sentimientos y comportamientos íntimos. Desencadenan una dinámica en la que el circense “más difícil todavía” anuncia una espiral sin fin para sorprender al espectador.
NO TRASH TV! TURN IT OFF BEFORE IT DISCONNECTS YOU.  Photo from arrakis.es
Mainstream Media vs Social Networks
However TV trash is in serious danger thanks to an active audience that has used the power of social networks and digital campaigns. Since 2008, the journalist and blogger Pablo Herreros has been critical of these programs on his blog, Communication is what the game's called [es], even calling some programs “subsidized crime” on TV. Some programs have presented interviews with criminals or their families to talk about their crimes on set in exchange for large sums of money.
In October 2011, Pablo Herreros put together a petition on his blog with over 33,000 signatures that demanded advertisers to punish the programs that engaged in these practices. Among the programs the petition sought to stop is the show La Noria, which  paid for an interview with the mother of El Cuco, guilty of killing the young woman Marta del Castillo [es] after a highly publicized case. The advertisers heeded the petition, making it the first time advertisers have completely withdrawn from a program. Just a few weeks ago the program stopped broadcasting.
The blogger Pablo Herreros also spread a video (in Spanish) that shows the victim's families pain and trauma caused by these type of paid interviews:
The fight in the social networks for responsible TV programming continues under the hashtags #NomáscrímenpagadoenTV (No more paid crime on TV) and #Otratelevisiónesposible (Another television is possible). The goal is for the petition to garner enough support to include politicians and television stations.  Several advertisers have heard its call which is itself a great achievement.
Some media outlets already point to a  possible decline in trash on TV [es] referring mainly to those programs that pay criminals, and sensationalist journalistic TV shows. The advertising crisis in Spain could be the perfect moment to think over what type of TV is most desired by society and help bring it about.
While it is important to trust in popular initiatives on the Internet and their influence, it cannot be forgotten that four days ago the Big Brother reality TV show, after 12 years of being broadcast, continued breaking audience records with 1.3 million viewers in Spain.

author: Elena Arrontes