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Nine Questions for Carola Cintrón Moscoso, or Why “Silence Doesn’t Exist” · Global Voices
Firuzeh Shokooh Valle

Carola Cintrón Moscoso
Carola Cintrón Moscoso is an artist of sound. Yes, those sounds that often pass unnoticed. They are not the sounds that we sit down to listen to. They are the ones that inundate our lives, our spaces, but that we generally don't hear. Carola lives and works with these sounds, our relationships with them, their relationships with us. And this is how, with her and within her, sound awakens, and awakens us.
Although Carola assures me that she is only interested in generating sound and not creating a narrative, nor metaphors, in these sounds I find the city, objects, memory, knots, time, change, and loss. And loss also has its sound, or its non-sound: one that Carola knows very well. In this interview, another one conducted over email, messages that opened new conversations, twists and surprises – which are still possible in this long and beautiful friendship – Carola Cintrón Moscoso talks to us about sound.
In everyday life, we often don't let ourselves walk, contemplate, and much less listen. This work allowed me to discover a fascinating layer of sound, a space for contemplation… another way of experiencing the city.
If I had to choose, then, the laughter of my two children, although it sounds completely cliché, is one of my favorite sounds/actions. Each one is very different from the other, different rhythms and frequencies; that's the only specific sound I can mention, the rest is exploration and a response to what I hear, randomly, through transformation and each work. When I work with sound I depart from the sound itself, I listen to it, I edit it, I transform it for each project, but the search for and use of low frequencies is repeated throughout my work, maybe because of the physical discomfort that high frequencies or very high-pitched sounds cause me, and because of their characteristics and the way they fill the installation space in a more homogeneous way, with a more uniform structure.
The interaction in my pieces happens in various ways, some pieces use programmed randomizing systems to keep generating changes in the sounds, others change according to the presence/action of the person participating in the piece, and in more recent works the exploration moves towards the creation of sound through the use of resistance, electronics and sound particles.
In the end, my search is for the possibility of changing or working with sound as a physical material (Marinetti, Pierre Schaeffer); which is fragmented, united, transformed, moved from one place to another, directed, filtered, etc. although it seems so intangible. Currently, I’m not interested in creating a narrative with my sounds, nor metaphors nor psychological spaces, just sound and its possibilities of generation and transformation, as John Cage said: “I have no need for [sounds] to be anything more than what they are. I don’t want them to be psychological. I don’t want a sound to pretend that it’s a bucket or that it’s the president or that it’s in love with another sound. I just want it to be a sound.” Interview in the documentary “Listen” (1992)
In that sense, the participation in my work is an invitation to share that experience, maybe in the process, another person might also become fascinated or transformed.
Memory is fragmented, it’s neither constant nor linear, maybe knots are the obvious consequence of sticking fragments together, constructed and reconstructed, one on top of the other. They could be callouses, fibromas, adhesions… but to me the image of the knot is more beautiful, a knot can always be undone!
CCM: It’s part of life. I imagine that it’s all related (the city, participation, relating to others), in my case getting close to loss is part of the ritual: sometimes collective, sometimes individual.
“Regress” explores loss in a very intimate and personal way, a process of extreme introspection, returning, reconnecting, letting go…
Working with loss is part of working with ritual, celebration, memory, and transformation. Loss has different meanings and relating to it is manifested in different ways depending on what has been lost, how much time has passed and the desire to remember.
CCM: In 2004 my grandmother died, and in 2006 my mother died. Between these two deaths, thinking on the one hand about the way memories, events and stories are retained, and on the other hand about the way loss and death are talked about, facing what I knew would come without knowing exactly when, I developed “Un minuto de silencio.”
Facing the impossibility at that moment of talking about the loss, of accepting it or understanding it, I thought of silence, of the tribute, the ritual of thinking and remembering… simply being. The silence became large and collective, in the need for company.
As always happens when there is participation, and this is the wonderful thing, in the process of making it, of asking for others to participate, the piece was transformed and to my surprise, one of the women who participated even thanked me for giving her the space to have this minute of silence and this tribute to the person that she selected.
My minute of silence started with my loss, in the process it was transformed into the loss of others, into a ritual, something collective.
GV: So there is only silence in loss?
CCM: The silence of the one who is absent, the rest carries on.

author: Firuzeh Shokooh Valle


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Russia PM Medvedev’s Facebook Post on Ukraine · Global Voices
Andrey Tselikov

“Dmitry Anatolyevich, are you sleeping again? Dmitry Anatolyevich?” Anonymous image found online.
Prime Minister Medvedev, who has been as silent on the issue of Ukraine and its territorial integrity as his boss President Putin, chose an odd venue when he finally decided to make his statement. He, or likely one of his secretaries, made a post [ru] on his Facebook account, which has already gathered over 5,000 replies, 6,000 likes and 3,000 shares. In it he made several statements, the oddest of which was this:
Да, авторитет президента Януковича практически ничтожен, но это не отменяет того факта, что по Конституции Украины он – легитимный глава государства.
Yes, the authority President Yanukovich holds is practically nil, but that does not change the fact that, according the the Ukrainian Constitution, he is the legitimate head of the state.
He then proceeded to suggest that the Ukrainian Parliament should impeach Yanukovich, if that's what they want to do. This (valid) description of Yanukovich's authority led some Twitter users to comment on Medvedev's own flagging stature.
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dmitriy Medvedev with swapped heads. “Twins” in reverse. Anonymous image found online.
One tweet that has been retweeted over 150 times joked:
Дмитрия Медведева на время войны отвезли к бабушке
— AXT (@filin_pro) March 2, 2014
While the was is on, Medvedev is staying at his grandma's
Another blogger tweeted:
И Медведев нашёл того, кто ещё более жалок, и всё пытается попрыгать на политическом трупе. http://t.co/OzLeSQS3zo
— Сергей Д (@sd0107) March 2, 2014
Medvedev found someone who was even more pitiful than his is, and keeps trying to jump on the political corpse.
Others noted that a legitimate president with zero authority is an “oxymoron [ru].”
Meanwhile, Medvedev finished his Facebook post by calling Ukraine a “destitute relative”:
“Don't worry Vic[tor], we've got this.” Anonymous image found online.
России нужна сильная и стабильная Украина. Предсказуемый и экономически состоятельный партнер. А не бедный родственник, вечно стоящий с протянутой рукой.
Russia needs a strong and stable Ukraine. A predictable and an economically sound partner. Not a destitute relative, forever waiting for handouts.
The replies to the post start off on a positive note (“Yes, I agree” and “Well said”), but quickly become criticism of Russia's position in Ukraine and the ostensible intervention in the Crimea. Medvedev, or his press team, has yet to respond to any of them.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Andrey Tselikov


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Selfies or Social Entrepreneurship? What’s Your Definition For Success? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bangladeshi adventurer and social entrepreneur Muntasir Mamun has some advice for the young people, who have not yet decided about their goal, still haven’t found their place; merely figuring it all out:
By placing emphasis on new, different and bigger picture things, we change our definitions of success. Experiment, calculate, find your own path and organise yourself – and then inspire others to come along with you.

author: Rezwan


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Solving Poverty in Malaysia · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The group Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia is pushing for the passage of a  Social Inclusion Act to address the problem of poverty in Malaysia:
Top-down prescription is not working despite the claims otherwise by the government. For aid to really work, one needs to get into the fine-grain pockets of pain and the ignored because each case is unique. For one it may be about education, for another about a gambling habit or a handicap or of self-esteem. It's not about opening the money tap per se, but how you distribute and use these funds.

author: Mong Palatino


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Tale of China’s Zhou Yongkang Won’t Be Swept Under Rug After All · Global Voices
Jenny Liang Feng

China appeared poised for a public announcement about an allegedly corrupt former official in a widely publicized anti-graft campaign that has seen many of his associates’ political careers torpedoed.
At a press conference in Beijing on Sunday, a government spokesperson offered the first official hint that the fate of Zhou Yongkang, China’s former security chief, would not be kept under wraps from the public, as censors have partially lifted the restriction to search his name on Chinese social media.
“Anyone who violates the party disciplines and state laws would be seriously investigated and published, regardless of how high-ranking he is ” Lyu Xinhua, spokesperson for the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said in response to a question from a reporter with the South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong newspaper that has reported extensively on Zhou.
“Our serious investigation and punishment of party members and party officials who violated laws have shown that our talk is not empty talk,” Lyu said.
Zhou Yongkang spoke at a legal conference in 2011.Screen grab from Youku
The spokesperson came short of offering any specifics about Zhou's situation, and ended by saying:” This is all I can say for now, but you know what I am implying here”, drawing a burst of laughters from the journalists at the scene.
The first official comment on the former politician came as China gears up for the annual parliamentary session, when many in the country are expecting the new leadership to break its silence on the episode.
Since stepping down as a member of the Chinese core leadership during the once-in-a-decade leadership transition in 2012, Zhou had made periodic appearances that kept pundits guessing whether he was in real trouble. But since emerging in an alumni celebration at the China University of Petroleum last October, Zhou has disappeared from the public eye.
His alleged detention over corruption charges is a staple topic in overseas Chinese media, and has been under great scrutiny from various foreign media outlets. Most notably, in a front-page story last December, The New York Times quoted four unnamed sources that confirmed Zhou’s detention.
With a bachelor’s degree in Geophysical Survey and Exploration, 71-year-old Zhou, like many members of the previous leadership, is a technocrat-turned politician. He held sway for almost a decade over China’s lucrative oil business by sitting at the helm of the state-owned oil conglomerate China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the largest producer of oil and gas in the country.
Zhou’s promotion to higher offices came on the heels of his departure from the top boss position in Sichuan in 2002. That year, he secured a place in the powerful Central Political Bureau and was elevated to the head of Ministry of Public Security.
Five years later at an important Communist Party conclave, Zhou’s political career reached a climax after being selected as a member of the nine-person Standing Committee of the Politburo, China’s elite ruling body.
As security chief and head of the law and politics committee, Zhou was responsible for overseeing China’s police apparatus, court system and intelligence work. During his tenure, Chinese government ‘s spending in “stability maintenance” had reportedly exceeded that of national security.
His political legacy was reportedly in free fall shortly after Chinese high-flying politician Bo Xilai was targeted for what the Chinese officials said was an anti-corruption probe. Bo, widely seen as Zhou's close ally, was convicted last year of bribery, corruption and abuse of power, for which he is now serving a life sentence.
Rumours about his trouble have intensified as China's President Xi Jinping reinforces his anti-corruption crusade that has purged quite a number of party officials, many of whom enjoyed close relationships with Zhou.
If Zhou indeed turned out to be one of the “biggest tigers”, a buzzword in reference to the most powerful officials, Xi would be breaking an unwritten rule that essentially shields former Standing Committee members from being prosecuted.
Many Twitter users have heeded the hint at the conference.
Wang Feng, an online editor with the South China Morning Post, tweeted:
“You know what I mean” — CNPCC spokesman drops first hint Zhou Yongkang investigation to be soon announced http://t.co/1V8HODxsaZ
— Wang Feng (@ulywang) March 2, 2014
Shanghai-based Edde, who is a self-described news junkie, wrote on his accounted:
Tomorrow should be the time when Beijing reveals the dark past of the Zhou Yongkang clique, right? pic.twitter.com/pTZoexOTxV
— edde (@Edourdoo) March 2, 2014
On China's most popular microblogging service Sina Weibo, Longcheng Yijiu wrote:
前段时间不是石油系统，就是四川的事情，看来真是先剪除羽翼，再瓮中捉鳖。
Many incidents had been exposed in the past [few months], all centering on either the oil industries or Sichuan. Looks like [the leadership] is trying to crack down by cutting wings and then catch the man when he is encircled.
An anonymous Weibo user commented:
有的话不能说得太明白。现在还不是公布的时机，但已经快要水落石出了。这就是他的意思。
Sometimes, certain words can't be spelled out explicitly. Now is not the good time to make an announcement, but it's going to happen soon. This is what [the spokesperson] meant.

author: Jenny Liang Feng


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The 2014 Forum for Francophone Women Opens in Kinshasa, DRC  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The Banner for the 2014 forum for francophone women in Kinshasa, DRC – Public Domain
The 2014 Forum for Francophone Women [fr] Opens today in Kinshasa, DRC. This is the second installment of the forum following the initial one in Paris in 2013. While the first forum focused on reducing violence against women in conflict areas, The objective of the 2014 forum will be dedicated to the role of women in development. Three workshops will be held [fr]: women and education, women and power, women and peace. A focus group will address the issue of girls education up to 16 years old.

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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The Soundtrack of the Syrian Resistance · Global Voices
Leila Nachawati Rego

Get out, Bashar. Bashar, you´re a liar. To hell with you and your speeches. Freedom is at the door. Get out, Bashar.
These are the first lines of a catchy tune that has become the anthem of the Syrian uprising since Syrians took to the streets in March 2011: “Yalla irhal, ya Bashar”. Its edgy lyrics echo the demands of protesters after four decades of regime control.
Folk singer Ibrahim Kashoush led anti-regime demonstrations in Hama with a husky voice over the steady beat of music, until June 2011, a few days after one of the largest demonstrations ever held in Syria, when he was found floating dead in the Orontes river with his throat slit.
Kashoush's killing was a sinister message of what could happen to anyone speaking out against Syria's ruling family, but it did not silence the people who sang “Yalla irhal” in the streets nor the activists who engaged in creative campaigns to drive the authorities crazy.
An animation called “The Voice of Resistance” by Lebanese media network Kharabeesh from December 2011 illustrates how loudspeakers playing revolutionary music were hidden in streets and in official government buildings, amplifying the voice of Kashoush.
From the beginning of the uprising, it was clear from the persecution of Syrian musicians, poets, and artists, including the satirical cartoonist Ali Ferzat, whose hands were broken during arrest last year, that one of the main targets of the regime would be Syria's budding civic movement.
Creative mobilizations of all kinds, including sit-ins, civil disobedience campaigns, banners, cartoons, graffiti, and poetry, gained momentum in public spaces as well as online. There is an archive of stories about this on the portal Syria Untold, a website that I co-founded.
The wall of fear and silence that took decades to build was broken in a matter of weeks, even as the regime displayed unprecedented brutality against peaceful dissent. Music, with its mobilizing and uplifting power, was at the core of the civic movement, increasingly difficult to silence.
In the words of Syrian pianist Malek Jandali, “Dictators, in general, are fearful of art and music, because it’s the search for truth and beauty.” In an interview with Syria Untold, Jandali describes, how Syrian art was controlled by the ruling family, starting with the national anthem.
Syria’s coast is home to the world’s oldest music notation, and the Ugaritic alphabet, which is thought to be the civilization’s first alphabet. But instead of paying homage to the country’s rich history, the national anthem begins with a reference to the military, the “guardians of the homeland. Why don’t we talk about Syrian inventions like the alphabet and music, instead of military forces and war?
Jandali, whose family home was ransacked and whose parents were beaten in retaliation for his music, says that the Syrian revolution has allowed for the birth of a generation of artists, breaking away from the long tradition of official propaganda embedded in art.
“That was not art. You need freedom to produce. You need freedom for true art, for knowledge and culture, for innovation and progress. Without freedom, there is nothing,” he says.
The search for beauty that Jandali identifies, permeates through all Syrian music genre and styles, from the irreverent folk songs chanted at demonstrations to the classical piano notes of his “Syria Anthem of the Free”.
It also extends to music genres that are known for challenging social norms, such as heavy metal and hip hop.
Satanism and blood-sucking are just some of the things members of the Syrian metal band Anarchadia have been accused of. They self-define as anarchists and were among the first to stand up in support for public resistance against the Assad regime.
Syrian metal music fan “Mounir” told Syria Untold:
Rock and metal music, with its gloomy outfits, loud music and spiked bracelets, have always been deeply connected to rebellion, to revolution and raging against the machine. So the fact that Syrians who listen to hard music are mostly anti-regime is not a coincidence.
Anarchadia fled the country, escaping detention, harassment and death threats. So did Syrian-Palestinian hip hop group Refugees of Rap, whose third album, The Age Of Silence, is a metaphor of the darkness Syria was plunged into decades.
The Age of Silence is over. How can so much injustice come from just one man? You should stand up and say it straight from your heart, wake up from your fear. There is nothing to fear, you can say what you want, the Age of Silence is over.
Even as they are surrounded by the horror of war and the escalation of violence, many Syrians have managed to channel grief and destruction into creativity and life.
Using parts of rockets, unexploded mortar shells and bullet casings, ceramist Abu Ali al-Bitar, from the devastated city of Duma, has produced a “creative montage” that includes lamps, canes, a toilet made of rockets, and a wide array of musical instruments.
“I created art from the epitome of pain and destruction,” Abu Ali says in an interview with Syria Untold. “The Syrian people are smart and courageous, and the world stands witness to our ancient culture and civilization. We are a people of peace, not a people of war, and we are not bloodthirsty.”
“Bullet shells can be used for all kinds of art,” he sings, while he shows how to use his hand-made instruments. “I used the rockets for the Oriental bass, like the drum and the tympana, which everyone knows are made of copper.”
Today, three years into the outbreak of the Syrian uprising, civic activists are no longer only fighting the Assad regime but also extremist groups like the Islamic front of Iraq and Syria who are gaining ground in the power vacuum of “liberated” areas. Open displays of art and creativity, such as music, have become a target for these groups, who have even raided wedding parties and public celebrations to stop music and singing.
Silencing musicians by force is part of an attempt to impose political and religious agendas that clash with the diversity and richness of the Syrian social fabric.The popular resistance against these new forms of oppression has been as strong as it was in the face of the regime. Protesters have chanted it, loud and clear, throughout the liberated areas: “ISIS, get out of our country. Assad and ISIS are one.”
The video at top is of a crowd singing “Yalla irhal, ya Bashar” led by the late Ibrahim Qashoush with English subtitles and added music (via The Revolting Syrian – July 2011).

author: Leila Nachawati Rego


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Trinidad & Tobago: Between Governments · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

In the context of the number and scale of projects being undertaken via government to government arrangements, Afra Raymond explains why Trinidad and Tobago's current high-level State mission to China is “a critical issue to delve into.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Why Protests Will Not Lead to a ‘Cambodian Spring’ · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Faine Greenwood writes about the Stanford lecture given by Cambodian human rights activist Ou Virak. Asked about the anti-government protests taking place in Cambodia, Ou Virak explained why it would not lead to a ‘political spring':
I don’t think a spring in Cambodia will happen, nor do I think it’s desirable…We don’t even have a word for spring in Khmer. The closest word is revolution, which reminds people of Khmer Rouge.
He also criticized the opposition party for failing to provide a clear political agenda:
I haven’t seen an agenda…The only thing I’ve seen is how much we hate Hun Sen, and how much we hate Vietnam…That’s a formula for disaster, going in with so much hate. We have no idea what we are fighting for.


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7 Nepali Women, 7 Summits in 7 Continents, 1 Mission · Global Voices
Sanjib Chaudhary

The members of the Seven Summits Women Team/ Screenshot from video on their YouTube channel
It all started with the ‘First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 Spring’ which became the most successful Nepali women’s expedition to ever scale Mt Everest in May 2008. The expedition comprised of ten women who broke through socio-cultural barriers to prove their mettle in a patriarchic society. Seven members from diverse ethnic and social backgrounds came together during this expedition and went on to climb five highest peaks in the five continents. Their mission is to climb the highest mountain in each continent; 5 done, 2 to go.
Alan Arnette, climber and mountaineering writer congratulated the team on their successful ascent of Mount Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America.
Nepali Seven Summits Women Team summited Aconcagua. Denali, Vinson remain. Well done Ladies. http://t.co/sDWktSmfXQ
— Alan Arnette (@alan_arnette) March 2, 2014
Last year, marking the occasion of International Women’s Day, the women climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa together with four African women, highlighting the significance of girl education. The Kilimanjaro climb was partly sponsored by The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
Jenna Cattermole, WFP Communications Officer in Tanzania, tweeted:
1yr ago they climbed Kili with @WFP Tz – now they've climbed Mt Aconcagua! Congrats to the Seven Summits Women! http://t.co/acFZ9m6S29
— Jenna Cattermole (@jennbcat) February 27, 2014
Members of the Seven Summits Women Team – Shailee Basnet, Pujan Acharya, Maya Gurung, Asha Kumari Singh, Nimdoma Sherpa, Pema Diki Sherpa and Chunu Shrestha come from diverse backgrounds, each with strong personal stories of struggle and inspiration.
The inclusiveness of the team is an example for all to emulate.
Kanak Mani Dixit, a veteran Nepali journalist tweeted:
Our politicians in forming cabinet could have learnt inclusiveness from seven sisters who just climbed Mt. Aconcagua http://t.co/SipjL26SEU
— Kanak Mani Dixit (@KanakManiDixit) February 26, 2014
The website dedicated to the summiteers details their source of inspiration, motivation and goal.
One ran away from home at 14 to escape a forced marriage. Another was educated, as she was deemed not to be beautiful enough to find a good husband. Hence we not only believe the message we carry but also incorporate school visits, collaboration with local women and learning about local environmental impact as core components of the mission. The goal is to compile the knowledge gained in this historic journey into educational material, which will be distributed, to students worldwide.
Since 2008, the group has visited over 150 schools not only in Nepal but across five continents, speaking to around 20,000 students about their own journey of struggle, success and bigger dreams. Under their mission to promote women empowerment, the group encourages, supports and guides women of all ages and nationalities to hike, train and explore the outdoors along with them; their belief – “exploring your own limit is the only way to empowerment”.
The group has uploaded a YouTube video to seek support in their mission.
Less than 350 people in the world have climbed the seven summits, which include all the highest peaks in each of the seven continents. Out of them only 51 are women and till now nobody from Nepal has achieved this feat.
With the scaling of Mt Everest in Asia, Mt Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt Elbrus in Europe, Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mt Aconcagua in South America, the seven women are only two peaks away to reaching their goal. Abiding with their motto ‘Together We Reach Higher’ they want to publish the knowledge gained in the seven continents into educational material to be distributed worldwide to young students.

author: Sanjib Chaudhary


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A Chronology of International Violations by Russian Troops in Ukraine · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

The popular Maidan Translations blog republished a Facebook post by Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Ukrainian Center for Military-Political Studies, that describes several alleged international violations and “irregular actions” since late February 2014. Tymchuk begin this run-down by saying:
For instance, on February 28, at 8.45 a.m. the flight of more than 10 military helicopters was monitored by the technical observation post located on the cape of Takil from the direction of the Russian Federation to Ukraine.
Three helicopters (two KA-27 and one Mi-8) landed at the Kacha airport and passed through the border and customs established procedures according to an application made preliminarily. The rest of the helicopters came down near the airport; herewith, there was no answer received on the border detail chief’s appeal concerning the necessity of passing the established formalities by these helicopters, which arrived without a preliminary made application in violation of relevant agreement.
The chief of the border detail of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine made a statement of Ukrainian border violation by aforementioned helicopters.

author: Danica Radisic


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Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin Brutally Arrested by Egyptian Police · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

Famous US Peace activist and co-founder of Code Pink Medea Benjamin was on her way to meet up international delegates in Cairo before going to a women's conference in Gaza when she was detained and violently handcuffed without explanation by the Egyptian police, breaking her arm.
Reporting on Twitter, she said:
I'm being held in a jail at Cairo airport!!!
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
This is my cell in Cairo airport pic.twitter.com/ogIaXTvJvh
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Only food for 5 women is dirty stale bread and dirty water pic.twitter.com/6YFwXm4KL0
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
I'm supposed to go w women's delegation to Gaza via Egypt but egyptians put me in jail at airport
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Freezing in Cairo cell. Guards call me "American"–American, do this. American, do that.
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Women in Egyptian jail cell with me moaning all night, sick. Guards won't let her see a doctor.
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Stuck in cold jail cell at Cairo airport gives new meaning to term "jetlag"
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
I was supposed to be greeting international delegates for trip to Gaza. Instead I am stuck in jail cell in cairo airport :(
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
And just when we thought it couldn't get worse:
Help. They broke my arm. Egypt police
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Her last messages of the day reveals that she is currently unable to send more photos:
.@ democracynow. Sending photos in twitter. Phone working
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Trying to send more but not working
— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) March 4, 2014
Medea was deported to Turkey where she spoke to Democracy Now‘s Amy Goodman:
During the interview, she revealed the severity of her injuries:
I’ve gotten two shots of painkiller, but it’s not enough. They fractured my arm, dislocated my shoulder, tore the ligaments. They jumped on top of me. And this was all never telling me what was the problem. And so, it was a very brutal attack, and I’m in a lot of pain.
Later, she explains what happened:
When I gave in my passport, I was taken aside, brought into a separate room, where I was held for seven hours without anybody ever telling me what was wrong. Then I was put into a jail cell in the airport, held overnight. And in the morning, five very scary-looking men came in and wanted to take me away. And I said, “The embassy is coming. The embassy is coming.” They were supposed to have arrived. Instead, they dragged me out, tackled me to the ground, jumped on me, handcuffed my wrists so tight that they started bleeding, and then dislocated my shoulder, and then kept me like that, grabbing my arm. The whole way, I was shouting through the airport, screaming in pain. Then the—I demanded to get medical attention. The Egyptian doctors came and said, “This woman cannot travel. She’s in too much pain. She needs to go to the hospital.” The Egyptian security refused to take me to a hospital and threw me on the plane. Thank God there was an orthopedic surgeon on the plane who gave me another shot and put the arm back in its shoulder. But they were so brutal, and, as I said, Amy, never saying why.
Medea also expressed her shock at her embassy's complete ignorance:
Some of the delegates, including Ann Wright, who had already arrived for the Gaza delegation, had been calling the embassy non-stop. The CodePink people in D.C. were calling the embassy non-stop. They were always saying, “They’re supposed to show up. They’re supposed to show up.” They never showed up. I was on the tarmac. The Turkish airline was forced to take me, but we delayed an hour while they were debating what to do. There were about 20 men there. And the embassy never showed up the entire time.
The full transcript of the interview can be found on Democracy Now

author: Elia J. Ayoub


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First Public Gay Marriage in Myanmar · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Myo Min Htet and Tin Ko Ko marry as the first public gay couple in Yangon, Myanmar. Photo by Thet Htoo, Copyright @Demotix (3/2/2014)


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“Hands Off Russian-Language Press” in Tajikistan · Global Voices
Mahina Shodizoda

Following a recent court ruling against an ethnic Russian journalist and a newspaper that published her material, some netizens in Tajikistan believe that the authorities are cracking down on Russian-language press.
On February 25, a Tajik judge found Asia-Plus editor and columnist Olga Tutubalina guilty of “insulting” state-appointed intellectuals and ordered that she pay them about 6,000 US dollars in “moral damage”. The journalist “insulted” the intellectuals – as well as the country's Academy of Science and four creative unions – by criticizing the intelligentsia in service of the state and quoting Vladimir Lenin's characterization of docile intellectuals as “shit”. The judge also ruled that Asia-Plus, the most popular Russian-language weekly in Tajikistan, must apologize for publishing the “insulting” column.
A journalist tweeting under an alias ‘Bachai Sako’ wrote [ru]:
Я всё больше и больше уверен в том, что приговор против Тутубалиной – это начало кампании против русской прессы в Таджикистане
— Бачаи Сако (@BachaiSako) February 28, 2014
I am increasingly convinced that the ruling against Tutubalina is the beginning of a campaign against Russian press in Tajikistan.
Пора всем журналистам страны встать на защиту Тутубалиной и русскоязычной прессы!
— Бачаи Сако (@BachaiSako) February 28, 2014
It is time for all journalists to stand up and defend [Olga] Tutubalina and the Russian-language press!
Blog Russian Chronicles of Tajikistan argued [ru] that the ruling was “part of the campaign against independent Russian-language press”. In an earlier post, the blog claimed [ru] that the authorities were trying to accelerate the “inevitable” process of “de-Russification” of Tajikistan by destroying media catering to Russian speakers. The post ends with the blogger calling on all “Russian-speaking citizens and representatives of Russian-language media” to defend the independent press by confronting the “most ardent nationalists” in the government of Tajikistan.
But some netizens do not agree with the view that Russian-language press is under threat. In fact, some believe that media in Russian are themselves a threat:
“Hands off Russian-language press! Eat your ‘pitzo’ silently! [The last sentence refers to a recent effort on part of the authorities to ensure the “purity” of Tajik language and strengthen its role by cleansing it off “impurities” adopted from Russian]. Image posted by Russian Chronicles of Tajikistan, used with permission.
@BachaiSako Русских в РТ никто не трогает, русские СМИ тоже, успокойтесь. Радуйтесь что вообще разрешают на русском издавать газету.
— Tajik Land (@tajikland) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako Calm down, nobody is messing with the Russians or Russian media in [Tajikistan]. Enjoy the fact that the publication of a newspaper in Russian is allowed at all.
@BachaiSako Я бы вообще запретил все СМИ не на государственном языке. Хотите читать газеты – учите таджикский язык, вам же на пользу пойдет. — Tajik Land (@tajikland) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako I would have banned all media in languages other than the state [Tajik] language. If you want to read newspapers, learn Tajik. It is for your benefit.
@BachaiSako Хамошона махмам кардан даркор. Хузури ВАОи русзабон тахдиди чиддист. — Мардикор (@mardikor) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako They should all be closed. The presence of Russian-language media [in Tajikistan] is a serious threat.
@BachaiSako Агар мо имруз рузномахои русзабонро махкам накунем, хеч вакт волоияти забони точикиро таъмин намекунем.
— Мардикор (@mardikor) March 4, 2014
@BachaiSako If we don't close down Russian-language newspapers today, we will never make the Tajik language dominant.

author: Mahina Shodizoda


text:
Kazakhstan: Devaluation, Demonstrations, and Lacy Underwear · Global Voices
Sergey Park

February 15, 2014 protest in Almaty. Photo by Damir Otegen, used with permission.
For the first time in recent memory, a protest was held in Kazakhstan. Few believed that this demonstration would actually take place: in the past, despite messages summoning citizens to the streets to express their civic views, many protests have failed to materialize. This time the protest was a reaction to the devaluation of Kazakhstan's national currency, which reduced the value of the tenge by 20% overnight. Kazakhs were shocked by the change. By lunchtime, almost all currency exchange offices, internet retailers, and supermarkets had closed to take inventory, and crowds of worried clients gathered at banks. All this took place against the backdrop of the National Bank of Kazakhstan's recent announcement [ru] about the stability of the country's economic system.
Prices began to rise significantly, while salaries remained unchanged. Effectively, everyone who held money in the national currency lost 20% of their savings. This change, in principle, was the main motivation for the February 15 protest in Almaty. Social media sites and even several news sources spread the word that a protest would take place that weekend. This protest was unsanctioned, as permission was not obtained from the Akimat, or city administration. (Permission is required for anyone wishing to organize a protest, procession, or picket line.) Furthermore, public upset over the devaluation coincided with the Customs Union's ban on the importation of lacy underwear [ru].
The main protest was set to begin at 11:00am on February 15th, but amusingly, Kazakhstan's infamous habit of chronic tardiness was in evidence here as well, with the first protesters appearing at the site only at 11:30. The activists clamored for their rights rather timidly, but a few protesters stood out from the crowd: those who refused to be indifferent to their own fate, and those who didn't fear consequences – or believed that the truth was on their side.
Interestingly, many bloggers, journalists, and members of the media were present at the protest. All appeals, actions, and emotions were carefully recorded, filmed, and photographed. Local authorities came up with the creative approach of deploying snow plows around the area, which “coincidentally” blocked the view from the street. At first events proceeded in an orderly enough manner: the activists peacefully chanted their social slogans and the crowd stayed within the boundaries of the “peaceful protest” described in messages on social networks. Suddenly participants decided to move the protest several blocks to the Republic Square, directly across from the government administration building. The first confrontations at the scene began with the arrival of the SOBR (Special Rapid Response Unit), who, without warning, began to handcuff and detain the most active protesters. Some time later, the district prosecutor arrived and ordered protesters to go home, announcing that participants in an unlawful protest would be punished. By 3:00pm, the protest was over. A total of around thirty people were detained, some of whom were not even protesting, but simply passing by.
The site voxpopuli.kz [ru] posted a colorful and vivid photo report:
Главная тема этой и, пожалуй, многих последующих недель – это девальвация. В субботу, 15 февраля, в Алматы произошел самый масштабный на данный момент митинг против объявленной девальвации. Фоторепортаж с места событий подготовили Дамир Отеген и Виктор Магдеев, которые провели практически весь день с митингующими.
Devaluation is the main topic of this week and, most likely, the weeks to follow. On Saturday, February 15th, Almaty was the site of the largest anti-devaluation protest to date. Damir Otegen and Viktor Magdeev, who spent almost the whole day with the protesters, reported from the scene.
Participants, eyewitnesses, and interested internet users actively expressed their reactions online as well. Regular users tended to write blog posts, while protest participants posted on Facebook, which underscores the importance of the social networking site in Kazakhstan.
User tolubarman analyzes certain events taking place at the protest, paying special attention [ru] to the socioeconomic status of the main activists, which seemed incongruous considering the subject of the event:
Шуба, драгоценности, iPhone 5S и прочие блага, денег на которые, у простого человека нет. В голове сразу появляется вопрос:” Откуда у бедной женщины деньги на это все?” Кредит говорите, значит у нее должен быть соответственный уровень дохода, чтобы погашать такой кредит или же богатый муж.
Furs, jewels, iPhone 5S, and other possessions that regular people don't have the money for. You immediately ask yourself, “Where would a poor woman get the money for all this?” You might say credit, but that would mean she must have enough income to pay off that much credit… or a rich husband.
User torgaeva shares her position [ru]:
Но ввиду последних событий, пелена с моих глаз будто упала. Откровенно говоря, я ничего не потерла из-за этой девальвации потому, что у меня ничего не было.Помню, как еще в школе, на уроках НВП наш учитель, воспитывая в нас патриотизм, неустанно говорил нам: “У нас мудрое правительство, которое заботится о народе. Тенге – устойчивая валюта, которой не страшны мировые колебания, а все потому, что (вот тут внимание) НАЦБАНК ПИТАЕТ”. Эта фраза настолько въелась в мой мозг, что новость 11 февраля просто выбила почву из-под ног. Супергерой школьных лет – НАЦБАНК умер. Вместо этого людей оставили с носом, повергли в шок и обескуражили, чем тут же воспользовались все организации и магазины. И вот тут стало больно, действительно больно и обидно. С гражданами поступили как со скотом, который все стерпит и покорно примет все, что угодно. За неделю все перевернулось с ног на голову.
But in view of recent events, the veil over my eyes has disappeared. To be honest, I didn't lose anything because of this devaluation, because I didn't have anything in the first place. I remember in school, in NVP class [basic military training], our teacher, instilling patriotism in us, always used to say: “We have a wise government that cares about the people. The tenge is a strong currency that doesn't fear world fluctuations, and all because (pay attention:) THE NATIONAL BANK FEEDS IT.” This phrase was so ingrained in my mind that the news of February 11th totally pulled the rug out from under me. The National Bank, the superhero of my school years, had died. Instead of protecting the people, we ended up tricked, shocked, and discouraged, which was immediately taken advantage of by all the organizations and stores. And that's what was painful… painful and hurtful. They treated citizens like cattle that will put up with anything and submit to whatever is done to us. Within a week, everything has been turned upside down.
User zidane draws an interesting conclusion [ru]:
Итог получается парадоксальный, но закономерный: продать ресурсы страны власть  не может из-за того, что народ у нас слишком дорогой. И девальвация – это не снижение курса национальной валюты, это снижение стоимости собственного народа. Девальвация казахстанцев в казахелинцев. Вторые стоят на 20 % дешевле первых. Их и продадим в пользование транснациональным компаниям.
We end up with a paradoxical but predictable result: the authorities can't sell the country's resources because the people are too expensive. So devaluation isn't a decrease in the exchange rate of the national currency – it's a decrease in the cost of the people. Devaluing Kazakhstanis and converting them into Kazakhs [the president has suggested renaming the country Kazakh Eli]. The latter are 20% cheaper than the former. We're selling them for the benefit of transnational companies.
As a result of the devaluation, clients began to gather at banks to withdraw their money. Before the protest, word had spread via text messages and WhatsApp that small banks would soon close due to insufficient funds. One bank promised to pay 100 million tenge to whomever could find and unmask the guilty party, and within several days the General Prosecutor had tracked down and arrested a suspect who confessed to starting the rumors. User maxopolskiy spoke out [ru] on the subject:
… это не значит, что население глупое. То, что народ больше верит провокаторам, чем правительству – проблемы правительства, и результат его “работы”.
This doesn't mean that the population is stupid. The fact that people are more inclined to believe provocateurs than the government – that's a problem with the government and the results of its “work.”
User tanusha examined the problem more deeply [ru]:
Вот мои мысли про информационный вброс о банкротстве трех казахстанских банков. Напомню, что вчера по WhatsApp некоторым людям пришло сообщение:
«Есть инфо что объявят о банкротстве след банков второго уровня через 3 дня:
Альянс банк
Каспи банк
Банк Центр кредит
Если есть сбережение в этих банках срочно надо снимать.
Инфо вроде ЖБ (ЖБ – железобетонная, стопроцентная. – С.П.).
Влиятельные люди позвонили и предупредили.»
Какую цель преследовали заказчики информационного вброса? И, кстати, кто эти заказчики?
Здесь 2 варианта: 1) цель – экономическая, соответственно, заказчики – конкуренты (другие банки); 2) цель – политическая (дестабилизация), соответственно, заказчики – конкурентная политическая сила. Тут тоже выбор большой – от Гос.Депа до внутренних «экспериментаторов»
Если развивать вариант с политической целью, то улавливается последовательность неестественных всплесков: цирковое выступление «Блогеры, выходите!», митинг с трусами на голове (кстати, никто и не удосужился поинтересоваться, что конкретно запрещается ввозить и почему), а теперь и этот информационный вброс.
Here are my thoughts regarding the misinformation campaign about the bankruptcy of three Kazakh banks. We recall that yesterday people received the following message on WhatsApp:
“We have info about the bankruptcy of the following second-level banks within three days:
Alliance Bank
Kaspi Bank
CenterCredit Bank
If you have savings in these banks, you need to withdraw them immediately.
This info is 100% confirmed.
Influential people called and warned us.”
What was the goal of this misinformation campaign? And who ordered it?
There are two possibilities here. 1) Economic motives, meaning that the misinformation campaign was ordered by competitors (other banks). 2) Political motives (destabilization), meaning that the culprits would be competing political forces. Here there are also plenty of possible instigators, from the Department of State to internal “experimenters.”
If we develop the possibility of political motives, then we end up with a progression of bizarre vignettes: the circus act “Bloggers, come out!”, a protest full of people wearing underwear on their heads (by the way, no one bothered to find out exactly which imports are banned and why), and now this misinformation campaign.
On February 16th another protest took place in Almaty, this time consisting of only thirty people and focused on the Custom Union‘s rule prohibiting the import of lacy underwear. “Panties for Elbasy” emerged as the slogan of the event (Elbasy is the respectful name for the Kazakh president, literally meaning “Leader of the Nation”). For hygienic reasons related to fabric's capacity to absorb moisture, the regulation bans the import of synthetic underwear that does not contain at least 6% cotton.
Independent Russian television channel Dozhd [ru] reports:
После освобождения одна из активисток, Евгения Плахина, рассказала, против чего протестовала: «Я вышла с последними своими кружевными трусами, которые у нас запретят в июле 2014 года. И не только у нас — на территории всего Таможенного союза».
Еще одна участница акции, Жанна Байтелова, рассказала ДОЖДЮ, как ее забирали в полицию, и объяснила, почему на сегодняшний несанкционированный митинг вышло в три раза меньше людей, чем накануне: «Просто мы решили до маразма все довести. Сегодня мы собрались на площади, площадь огородили полицейские, сказали, что идет ремонт. Нам, к сожалению, не дали пройти к Монументу независимости. Ну, естественно, нас задержали, привезли в РОВД. Накануне вчерашнего митинга людям по WhatsApp (мессенджер для смартфонов — ДОЖДЬ) приходили сообщения, чтобы люди не выходили никуда, сидели дома, что в городе объявлено военное положение. Потом распускались слухи, что это будет митинг националистов, еще какие-то слухи распускались. Поэтому, я думаю, сегодня протестующих гораздо меньше было».
After being freed from detainment, activist Evgeniya Plaxina told us why she was protesting: “I came out in my last pair of lacy panties, which will be banned as of July 2014. And not only in our country, but in the whole Customs Union.”
Another participant, Zhanna Baytelova, told Dozhd about being detained by the police, and explained why today's unsanctioned protest drew three times fewer people than yesterday: “We decided to just take it to the extreme. Today we gathered in the square, and the area was barricaded by police, saying that it's under construction. Unfortunately, they didn't let us get to the Monument of Independence. Well, naturally, they detained us and took us to the ROVD [District Office of Internal Affairs]. The day before yesterday's protest, people got messages on WhatsApp [a messenger for smartphones–Dozhd], saying to stay home and not go out anywhere, that martial law had been declared in the city. Then rumors spread that it was going to be a nationalist protest, and there were other rumors spreading too. I think that's why there were far fewer protesters today.”
User serikzhan69 shared a detailed post on the subject [ru], including photos:
Президент Ассоциации легкой промышленности РК Любовь Худова после аргументов К.Келимбетова о том, что девальвация поможет внутреннему производству в газете Караван отметила, что «Легкая промышленность в Казахстане тяжело больна, и никакая девальвация нам не поможет. Сейчас мы обеспечиваем себя на 10 процентов. По обуви – на 1 процент. Наше состояние не позволит нам как-то выиграть от девальвации и увеличить производство. Наша страна создает рабочие места в других странах, а не в Казахстане. Мы давно просим вице-премьера Асета Исекешева сделать легпром приоритетной отраслью промышленности, как в России и Беларуси, но мы даже не включены в ФИИР-2»
Kairat Kelimbetov, Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, argued in the newspaper Caravan that devaluation will help promote domestic production. The president of Kazakhstan's Light Industry Association, Lyubov Khudova, noted: “Light industry in Kazakhstan is gravely ill, and no amount of devaluation will help it. Right now the share of domestic apparel in the local market is 10%, and that of shoes, only 1%. Our current situation does not permit us to benefit from devaluation and increase production. Our country is creating jobs in other countries, not in Kazakhstan. For a long time we have been asking Minister of Industry and Trade Asset Issekeshev to make light industry a priority, like in Russia and Belarus, but we aren't even included in the FIIP-2 [Forced Industrial-Innovative Development Program].”
User MontKristov tried to unravel the problem, writing an educational post [ru]:
Если брать модные бренды итальянские, или немецкие то с ними все в порядке, там требуемые показатели в норме. Не в норме три разновидности три разновидности тканей (там гигроскопичность не превышает 4, но они редко применяются известными брендами, поэтому это собственно тоже не проблема. И собственно многие производители не видят никаких проблем в данном техрегламенте
If you take the fashionable Italian or German brands, there's no problem with them, all the required conditions are met. What's not okay are three types of fabric whose hygroscopy (ability to absorb water) is under 4%, but these are rarely used by major brands, so that isn't a problem either. And most of the producers themselves see absolutely no problem with this regulation.
Today the situation in Kazakhstan is more or less stable. Soon after the devaluation, bank leaders, deputies, and officials held several emergency meetings. In particular, Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov banned price increases on gas and food items. However, supermarkets and small stores still raised their prices 20% despite the threat of losing their license. Bank leaders continue to assure the public that they have enough money, increasing rates and holding press conferences. However, political scientists, analysts and members of the public noticed that the level of legal nihilism reached its highest peak in the last five years.

author: Sergey Park


text:
Macedonian Twitter Community Organizes Second Annual Blood Drive · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

A group of Macedonian Twitter users are organizing a blood drive on March 17, 2014, in Skopje. This is the second action event of this kind – the first took place on September 13, 2013.
Минатата акција 102-ца дојдоа да даруваат крв, од кои на 75 им беше дозволено. Да собереме дупло овој пат!
— Крводарители (@krvodariteli) January 22, 2014
Last time 102 people came to donate blood, of which 75 were allowed [to give blood]. Let's have twice as much this time!
Mobilization for the event is taking place on Twitter through hashtags #крводарители and @krvodariteli – meaning “blood donors,” as well as through a Facebook event page, Three influential websites, and various bloggers who are supporting the action by spreading word and distributing the event banner, whose design is also a donation by @banekoma.
Banner announcing the Blood Drive in Skopje, organized by the Twitter community. The event will take place in Dare Dzambaz on March 17, from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.

author: Filip Stojanovski


text:
Mexicans Triumph at the Academy Awards · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Alfonso Cuarón won an Oscar for best director. Photo from Disney | ABC Television Group on Flickr under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 2.0)
The night of March 2, 2014 brought good news to the Mexicans Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki -alias “Chivo” (Goat)- who were recognized at the Academy Awards for their work in the movie Gravity.
It is worth noting that the film is not a Mexican production, but rather British – American, and it even won several BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards.
Since January of this year, Cuarón's nomination caused several reactions among Mexican viewers. At the end, Gravity got seven statuettes. Cuarón received the award for best director from Angelina Jolie and Sidney Poitier and was also recognized for this work as editor of the same movie. Also, Lubezki received the award for best photography.
Reactions on Twitter were fast and varied. User Alex pointed out the following in relation to the current situation of filmmaking in Mexico and linking it to the Latin pop singer Juan Gabriel:
ultimo comentario de la noche: El Óscar de Cuarón no es para el cine mexicano, el cine mexicano sigue haciendo películas con Juan Gabriel.
— Alex ∆ (@Peligrroja) March 3, 2014
last comment of the night: Cuarón's Oscar is not for the Mexican movie industry, Mexican filmmakers keep making movies with Juan Gabriel.
For Agustín Basave the awards don't belong to Mexico, but according to him, they do belong to the Mexican people:
Ya sé que los Óscares del Chivo y de Cuarón no son de México pero francamente me vale madre: un cachito es para cada mexicano. ¡viva México!
— Agustín Basave (@abasave) March 3, 2014
I know Chivo's and Cuarón's Oscars are not Mexico's, but honestly I don't give a damn: a piece of them is for every Mexican.
Netizen Weed Brownie questioned this way the Academy's decisions:
Malditasea, qué carajo pasa? La gente de gravity compró las nominaciones o qué? Se llevan todo.
— Weed Brownie. (@MeDicen_Negra) March 3, 2014
Damn it, what the hell is going on? Gravity people bought the nominations or what? They are taking home everything.
In response to those who didn't celebrate the Mexicans’ accomplishment at the Academy Awards, user Alessia said:
En la resaca de los Oscar conviene preguntarnos ¿por qué el complejo, por qué la insistencia en minimizar el logro de #Lubezki y #Cuarón?
— Alessia (@Alessia_mx) March 3, 2014
At the Oscar's hangover, it is worth asking why the complex, why do people insist in minimizing Lubezki's and Cuarón's achievement?
Later, the same user added:
Lo digo porque he leído muchos comentarios negativos como que #Cuarón no vive en México o que los premios estuvieron “arreglados”. #Envidia
— Alessia (@Alessia_mx) March 3, 2014
I say it because I've read many negative comments like the fact that Cuarón doesn't live in Mexico or that the awards were “fixed”. #Envidia (Envy)
About the criticism over “Chivo” Lubezki, user blurred9 reminded netizens that Gravity is not the first movie he has worked on and that there are several other examples in his outstanding career:
Cada vez que quieran criticar a Lubezki piensen en la luz en la escena de la fuente de Great Expectations y cállense.
— blurred9 (@blurred9) March 3, 2014
Each time you want to criticize Lubezki think of the light scene at the fountain in Great Expectations and shut up.
Journalist León Krauze said this about Alfonso Cuarón:
Un mexicano universal. En todos sentidos. #Cuaron
— León Krauze (@Leon_Krauze) March 3, 2014
A universal Mexican. In every sense of the word.
Also, president Enrique Peña Nieto congratulated the winning filmmakers:
Felicidades a los mexicanos que hoy ganaron en los Premios #Oscar; son parte de una destacada generación de cineastas mexicanos.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) March 3, 2014
Congratulations to the Mexicans who won an Oscar; they are part of a prominent generation of Mexican filmmakers.
The Mexican movies where Cuarón and Lubezki have worked together are Y Tu Mamá También (And Your Mother Too) and Sólo Con Tu Pareja (Only With Your Partner). As for international films, Cuarón is known for his work in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, while Lubezki had already been nominated to the Oscar in several occasions, including The Tree of Life.

author: J. Tadeo


text:
Singer Rubén Blades and President Maduro Exchange Words Over Venezuela · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Rubén Blades. Photo by Jaris Savoglou on Flickr, under Creative Commons licence (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Hugo Chávez had a good relationship with various Latin American artists, especially with those identifying as progressives, but it would seem that Nicolás Maduro has some reservations in this respect, and even more so in light of the current protests.
Rubén Blades, the popular Panamanian singer-songwriter, has voiced his support of Hugo Chávez [es] on more than one occasion; however, a recent post which he published on his website has given rise to controversy. Here is a part of the text entitled simply “Venezuela” [es]:
El país está tristemente polarizado y por eso hoy Venezuela duele. La aparente ausencia de una solución se debe a la falta de un liderazgo que establezca un propósito de lucha que unifique al país, en lugar de dividirlo. Si estás a favor de la oposición, eres un burgués parásito, agente de la CIA, vendido al Imperio. Si favoreces al gobierno eres un comunista, maleante, vendido a Cuba y a los Castro. Ninguna de estas definiciones habla de Venezuela y de su necesidad. Solo pintan el odio y la expectativa personalista de quien esgrime el argumento, impidiendo la posibilidad de un diálogo inteligente y patriótico.
Sadly the country is polarised and that's why today Venezuela is hurting. The apparent absence of any solution owes to the lack of a leadership which would establish a common target for struggle to unite the country instead of dividing it. If you support the opposition, you're a parasitical capitalist, a CIA agent, a sell-out to the Empire. If you're in favour of the government, you're a communist, a miscreant, a sell-out to Cuba and the Castros. Neither of these labels speaks to Venezuela and its needs. They only show the hatred and self-oriented expectations of the person making this argument, hindering the possibility of an intelligent and patriotic dialogue.
Then he goes on to address Venezuelan students:
Ojalá que logren sentar las bases para la discusión del país que puede ser, y no el que hoy pretenden forzar dos bandos en conflicto de intereses. Que no les obliguen a escoger entre alternativas como el cáncer o el ataque al corazón. Que los estudiantes del país, desde El Guajiro hasta Cumaná, planteen su agenda de vida y se la presenten a los dos grupos que hoy se debaten en pugna por el Poder. Díganles cuál es el país que quieren, y aclaren que no aceptarán como únicas alternativas, las propuestas por los dos bandos en disputa.
Let's hope that you manage to establish the foundations for discussion of the country that can be, and not that which two gangs embroiled in a conflict of interests wish to impose upon you today. Let's hope that they don't force you to choose between options like cancer or a heart attack. Let the country's students, from El Guajiro to Cumaná, propose their schedule for life and present it to the two groups who are debating each other today in a struggle for Power. Tell them which is the country that you want, and make it clear that you won't accept the proposals made by two rival sides as the only alternatives.
As was to be expected, the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro's response came quickly, in the form of a television broadcast:
Here are some sections of the president's response:
Hoy escribió un artículo influido en lo que ve en Univisión, TeleMundo y CNN, él cree el cuento de esas televisoras. Ruben yo te invito a que vengas a Venezuela, en privado si quieres, para que converses con nuestro pueblo […] pero no creas que se va a dar ese proceso que tú recomiendas aquí y que estos grupos fascistas que salen y que presentan Univisión, TeleMundo y CNN como unos corderitos, son la alternativa para nuestro país […] A esta revolución tu más bien deberías incorporarte, porque esta revolución se hizo con tu canto, de rebeldía contra el imperio, contra el tiburón que anda por ahí por las costas del Caribe venezolano […] En esta oportunidad te salió mal la letra
Today he has written an article influenced by what he's seen on Univisión, TeleMundo and CNN, he believes the story told by these broadcasters. Ruben, I invite you to come to Venezuela, in private if you wish, so that you can speak to our people […] but don't think that the actions which you recommend here are going to take place and that these fascist groups who come out and who are portrayed by Univisión, TeleMundo and CNN as innocent lambs are the only alternative for our country […] Instead, you should join this revolution, because this revolution was brought about by your songs, of rebellion against the empire, against the shark which is out there nudging the coasts of the Venezuelan Caribbean […] On this occasion your words weren't so accurate.
But the matter did not end there. Rubén Blades felt obliged to respond to President Maduro after being directly named in the latter's speech, and among other things he wrote [es]:
Creo que su gobierno, Presidente Maduro, no posee la mayoría representativa que justifique lo que le está haciendo al país. Por otro lado, la oposición, mezcla de lo que existió en el pasado político de Venezuela y de lo nuevo que hoy lucha por hacerse respetar y considerar, no está formada por cuatro gatos fascistas, como se pretende hacer ver. Es una vital cantidad de personas.  […]
La Venezuela de hoy no es la Nación que todos sus habitantes desean, es una versión de país a la que sólo parece apoyar el 50% de la población, tomando en cuenta el total de los votos emitidos en las elecciones del 2013. Esa realidad determina la necesidad de considerar una modificación del rumbo presente, en busca de un balance que permita el desarrollo del argumento nacional en sus propios términos, más realista y menos agresivo; una Venezuela en la que no sean necesarios los gritos de “Patria o Muerte”, entre hermanos.
I believe that your government, President Maduro, does not possess the representative majority which would justify what you are doing to the country. On the other hand, the opposition, a blend of what used to exist in Venezuela's political past and something new, fights today to be respected and taken into account. It isn't comprised of a few measly fascists, as you wish to have us believe. It is a significant number of people.  […]
Today Venezuela is not the nation which all its inhabitants desire. It is a version of the country which only 50% of the population seems to support, based on the total number of votes cast in the 2013 elections. That reality determines the need to consider a change in the current path, in search of a balance which would allow the national debate to develop on its own terms, more realistic and less aggressive; a Venezuela where shouts of “The Homeland or Death” would not be necessary between brothers.
Blades continues:
[E]n las presentes circunstancias, no resulta apropiado que su gobierno imponga sus deseos, o desconozca, o pretenda ignorar la validez de los argumentos planteados por sus críticos venezolanos. No creo que es a través de la represión, la censura, o el recurso demagógico que se produce la respuesta racional a una condición objetiva inobjetable. Tal actitud solo provocaría más violencia, que generaría la posibilidad de una ingobernabilidad, un vacío político que podría ser llenado con un golpe militar, la única institución con la capacidad de organización y poder coercitivo para enfrentar el caos institucional y civil resultantes.
Under the present circumstances, it is inappropriate for your government to impose its desires, or to be unaware of, or to pretend to ignore the validity of the arguments laid out by your Venezuelan critics. I do not believe that it is by means of repression, censure or recourse to tub-thumping that a rational response to an indisputable objective condition emerges. Such an approach would only provoke more violence, which would create the possibility of ungovernability, a political vacuum which could be filled with a military coup, the only institution with the organisational capacity and coercive power to confront the resulting institutional and civil chaos.
The letters and responses between Blades and Maduro have prompted an infinite number of comments and reactions all over the Spanish-speaking web, including comments on blog posts [es] and websites [es] where this exchange has been republished, and publications on social networks by people from different ends of the political spectrum.
Esta buenisimo esta reflexion de Rubén Blades sobre lo que esta pasando en Venezuela – TODOS – VENEZUELA: http://t.co/cR1kt9l7ET
— Jon Lee Anderson (@jonleeanderson) February 19, 2014
Rubén Blades’ reflection on what is happening in Venezuela is excellent
Tocando la nota mediática contra Venezuela. Se han pronunciado Calle 13, Rihanna, Arjona, Blades ¿Quién más desentonará con la realidad?
— oswmi (@oswmi) February 19, 2014
Dancing the media's tune against Venezuela. Calle 13, Rihanna, Arjona, Blades have all spoken. Who else will be out of tune with reality?
#Blades: confío más en el argumento de los estudiantes, q en los de gobierno y oposición http://t.co/V9L2vJEIPv #19F pic.twitter.com/3uUN7rehVZ
— Corresponsales.pe (@corresponsalesp) February 19, 2014
#Blades: I trust more in the students’ argument than in those of the government and opposition
La Carta de RUBEN BLADES q Tanto Molestó al Q Comete DELITOS DE LESA HUMANIDAD ARMANDO GRUPOS DE EXTERMINIO NMADURO http://t.co/1tVveNll7E
— ada martin (@aemartinn) February 20, 2014
The letter by RUBEN BLADES which so greatly annoyed the man who commits CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY BY ARMING EXTERMINATION GANGS N MADURO
There were also reactions which included responses from others, largely in support of the government.
Respuesta de @delsasolorzano a @rubenblades a propósito de su carta para Venezuela. >> http://t.co/zuYkB9Rlix
— Ana María Simón (@anamariasimon) February 20, 2014
Response from @delsasolorzano to @rubenblades with regard to his letter to Venezuela-
Maduro a Blades: En Venezuela gobierna Pablo Pueblo: http://t.co/5AamToQhaL
— Delcy Rodríguez (@DrodriguezMinci) February 21, 2014
Maduro to Blades: In Venezuela it is Pablo Pueblo [the people, also the title of a song by Rubén Blades] who governs
Las revoluciones las hacemos cada día con muchas rupturas – De Silvio Rodríguez a Rubén Blades http://t.co/agGc1OBnak vía @PCV_Venezuela
— Marta Alanis (@martaaalanis) February 27, 2014
We carry out revolutions every day with a lot of interruptions – From Silvio Rodríguez to Rubén Blades
The latest episode in this saga has been a new reply from Maduro to Blades. Maduro declared in a television broadcast [es] that he had written a private letter to Blades. In the same video he invites the artists who are commenting on the situation in Venezuela to visit the country and speak about it from the ground.

author: Juan Arellano


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The Best in Korean Street Food: From Sweet Pancakes to Live Baby Octopus · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Despite the South Korean government's rigorous funding and promotion for high-end Korean chefs and restaurants, simple authentic Korean street food has garnered more respect and recognition online from foodies and travel savants.
Even notoriously spicy food, which marketing experts advise to “water-down” for global customers, has developed its own devout following from food-daredevils.
In this hilarious video ‘Fire Noodle Challenge in London’, Josh Carrott, an online celebrity of sorts (thanks to his series of YouTube videos), interviews British people and asks them about Korean food, music and culture.
In the next video, Popular food blogger Matt Armendariz of MattBite, explains Korean street food served on sticks:
There is no shortage of quick and tasty food in Seoul and Jeonju. In fact, it’s hard to not stumble into a stand somewhere serving bubbling ddeokbokki or frying up the small disks of hoddeok, the sweet pancakes ready to be consumed on the spot. The sheer number of carts, food stalls and ad hoc restaurants is only matched by the Korean appetite[…] Not to make anyone dizzy, but here’s a quick slightly sped up video of my walk through Gwangjang Market. I don’t think I could even keep track of the amount of food stalls.
Blogger and travel author Mark Wiens, posted a YouTube video where he shows and talks about popular Korean street food:
On the Migrationology site Wiens elaborates on each food he introduced in the video:
If you like to snack, you’ll have lots to do in South Korea! […] Instead of wolfing down bowls of rice and full dishes, Korean street food is often reserved for things that can be eaten standing up, especially catering to Seoulites that are running from subway to subway. Stuff on sticks or things can can be eaten with toothpicks are common.
For readers who want to give Korean street food a try in the comfort of their own kitchens, here are tutorial videos for two of the most widely-loved street foods:
1) Tteokbokki- Sliced rice cake, additionally with fish cake, cooked in the Korean chili paste. Its sweet, spicy and chewy
2)Hotteok or Hoddeok, a variety of filled Korean pancake
And if you are a foodie daredevil, you might want to try Sannakji- fresh baby octopus eaten alive while it's still wriggling! This dish is not being promoted widely, but has attracted a lot of attention from foodies who seem unable to resist it.
For viewers with a light stomach here's a video showing the final dish,  without the scene of how it is consumed.
(And if you want to watch how it is eaten, there are a few videos online: like this one.)

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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The Peruvian Left Weighs in on Venezuelan Protests · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

President Ollanta Humala of Peru with Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela. Photo from Presidencia Perú on Flickr, under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
The Peruvian left, like that of other countries in the region, is being challenged in the measure of its position with respect to the current protests in Venezuela. Is it a modern left or does it support the repression of Maduro's government? What is a “modern left”? The answers are not simple.
Although on the level of the Peruvian population there has been some sympathy for Hugo Chávez, his Latin American leadership and way of doing things, in terms of Peruvian politics, having a relationship with chavismo almost constitutes media and political suicide. In fact, Chávez's support [es] for Ollanta Humala in his first presidential bid was, among other factors, what cost him the 2006 election against Alan García.
The Peruvian left is currently in a process of restructuring the forthcoming municipal elections later this year and the presidential elections in 2016. With this objective, it has reconstituted the Broad Left Front, a coalition of leftist parties and movements. In recent days, the Broad Left Front issued a statement [es] about what is happening in Venezuela, which mentions among various points:
1. Denunciamos ante la opinión pública del Perú la ofensiva golpista de extrema derecha contra el gobierno, elegido democráticamente, del Presidente Nicolás Maduro de Venezuela.
2. Esta ofensiva, que sigue un guión conocido, busca la desestabilización económica y política del hermano país y la reversión de las conquistas sociales y de independencia nacional de quince años de gobierno popular.
3. Hacemos extensiva esta denuncia a la derecha peruana y continental que haciendo uso del oligopolio mediático a sus órdenes se ha puesto al servicio de la maniobra golpista en curso.
1. Before the public opinion of Peru, we denounce the offensive right-wing attack against the government, elected democratically, of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela.
2. This attack, which follows a familiar script, seeks economic and political destabilization of the neighboring country and the reversal of the social gains and 15-year national independence of the popular government.
3. We extend this complaint to the Peruvian and continental right that is using the media oligopoly at its service to serve the ongoing coup.
In the Facebook post's comments, readers can see almost a generalized opinion against the statement, ranging from reactions [es] like, “Broad Left Front, narrow mind” to ” ones [es] such as “I mean, if you support police or military repression… don't complain”, with truly few signs of support. On Twitter, things were similar:
Nos fuimos pal carajo con este pronunciamiento del Frente Amplio… http://t.co/9j8kXxBcC0
— Mariana Ramirez (@marianaram87) February 22, 2014
We went to hell with this statement from the Broad Left Front…
Lamentable, el pronunciamiento del Frente Amplio sobre la situación en Venezuela
— Ronald Gamarra (@ronaldgamarra) February 22, 2014
Terrible, the statement from the Broad Front about the situation in Venezuela
De locos manden a Cuba a esta gente Frente Amplio de Izquierda sobre situación en Venezuela – https://t.co/AUij2bXP8B #venezuelalibre“
— Mr.Who (@Mister_Kite) February 22, 2014
Send these crazy Broad Left Front people to Cuba. The Broad Front on the situation in Venezuela
The local media also rushed to comment on the statement. El Comercio, considered right-wing, titled its news brief with respect to this as “Broad Left Front led by Salomón Lerner supports Nicolás Maduro” [es] and later published another piece entitled “Statement from Broad Left Front ‘a shame’” [es] which gathers criticism from various Peruvian politicians. Meanwhile, the newspaper Correo, now a member of the same corporate group as El Comercio, said “Peruvian Left endorses repression in Venezuela” [es].
La República, a newspaper more oriented to the left, has not published further comments, except for an interview [es] with Salomón Lerner Ghitis, leader of the Broad Left Front, where he recognized that the Venezuelan economic model has failed, but that “In Venezuela there is a rule of law that must be respected.” On the other hand, one of the leading columnists of La República, Mirko Lauer, believes [es] that “Nicolás Maduro wants to take advantage of the crisis to pass an open dictatorship, ie. one without electoral and democratic coverage. Something like the cubanization of impoverished masses.”
Soon subdivisions were developed in the almost never united Peruvian left. Fuerza Social, the leftist movement to which the current mayor of Lima, Susana Villarán, belongs, spoke through one of its leaders:
En Fuerza Social no hemos suscrito pronunciamiento del Frente Amplio sobre Venezuela, discrepamos en forma y fondo https://t.co/z895C6kpSK
— Eduardo Zegarra (@EZegarra3) February 23, 2014
In Fuerza Social we have not signed the statement from the Broad Left Front on Venezuela, we disagree in form and substance.
And later Fuerza Social issued its own statement on Venezuela, where they condemned the acts of violence – “wherever they come from” – and urge for “all guarantees to be provided so that the citizen protest is carried out peacefully”:
Manya, los de Fuerza Social también habían sacado su comunicado sobre #Venezuela http://t.co/ahs6kKLx7g
— Martín Hidalgo (@martinhidalgo) February 23, 2014
Manya, those from Fuerza Social have also drawn their statement on Venezuela
The National Human Rights Coordinator (CNDDHH), an organization traditionally linked to the left, also drew its statement [es] about the Venezuelan protests, specifying that “the state must guarantee the human rights of all its citizens”:
1. Lamentamos la muerte de seis personas fallecidas, así como las decenas de heridos y detenidos, más allá de qué posición defiendan. Consideramos fundamental que se investigue, determinen responsabilidades y haya sanciones ejemplares.
2. Ha quedado en evidencia la participación de grupos paramilitares en la represión de los manifestantes y en las muertes. Existen antecedentes en sentencias de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos para calificar las consecuencias de la actuación de grupos paramilitares no como meros delitos, sino como violaciones a los derechos humanos.
1. We mourn the deaths of six people, and dozens injured and arrested, beyond what position they defend. We consider it essential to investigate, determine responsibilities, and have exemplary fines.
2. The participation of paramilitary groups in the repression of the protesters and the deaths has become clear. There are precedents in sentences from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to describe the consequences of the paramilitary groups’ actions not merely as crimes, but as human rights violations.
Even Dr. Rocío Silva Santisteban, executive secretary of the CNDDHH, saw fit to write [es] about the issue:
Hace un tiempo un “analista político” de derecha sostenía que se debía “arrancar la defensa de los derechos humanos de las manos de la izquierda”. Hoy, cuando algunos analistas políticos, asesores de partidos de derecha, sostienen que hay un “doble rasero” en la izquierda que apoya a Nicolás Maduro en estas circunstancias, yo me pregunto: ¿y la derecha que apoya las protestas en Venezuela pero se queja de los antimineros  peruanos y justifica incluso la muerte de campesinos, no tienen también un “doble rasero”?
Some time ago a right-wing “political analyst” held that “the defense of human rights should be taken from the hands of the left”. Today, when some political analysts, consultants to the right-wing parties, hold that there is a “double standard” in the left that supports Nicolás Maduro in these circumstances, I ask myself: and the right wing, which supports the protests in Venezuela but complains about the Peruvian anti-miners and even justifies the deaths of farmers, doesn't it also have a “double standard”?
Silva continues:
Creo que esa coherencia que la derecha peruana le pide a la izquierda peruana no se condice con la falta de coherencia de ellos mismos cuando se trata del derecho a la protesta contra el extractivismo radical que, financiando a la Policía Nacional a través de convenios inconstitucionales, arremete con todo contra campesinos, ronderos, mujeres e indígenas y los mata (29 en lo que va del gobierno). Es fácil mirar la paja en el ojo ajeno.
I think that this connection that the Peruvian right asks of the Peruvian left is not consistent with their lack of coherence when it comes to the right to protest against radical activism that, funding the National Police through unconstitutional agreements, attacks with everything against farmers, patrolmen, women, and indigenous people, and kills them (29 so far during this administration). It's easy to see the straw in your brother's eye.
Among those who defend the Broad Left Front's position is economist Silvio Rendón, who sarcastically posted [es] an “Extreme makeover” of the statement from the Broad Left Front about Venezuela on his GranComboClub Facebook page so that it could be acceptable for a certain “intellectual-NGO-disillusioned sector”:
1. Retirar toda alusión a “los intereses imperiales de los Estados Unidos”. Ese es un discurso arcaico. El imperialismo es una excusa, es un concepto simplista y maniqueo, un invento de la vieja izquierda ante su incapacidad de explicar la realidad, un echarle la culpa a otros por nuestras desgracias.
4. Retirar toda sugerencia que el gobierno de Nicolás Maduro es democrático. Podrá haber sido “elegido democráticamente”, pero es un gobierno autoritario. ¿Acaso otros dictadores no ganaron elecciones? La izquierda tiene que condenar el autoritarismo de Maduro, un dictador parecido a Trujillo o Stroessner.
6. Señalar que el origen de la crisis de Venezuela está en las políticas populistas, similares a las de Alan García en el Perú de los 80s, seguidas desde Chávez y continuadas por Maduro. La izquierda no sólo no no puede aprobar el populismo; debe condenarlo.
1. Remove any allusion to “the imperial interests of the United States.” That is an archaic discourse. Imperialism is an excuse, it is a simplistic and Manichean concept, an invention of the old left at its inability to explain reality, a blaming of others for our misfortunes.
4. Remove any suggestion that the government of Nicolás Maduro is democratic. It may have been “elected democratically” but it is an authoritarian government. Perhaps other dictators didn't win elections? The left has to condemn the authoritarianism of Maduro, a dictator similar to Trujillo or Stroessner.
6. Note that the origin of Venezuela's crisis is in populist policies, similar to those of Alan García in Peru in the 80s, followed from Chávez and continued by Maduro. The left not only cannot approve populism; it should condemn it.
And he concludes saying that “with these criteria, the left”:
i) le irá mejor en las próximas elecciones,
ii) demostrará que conoce muy bien el discurso que sintoniza con la ciudadanía peruana,
iii) afirmará una posición moderna y se distanciará del discurso obsoleto de los comunistas de los cincuentas, sesentas, setentas y ochentas,
iv) habrá hecho un pronunciamiento respetable intelectualmente, que seguramente será suscrito por la gente pensante del país.
i) will do better in the next elections,
ii) will demonstrate that it knows the discourse that resonates with the Peruvian citizenry very well,
iii) will assert a more modern position and will distance itself from the obsolete discourse of the communists of the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s
iv) will have made an intellectually respectable statement, that surely will be signed by the country's thinkers.
Perhaps the best summary of the Peruvian left's current situation comes in the form of a criticism from that very left wing:
La llamada “izquierda moderna” en Perú elogia a Pepe Mujica pero nada q ver con Maduro. Sin embargo Pepe Mujica respalda a Maduro #Venezuela
— BiNaRiO (@elblogdebinario) February 19, 2014
The so-called “modern left” in Peru praises Pepe Mujica but has nothing to do with Maduro. Nevertheless, Pepe Mujica backs Madruo


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Trinidad & Tobago: There’s an App for That · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

T3CHTT has put together a list of handy local mobile apps, including a new music app catering to Caribbean rhythms.


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Venezuelan TV Station Didn’t Air Oscars for the First Time in 39 Years · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Your oscar speech can help save lives in Venezuela. Speak Up! #OscarsForVenezuela #Oscars2014 #SOSVenezuela pic.twitter.com/38EAZ32mtu
— ¿Sabías que? (@sabiastuque_) March 1, 2014
Given the rumors that the Academy Awards Ceremony would include artists’ messages regarding the protests in Venezuela, the event was not aired [es] by Venevisión, the biggest television outlet in Venezuela which traditionally aired the ceremony.
The network informed on Twitter:
Queremos informar que este año no tenemos los derechos de transmisión de los Premios Óscar.
— Venevision (@venevision) March 2, 2014
We want to inform that we don't have the rights to air the Academy Awards this year.
The reactions to the possibility that some artists might have sent a solidarity message with the protests went from jokes…
Los Narco-Dependientes mas famosos del mundo atacan a Venezuela hoy, desde la entrega de los Premios Oscar. No te lo pierdas.
— Rommel Bello (@RommelBello) March 2, 2014
The world's most famous drug-addicts attack Venezuela today from the Academy Awards. Don't miss it.
…to gratitude.
I want to thank you @JaredLeto for standing up for #Venezuela in the last 2 weeks bro! At your Oscar speech help us save lives in Venezuela
— Ray Angel Torres (@rayangeltorres) March 2, 2014
Meanwhile, many creative memes on the matter appeared on the web.
And the Oscar goes to #Venezuela #ElQuePersisteVence pic.twitter.com/451frqx4ks
— Mili (@milivallad) March 2, 2014
It's worth noting that Venezuelans with cable TV were able [es] to watch the Oscars.


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VIDEO: A “Waiting House” for Pregnant Women in Peru · Global Voices
PRI/PRX's The World

This video report by Oscar Durand and Elie Gardner for The World originally appeared on PRI.org on February 23, 2014 and is republished as part of a content sharing agreement.
In rural Peru, women are encouraged to spend their last weeks of pregnancy in special residential facilities that offer comfort and care. But the waiting remains difficult.
To prevent women from giving birth at home, where they face a higher risk of death, Peru has established a network of maternal “waiting houses.” These residential facilities host women from rural areas during their final weeks of pregnancy, so they can give birth in the presence of skilled attendants. Ana María Bolege, 21, has come to a waiting house in the Andean town of Ayacucho, three hours by road from her home.
This story is part of PRI's The Ninth Month series, a journey through pregnancy and childbirth, across cultures and continents. Join the Ninth Month community on Facebook to share stories about childbirth where you live. Twitter hashtag #ninthmonth

author: PRI/PRX's The World


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Video: Distributing Food in Yarmouk Camp-Syria · Global Voices
Rami Alhames

FAJER PRESS posted a video of the besieged Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus while receiving food parcels to feed the 18,000 remaining residents of the camp, who have been forced to eat stray animals to survive amid critical food shortages.
The video is dated December 30, 2013.

author: Rami Alhames


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Winter in Tajik Capital, the “Worst City in Asia” · Global Voices
Mahina Shodizoda

An expat blogger writes about how she spent winter in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.
I spent most of the coldest times huddled next to the space heater (pechka), cup of tea in hand. Some mornings everything in the kitchen froze. I once tried to pour hot water into a cold cup and it cracked in half…
On several nights the electricity went out, sometimes for hours…
The story helps understand why Dushanbe was recently ranked the worst city in Asia for expatriates to live in.


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100 Days in Prison without Trial: The Story of Alaa Abd El Fattah · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah completed his 100th day in prison without trial today. Abd El Fattah was violently beaten and arrested from his Cairo home on November 26, 2013 and accused of “organising a ‘No to Military Trial for Civilians’ protest” two days prior to his arrest.
According to Rasha Abdulla, Advox author and a friend of Abd El Fattah:
He has been detained since November 28, after being accused of organizing a protest in front of The Shura Council (the upper house of Egypt's Parliament) without obtaining legal permission. Two days prior to the protest, legislators passed a law requiring all protest organizers to submit logistical information about planned protests to the Ministry of the Interior.
[…]
The protest in question was organized by the No to Military Trials for Civilians group, a campaign initiated by Mona Seif but of which her brother Alaa is not a member. The group has issued a press statement claiming responsibility for the organization of the protest. Members of the group have also filed a report with the public prosecutor claiming responsibility for the event. The protest, which took place on November 26, called for the abolishing of military trials for civilians in the new constitution which Egypt is to vote on later this month [January].
The protest was violently dispersed by the police roughly half an hour after it began. Police detained 11 women, most of them members of the No to Military Trials group, and 24 men. The women, all of whom were beaten and some of whom were sexually harassed while being detained, remained in custody for a few hours. They were then forced to ride a police car and thrown in the desert sometime after midnight. The men were detained for a week and are now released (except for one, Ahmed Abdel Rahman) pending investigation. Alaa was detained after police stormed his house two days later and accused him of organizing the protest. This allegation came despite the fact that Alaa waited outside the police station where his sister was detained on November 26 all evening until she was picked up by friends after police threw her and her colleagues in the desert. Although both Alaa and Ahmed Abdel Rahman have been detained for over a month pending investigation, no court date has been assigned yet for the case.
The situation remains the same today. A court date is yet to be assigned – 100 days after his arrest. Tahrir Diaries posted this video on YouTube to make the 100th day anniversary of Abd El Fattah's arrest.
It features Manal Hassan, describing what happened to her husband Abd El Fattah, and No to Military Trials member Nazly Hassan, who outlines the ordeal of Ahmed Abdul Rahman, a passer-by who politely asked police at the protest why they were beating and sexually harassing women participants.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Brazil’s Carnival Waste: The Day After in Photos · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

A teen sleeps near his Samba school float. Many of the workers live in the School borough, making this a family tradition, and not only a commercial service. Photo by Leonardo Coelho copyright Demotix (4 March 2014)
“The party in Carnival week never ceases in Rio,” says Brazilian photographer Leonardo Coelho. But eventually the day comes when the party is over and thus “Rio de Janeiro wakes up to a trashed city after Carnival night“.
That is the title of a photo report by Coelho, which shows the “traces of trash scattered throughout Rio”. In a different set he calls it a “garbage crisis“, due to this year's strike of garbage collectors who are demanding better working conditions and wages.
Another photojournalist, Ale Silva (who also shared pictures of the day after on Demotix), caught on camera a protest staged by around 500 striking garbage collectors in front of Rio's city hall on March 4, 2014. More pictures of the day after can be seen on the website Fotos Públicas here and here.

author: Sara Moreira


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Can Scientists Help Preserve Latin America’s Cultural Heritage? · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

In Latin American Science, Karina Vega-Villa writes about the importance of preserving the region's cultural heritage. She asks:
In a global society that highly values scientific advancement, what is the role that scientists play in developing a technology-based economic model in multicultural nations like those in Latin America?
And then concludes, among other things:

author: Silvia Viñas


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Dozens of Policemen Watch Hundreds of Macedonians March Against Poverty · Global Voices
Filip Stojanovski

As planned, at exactly 11:55 am, the “5 (minutes) to 12″ March Against Poverty began at the Parliament in capital city Skopje, on March 1, 2014. Photos and multimedia galleries from the march suggest about a thousand people participated with a high number of police officers cordoning their route. The event ended in an open-air “Concert for Dignity” at the Jadran Square.
In Macedonia, ranked among the poorest countries in Europe, every third citizen lives below the poverty line [pdf].
March Against Poverty in Skopje. Photo by author on March 1, 2014. CC-BY- 2.0
Organizers of the event, 8th of September and the Macedonian Platform Against Poverty, are demanding a change in social welfare laws to provide decent basic income for Macedonia's poorest citizens. The event proceeded peacefully, with one exception – a police officer harassed a journalist and protester.  Activist Petrit Saracini wrote [mk] on Facebook:
Dobro pomina marsot i koncertot protiv siromastijata, bez incidentite koi gi najavuvaa mediumite na vlasta. Osven eden moment, koga, koj drug, ako ne policijata, povotrno prekardasi, i legitimirase snimatel, a koga direktorkata na Helsinski gi prasala sto pravat, grubo ja otturnale. Pred lugje i kameri. Ic ne im cue. Na edvaj ni 1000 lugje izvadija 1000 dzandari. Nazdravje neka im se dnevnicite. I tie gi plakjame nie.
The march and the concert against poverty went well, without the incidents ‘predicted’ by pro-government media. Except at one point, when, who else but the police, went overboard, and asked for the ID of a cameramen. When the director of Helsinki Committee asked what they are doing, she was roughly pushed to the ground, in front of people and in front of cameras. They didn't care. For maybe less than 1000 people they had 1000 armed police officers. May they spend their overtime pay in health. We pay for them anyway.
The director of the Macedonian Helsinki Committee, a human rights organization, Uranija Pirovska stated [mk] that she intended to file a complaint with the Ministry of Interior based on a video clip that documented the event, along with eyewitness testimonies.
In September 2013, the private television channel Nova TV reported and analyzed [mk] a similar incident, in which police forced their cameraman to delete footage of police aggression against protesters who were trying to protect a landmark Skopje public park from destruction. To date, no action has been taken against the perpetrator of this incident.
In front of government buildings protesters were met by a police cordon and a cordon of ancient statues- real archeological artifacts – set there in 2007. Under the Skopje 2014 project, the Government is turning the modernist facade into a faux-baroque style at a initial cost of 9 million euros. Photo by author. CC-BY.
The march was organized and promoted through a Facebook event page, a blog and Twitter under the ahashtags #5до12 and #5do12 on Twitter.


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Higher Medical Fees, Another Burden for Malaysian Consumers · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Malaysian government has raised medical fees by 14 percent which many believe would hurt the poor who are still reeling from rising food and petrol prices.
A dentist in Johor Baharu. Photo from Flickr page of Emran Kassim (CC License)
The decision to increase consultation fees and the cost of medical procedures was officially gazetted by the government last December. But it was only a few days ago when it was reported by the media.
The government claimed that the original petition of doctors was to raise fees by about 30 percent. In the end, the Health Ministry only approved an increase of 14 percent. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam assured the public that the decision would prevent the charging of very high fees during medical consultations:
Those (in the fee schedule) are the maximum rates. We are protecting the people from being charged exorbitantly by the private sector.
According to the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), the last increase in medical fees was more than 12 years ago:
The fee increase is acceptable as we have been waiting for a raise since 2002.In the interim everything has gone up – drugs, lab fees, petrol, sugar, wages, toll, taxi and bus fares, grocery, vegetables – except doctors’ fees.
The truth is they (doctors) are scraping the bottom of the barrel these days. Over 500 individual stand-alone general practitioner clinics have closed down or have been bought over by large chain clinics or business corporations.
MMA president Dr NKS Tharmaseelan also clarified that fees paid to doctors constitute a tiny portion of total hospital cost:
While the doctor's fee is fixed, other charges are not – bed charges, room charges, overtime charges, intensive care unit charges….
When one gets a massive bill, the doctor is blamed for the fee which forms only a minuscule portion of the total.
But for Wangsa Maju MP Dr Tan Kee Kwong, the hike in medical fees would be another burden for the people:
As a former medical practitioner, I feel this drastic price increase is not warranted… the rakyat (people) are already suffering from all kinds of price hikes.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations demanded an improvement in the delivery of health care in the country:
The notion is that private healthcare provides better services. But among the complaints were poor treatment by doctors, failure to disclose reasons for treatment, unnecessary tests to bill customers and wrong dosages (of medicines).
So, with the increase in fees, they must justify how their services have improved.
The alternative news group Malaysiakini highlighted some comments related to the issue:
Isaiah: We won't die of the sickness but from the heart attack that comes upon seeing the medical bill.
TehTarik: The fees of every profession, from lawyers, accountants, engineers, IT specialists, managers, bankers, etc, have gone up by anywhere from 30 to 40 percent over the past 12 years. So what is wrong if the doctors fees are raised by 14 to 18 percent?
Debates are expected to continue whether the increase in medical fees was just and transparent. Critics of the government would probably cite the issue as proof of the failure of the state to provide adequate social services to the poor.

author: Mong Palatino