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Brazil: Over 80 deaths in the worst environmental tragedy · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Over 80 people have been killed in landslides and floods caused by heavy  rain in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, and the death toll is rising by the minute, as rescue workers sift through the wreckage of the flooding that started at the weekend. At the moment,  it is believed that 1.5 million people have been affected, and about 160,000 people are without electricity. There is no drinking water either, and people are starting to suffer from hunger too. Many of the  roads in the region have been blocked by mud and water and eight towns have been cut off by the flood waters.
The federal government have helped by providing helicopters  and boats to try to reach stranded residents,  other states are sending aid, including clothes and food. Santa Catarina declared a state of emergency. This has been already declared the worse environmental tragedy in Brazil, and the rainy season is only beginning. Robson Souza [pt] has taken many pictures with his mobile phone and published them on his blog. They report on the situation in Itajaí from 5:20 through 15:30, local time, on November 24:
Over 50,000 people were left homeless by weekend rains as 20,000 homes were destroyed. Some of them are living in shelters improvised by local authorities.  Rogério Christofoletti [pt], also from Itajaí, is one of the 20,000 people sheltered at friends’ houses:
Cerca de 80% da cidade de Itajaí está sob as águas, e todas as classes sociais estão atingidas. Dos miseráveis aos ricaços, ninguém foi poupado. Mesmo quem não foi diretamente atingido está sofrendo as conseqüências: veja o caso dos meus amigos Isaías e Raquel, que acolheram a minha família e mais outras duas em seu apartamento. A cidade deve sofrer nas próximas horas com falta de água, alimentos, combustíveis… Boa parte da cidade, metade dela, está sem energia elétrica. Deixei minha casa, e depois conferi que cerca de 30 ou 40 cm de água havia invadido o local. Não pude permanecer lá. Saí no domingo de manhã, antes mesmo da água chegar. Fui com mulher e filho para um local seguro, e em seguida, fomos auxiliar no Colégio Dom Bosco, onde centenas de pessoas chegavam molhadas, com frio, com fome, e sem nenhuma esperança. Perderam tudo. Distribuindo roupas para as pessoas, eu via nos olhos delas um misto de vergonha, de desalento, de perplexidade. Um sofrimento intenso, difícil de escrever aqui.
Coré [pt], from beach resort Balneário Camboriú,  went to work at the weekend normally, just to realise later how serious the situation was:
Ao chegar lá a loja estava vazia, e ficou assim boa parte do tempo até começarem a chegar os primeiros “sobreviventes” das enchentes – pessoas simples que perderam tudo e foram retirados de barco pela defesa civil. Na hora tive que manter o jogo de cintura e continuar a sorrir, por mais que todas as pessoas com quem trabalho ficassem com aquela cara de “mas eim?” ou “que absurdo!” porém no fundo cada pessoa que entrava na loja era um pedaço do meu coração que quebrava, cada centavo que eles gastavam na expectativa de começar tudo do zero era uma lágrima que eu queria que caisse do meu rosto. No entando continuei ali, sorrindo.
Gambá [pt] from Blumenau is now trying to get back to normal:
É assim mesmo. Depois que as águas baixam, começa imediatamente o trabalho de limpeza. Uma tarefa difícil que requer muito esforço físico e controle emocional. Primeiro a retirada da lama acumulada (mais ou menos 20 cm), ver o que pode ser lavado, reaproveitado, esperar secar e recolocar tudo no lugar. Como ainda não temos água nas torneiras, hoje passei o dia desmontando o que restou dessa garagem aí em cima. Tô morto de cansado. E amanhã tem mais. Muito mais.
The picture above was taken by Rodrigo Stulzer [pt], who happened to be going to Santa Catarina for the weekend and documented the floods. They reminded him of another holiday he spent in the state as a child:
Eu já havia pego em 1983 uma grande enchente em Santa Catarina. Estávamos eu e minha mãe, de barraca, em Balneário Camboriú. Os primeiros dias foram muito legais. Íamos para a praia de dia e à noite eu brincava com as outras crianças do camping. Joguei muitas partidas de War naquelas férias. Mas daí a chuva começou… e não parou mais. Acabamos ilhados no camping e conseguimos ir até a casa de uma amiga, depois que a água baixou um pouco. O desespero bateu quando a água quase entrou no banheiro do camping, onde estávamos, junto com as outras pessoas. Eu tinha 12 anos e chorei de medo. Back to 2008 e eu agora casado e com um filho de 6 anos. Os tempos mudam mas a natureza continua a mesma.
Many new blogs and citizen media initiatives have been set up quickly in this time of tragedy. Itajaí Council decided to publish a last minute blog, with updates about the heavy rains in the city. Also from Itajaí, Blog dos Desabrigados [Blog of the Displaced, pt] has a search system where people can find where their friends or relatives have been sheltered, and for people to ask for news of their missing loved ones. A volunteer supporting network has also been set up at Arca de Noé [Noah's Ark, pt] blog, where people can send photos and videos, provide news on the situation in some places and also find out how to help and about volunteer opportunities. One of the twitter tags is #SC.

author: Paula Góes


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China: An Eviction In Futian · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN translated a brief post with a number of pictures from MOP on a violent eviction in Futian, Shenzhen.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Roadmap to Tibet Independence · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Sun bin introduces Wang Lixiong's recent article on the Roadmap to Tibet Independence. The Chinese version is re-posted at inmediahk.net, while an ongoing English translation is here.


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China: Yang Jia is dead · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Yang Jia (杨佳), who killed 6 police officers at Zhabei District police station in Shanghai on July 1, 2008, was executed this morning (26 of Nov, 2008). A twitter account, foreveryangjia, has been set up to express grievance towards this legendary figure.
Upon receiving the news from Yang's mother about the supreme court's approval of execution last night, human right lawyer and blogger Liu Xiaoyuan expressed his regret that the truth is yet to be revealed..
杨佳将死，真相未明！
According to Yang's testimony, he was wrongly accused by the Shanghai police for stealing bicycle in 2007 and suffered from physical abuse during the detention. However, in a close door trial in August, Yang was sentenced to death without a reasonable explanation of his intention in the verdict [zh]. Many considered the trial unfair as the lawyer that Yang's father hired were denied and the government appointed another lawyer, a legal consultant for Zhabei district government [zh], to represent Yang. More scandalous is the fact that Yang's mother, Wang Jingmei, had been kept in a psychiatric hospital [zh] run by the Beijing Police Bureau for about four months, throughout the prosecution of her son. (English briefing see Yang Jia: Stranger than Fiction)
While the government is not very committed to find out the truth, Liu Xiao-yuan tried to put the puzzle together and traced the tragedy back to Yang's mother's petition experience:
杨佳母亲王静梅是一个老上访户，2000年时，她与单位一同事发生冲突受伤。官司打到法院，她认为判决很不公，为此上访申诉了八年之久。
据媒体报道说，王静梅上访申诉材料都是儿子帮助打印。
王静梅的上访经历影响到了儿子，2007年10月5日，杨佳遭到盘查殴打后，为了投诉上海警方，购买了一千只信封，一千套邮票，一整箱复印纸。
According to the media report, her son had been helping her to print her appeal documents.
Wang Jingmei's visit petition has affected her son. In Oct 5 2007, after Yang Jia had been abused in the police station, he bought a thousand envelops with a thousand stamps and a box of papers.
但是懂得电脑的他，还是放弃了“雪片”投诉方式，而改用以电子邮件、电话投诉为主，以书面投诉为辅的方法。
经过长达九个月的投诉，警方也两次派人来北京，但没有处理好“上诉”事件，终于引爆了这起血案。
杨佳说，只是为了要一个说法，并不是为了要钱。警方称，杨佳是没有要到一万元赔偿，而报复行凶滥杀无辜。
After 9 months, the police had visit Beijing twice to investigate the issue, but they had not dealt with the “appeal” properly which leaded to this bloody explosion.
Yang Jia said he just wanted an explanation not for money. The police said Yang Jia took revenge because he did not get his 10 thousand compensation.
王静梅在安康医院见到姐姐时说，上海警方第二次进京谈处理盘查之事，她用MP3做过录音，可以证明没有要过一万元赔偿，这个关键证据被警方收缴了。杨佳出事后，王静梅没有再见过杨佳，她也是一个认死理的人，她的说法与杨佳所说能相互印证。
综合其他各方面情况来判断，我是相信母子俩所说的是真话。试想一下，警察把杨佳强拉进工作区域，又说没有打，可又不出示里面的录像；把王静梅送入安康医院强制治疗，在家属找上门来报案了，竟欺骗说已自行离开。办案机关如此蒙骗民众，谁会相信他们的说法呢？
Yang Jia's killing has been interpreted, especially on the internet, as a heroic act of challenging the unjust establishment through violence. Below is a poem written by Lu Xi-an in September 2008 that reflects the people sentiment towards Yang Jia. Counter opinion from Xinhua.net can be found in another GV's post written by Bob back in July. The poem is first posted in a sina blog and then re-posted at inmediahk.net:
2008年7月1日，
楊佳在上海出現，
隨後他便進入死去的歷史。
有人說他殺人，
有人說他沒有殺人。
他的母親也找不到了，
問員警，員警說不知道。
問法院，法院說別添麻煩了。
不久，楊佳被判死刑，
理由就是殺了6個上海員警。
儘管我們不知道真相，
儘管我們學會了沉默，
但我們不能騙自己說我們不知道楊佳。
對於上海官方來說，
從此，歷史上將不再有楊佳。
從此，他的母親也徹底失蹤了。
中國十三億人，
為什麼單單失蹤楊佳的母親，
我們還相信上海司法機關嗎？
楊佳是誰？
這個問題太難回答，
上海的員警不敢說，
上海的法官不敢說，
上海的律師也不敢說。
甚至有些人一聽到問楊佳的名字，
就會自覺地害怕。
楊佳到底是誰？
真相到底在哪里？
不知道，不知道，我們不知道。
上海之大，上海之文明，
容不下開庭公審楊佳，
容不下楊佳母親公開出面，
容不下北京律師公開為楊佳辯護，
容不下一個將死的人最後向公眾說話，
或許那就是懺悔的聲音。
楊佳是誰？
別管那麼多吧，
楊佳就是一個人，
他是13億人中的一個，
是56個民族中一個大漢民族的子弟，
他來到這個世界，
還沒有學會如何懺悔，
就已經失語了，
他來到這個世界，
僅有這點價值，
僅有這點最後機會，
卻也被剝奪了。
楊佳是誰？
別管他了，
他只是一個人，
上海有多少人，
希望以他的死來換取面子，
丟失的面子。
楊佳是誰？
我想別管那麼多了，
最後只想問一問。
楊佳到底為什麼殺人？


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Congratulations Pour in on Queen Rania’s Youtube Award · Global Voices
Mohammad Azraq

Bloggers from across the Middle East and North Africa are tipping their hats to Jordan's Queen Rania, and her visionary initiative on YouTube, after she was awarded YouTube's first-ever Visionary Award for launching an interactive online channel to combat stereotypes and misconceptions associated with Arabs and Muslims.
In a post titled ‘Why I love Queen Rania?’, Jordanian blogger Moey writes:
Maybe because she’s the most pretty ever and she knows what brands to wear and what to wear, or maybe because she won the Visionary Award on YouTube Live. I’m not sure yet, I just love her
Andaluss, from Morocco, notes:
I stumbled upon Queen Rania’s Youtube channel. Apparently she’s been Vlogging since 2007, and has as a mission; the breaking down of the stereotypes surrounding Arabs & Muslims around the world. She’s many video responses that you can watch on her Youtube channel. And by the way she’s just won a youtube award.
The sad thing though is that people don’t realize that Muslims were the ones who invented: Paper, shampoo, ink, coffee, chess (yes chess is an Arab invention), pin hole camera, vaccination, surgery, soup, earth is in a sphere shape, calender, numbers.. just to name a few!! Google & find out more.
From Israel, One Voice peace initiative posted on its blog, saying:
Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan has been given the honor of YouTube's first Visionary Award, for her outreach to youth encouraging them to confront and deconstruct stereotypes of the Muslim world. We are always so impressed with her courage, vision, and leadership.
“Queen Rania sets the standard for breaking down stereotypes and her YouTube videos are nothing short of inspirational,” Al-Arabiya quoted YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley as saying. “It is both a pleasure and an honor to present her with this much-deserved tribute.”
Also from Palestine, the Philistine writes:
She may be queen of an ancient land. But this week word emerged that Queen Rania of Jordan was winner of a distinctively 21st century honor. She has been given YouTube’s first-ever Visionary Award for launching an interactive online channel to combat stereotypes and misconceptions associated with Arabs and Muslims, Jordan’s Petra news agency reported.
Her video, “Send me your stereotypes,” was viewed by more than 1 million online users. Another video received 1.4 million page views within weeks, prompted 83 video responses from other users, and generated nearly 6,000 comments.
And finally, from the Queen’s kingdom Jansait posted the video which the Queen released on the occasion and wrote this one line :
We are Stronger when we Listen, Smarter when we Share

author: Mohammad Azraq


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Egypt: Getting High on Obama  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Barack Obama's popularity in Egypt reaches a new high – with the introduction of a narcotic to the market bearing the President-elect's name.
According to Egyptian blogger Hossam el-Hamalawy dealers in the Mediterranean town of Marsa Martrouh are peddling an Obama brand hashish:
A new brand of (presumably black Moroccan) hashish has appeared in the Egyptian town of Marsa Matrouh, called “Obama”!
I recall in in 2003, a quite popular brand of hash that appeared in Cairo was named “Saddam” coz it was “stronger than chemical weapons.”
The news first hit the online world via Twitter, when award-winning blogger Wael Abbas announced it, saying (Ar):
In English, the Tweet says:
Urgent – a new type of hashish appears in Marsa Matrouh – Obama
Elijah Zarwan, also based in Egypt, further comments:
By the hash-o-meter, Barack Obama may be the most popular foreign leader in Egypt since Saddam Hussein.
* This post also appears in Voices without Votes.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Guyana: To Cut or Not To Cut · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyana-Gyal thinks her lime tree is an ingrate, but is in a conundrum about whether or not to cut it down.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Haiti: Non-Violence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haitian blogger Wadner Pierre strongly advocates the path of non-violence.


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India: Blasts, Gunfire and Terror in Mumbai · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

In a series of blasts and shoot outs, the city of Mumbai appears to have come under attack. According to the news, there appear to be at least seven different locations in the city that have been attacked. In an unprecedented sort of terror, a combination of gun fire, blasts, grenade blasts have been used to attack cinema halls, hotels, hospitals, and other public places. A mainsteam media report states
At least four people are reported to have been killed and 15 are injured as unidentified groups of gunmen opened fire in at least four places across south Mumbai on Wednesday night.
In a one line post, a view on markets and life evokes the confusion and shock of the event.
Sirens outside my window. Please make it a safe night.
On Twitter, several people are tweeting from Mumbai, and there appears to be very little information available. There is some amount of speculation if this is indeed a terror attack. Mumbai used to witness gang wars, but these haven't been heard of in a decade.
An online community for engineers posts the events as they happen
10 minutes before (10:45 PM IST) there is an Open Firing and Explosion reported in South Mumbai. Till now there is no Casualities reported. Atleast 15 Injured and 1 policeman injured. AK47 used in Firing .
So far 5 Confirmed Incidents reported in Shooting. 3 Confirmed Dead !
Firing reported in CST (Chatrapati Shivaji Terminal),  Taj Hotel, Colaba Causeway and VT Station. Reports Confirmed its a Terror Attack. In VT Station atleast 15 people Feared Injured.
A post at Retributions reminds us that the threat of terror is very real in India. A post at Staccato articulates a similar thought – of the mindless terror attacks that have repeatedly struck various cities in India.
Bomb blasts in Bombay as we speak.
Phones jammed. Can't reach my family.
I've gone through this before.
Not panicking.
Another post echoes the fear and helplessness.
it is extremely scary to watch all this on the news.
i'm immoderately shaking in fear right now. i never get so shaken up by news. it's the distance that's doing this. if i was in bombay i might not have been watching the news so carefully.
People in the city blog the sheer shock. The attacks have come at a late hour, and after the office rush hour. Himadri writes
There was this friend of his who had just returned from Colaba. A firing had just occurred near Bade Miyan where he was eating. And as we were discussing and dialling random numbers on the cellphone, we heard three explosions within seconds or minutes of each other. The ground shook. This was not just another night.
We switched on the television. And the firing still goes on outside, in batches of 4-5 rounds. As I am writing this, there are sirens of vehicles, police vehicles echoing in my ear. There are 6 people in my living room now, watching the news. Two of them were sitting at Leopold, where there was a shootout earlier. One is a broker, and another one his friend. I am here, my roommate is here. Aunty is in her room, Babloo is cursing everyone to disturb his sleep. And We are together. Only unity can fight this.
Even as this post is being written, there are reports of more attacks and encounters in the city.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: First photographs of Mumbai blasts on flickr · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The first photographs from Mumbai on flickr are coming up. Vinu from Vinu's Online Cloud has uploaded a lot of photographs from the streets of Mumbai.
MumbaiHelp is back online and offering to make call for anyone who can't get through to their families and friends.
Leave a message if you're trying to get through to pals in the city.
Preferably leave a cellphone number for both yourself and your friends / family, and we'll try and SMS them.
Tip: Suggest you avoid calling. Lines are bound to be screwed. SMS direct instead.
Meanwhile, Gauravonomics writes on “Real Time Citizen Journalism in Mumbai Terrorist Attacks”
The Mumbai terrorist attack is now on the front page of Google News and Mahalo is doing a great job of compiling the story as it unfolds.
The first photos of the Mumbai terrorist attacks are up on CNN-IBN and NDTV and both (CNN-IBN and NDTV) are streaming live video feeds of the unfolding situation.
I’ll be updating this post with more citizen generated resources on the Mumbai terrorist attacks as they are put up.


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India: Terror attacks continue in Mumbai · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

In what appears to be a surreal sense of reality, television channels are airing footage from the various places in Southern Mumbai that are being attacked. Ultrabrown writes –
A large-scale S. Bombay terrorist attack is going on right now using automatic weapons, hand grenades and possibly a taxi bomb. Commandos and military are supposedly being rushed in. Gunfire is still being heard on live TV.
And the logistics of living in a country which constantly finds itself under terrorist attacks. Meandering thoughts… writes
A friend called from Mumbai to find out if I'm fine and mentioned that he's actually made groups in his phone's contact list – one for each metro city of the country. Makes it easier for him to react and find out about family and friends every time a blast happens.
I'm beginning to realise he has a point.
Worryingly, there already is a sense of conflicting information from various sources. While some mainstream media sources suggest that the situation is under control, others give the impression that there maybe a hostage situation developing in some of the hotels, especially with foreign nationals being held by the terrorists.
Tweets from Mumbai were one of the first to break the news. Manic Scribe writes.
A bunch of terrorist are in the midst of a co-ordinated attack on Mumbai, India. The reports first started trickling in on Twitter, of all places, as I follow a few people who live in Mumbai. They have actually heard the explosions.
India Retold writes
They are still there, firing and waiting to take the police on. The lobby of Oberoi Hotel has been set on fire. A petrol pump in Colaba has just been blown up, as this is being typed. Dadar station has been evacuated. An explosive laden taxi has been blown up in Ville Parle. Two terrorists have entered GT Hospital. They are exchanging fire with police near Metro cinema. Some terrorists have even commandeered a police jeep and are moving around in it firing indiscriminately. Incidents of blasts/ firing/lobbying of hand grenade have been reported from at least nine places. And the number is only increasing even at this hour past midnight. Live firing can still be heard on TV. It is 12:31 AM.
As the minutes go by, more reactions emerge from the blogosphere. An angry post at Doing Something For My Country!!
Makes me wonder what will make our so called LEADERS to stand up and notice of whats happened and again happening… They of course do not realise the importance of lives of INDIANS, otherwise some concrete action might have taken place… Calling the INDIAN POLITICIALS WEKELINGS AND COWARDS would be the understatement of the century…
The attacks came quite late in the night on a weekday. Chances are that the city will take a few days before things return to normal. (Once was) Mumbaiwallah writes
It's 00.17 on 27 November as I write. CNN on Twitter tells me that the city is under seige again. A grenade apparently went off at CST and shooting was reported in Colaba. NDTV.com live tv shows that the Oberoi lobby is on fire and an ‘encounter’ is on at the Taj and Trident Hotel.
Trains on the central line have been stopped until further notice. 20 people have been reported dead at this time.


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Indonesia: “Security camera” show in a hotel TV · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Isman from Indonesia is shocked to discover a different kind of amenity offered by a hotel in Manado: A TV program airing a direct feed from the hotel's security camera.

author: Mong Palatino


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Indonesia: Elections and used car markets · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Youthful Insight from Indonesia compares next year's elections to used car markets: “Both of them offer nothing but high risk, low return for voters and buyers.”


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Iran: Art gallery was shutdown · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Iranian news sites and blogs such as Haftan reported[fa]that Iranian authorities, a couple of days ago, accused an art gallery to expose “immoral” photos and closed it. The photos were the creation of Peyman Hooshmanzadeh. Here are some of these photos.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran:Beautiful carpets · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

in Irannegah we can watch a video film about Iranian carpets in a fair.


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Korea: An Actress, Her Good Deed, and Her Family History.  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

A popular young actress who is called the ‘national sister’ due to her naivete, humble attitude, and good acting, Moon Geun-young is famous for making donations to society. She usually hides her good deeds from public view. This month a welfare organization, exposed that she donated 850 million won (1 US dollar=1,500won) for 6 years in public. Her family history was also introduced by the media for the first time. Under the condition of being the actress, she promised her family to share her earning with the poor and organizations, such as North Korean aid organizations. Her grandfather was in prison for more than 30 years as a political prisoner and communist and her family members were victimized in the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement [EN]. While the media tended to introduce her good deed and her family story as a sad part of Korean history, it leads to unexpected reactions. Some netizens praise her good deed and feel sorry for her family story. But the history seems to still linger around now. Some politicians regard this reaction as a dangerous element in terms of political security and other netizens interpret this scandal in diverse ways.
Advisory of the National Security Policy Research Institue and military analyst Ji Man-won wrote on his website that Moon Geun-young is raised by bbalchisan (communist partisan insurgent) [KR] family and that praising her good deed is manipulated by the left wing and will give a good image about bbalchisan.
While many netizens are perplexed by his comment, some netizens agree.
요즘 좌익 언론이 지만원 박사님을 매도하고 있다. 그러나, 요즘 언론이 마냥 띄어주기를 하는 문근영의 선행에도 간과되어서는 아니될 그림자가 있다. 적어도 5천만원의 거액이 통일단체에 기부되었는데, 그 통일단체는 다름아닌 이적단체 범민련이라고 한다. 사실인가?  만약 사실이라면 누구든 대한민국 편에 서기를 원하는 식자는 결코 그 그림자를 긴과하려 하지 않을 것이다.[…]외조부를 향한 문근영의 애정은 부정되어서는 아니된다. 그것은 당연한 것이요, 문근영의 개인적인 권리이다.  그러나, 그것이 그녀의 외조부의 조국 북조선이 문근영의 조국이어야만 한다는 논리여서는 아니된다.  문근영이 외조부의 이념을 그대로 본받아야 하며, 외조부의 조국을 그녀의 조국으로 삼아야 한다는 논리는 그녀를 진정으로 위하는 논리가 아니다.  그러기에 그녀의 외조부의 빨치산 투쟁을 통일운동으로 미화하는 보도는 위험한 것이다[…]
Netizens don’t understand why Moon Geun-young has to be treated as a criminal due to her family history.
[…]지만원 씨의 주장이 철 지난 반공주의, 색깔론이라는 것은 모두가 알고 있다. 여기까지만 해도 문제가 크다. 그러나 더 문제가 되는 것은 여기서 더 나아가 연좌제로 연결된다는 데 있다. 지만원 씨 본인은 연좌제를 부정하고 있다. 그러나 논리적으로 분명히 연좌제의 구조를 취하고 있다. 연좌제는 본인이 죄를 짓지도 않았는데 친지나 남이 한 일 때문에 불이익 당하는 것을 말한다. 개인의 독자성을 부정했던 봉건시대의 악습이다. 당시엔 ‘시민’이 없었기 때문에 ‘개인’도 없었고, 집단만 있었다. 민주공화국에서 우리 모두는 시민으로서 개인이다. 그러므로 연좌제는 있을 수 없다. 난 나의 잘못으로만 처벌받을 수 있는 것이다. 그런데 지만원 씨는 문근영에게 철저히 본인과 상관없는 문제를 걸고 있다. 그렇게 건 이유가 꼭 색깔론이나 반공주의가 아니라 해도, 연좌제 자체가 이미 문제다. 왜 문근영이 연좌를 당해야 하나?  지만원 씨는 자신이 연좌제를 주장하는 것이 아니라고 했다. 그러면서 문근영 본인에겐 나쁜 감정이 없으며, 그의 선행도 칭송받을 일이라고 한다. 그렇다면 무엇이 문제인가? 문근영이 ‘빨갱이 집안’인 것이 문제다. 문근영이 아무리 좋은 사람이고, 좋은 일을 했어도 그가 빨갱이 자손인 이상, 그의 좋은 이미지는 반드시 빨갱이에 대한 좋은 이미지로 연결된다는 것이다. 문근영의 선행이 선전되는 것만큼 빨치산 집안은 좋은 집안이라는 선전도 동시에 확산되는 것‘
그러므로 문근영은 대중의 사랑을 받아선 안 되고, 언론도 그를 띄워줘선 안 된다. 빨갱이 집안 자손은 절대로 잘 돼선 안 된다. 문근영 본인은 좋지만 조상이 나쁘다는 건데, 이런 게 연좌제가 아니면 뭐가 연좌제인가?[…]
Netizens argue with each other.
문근영이 어떤 재단에 엄청나게 큰 돈을 기부하고도 본인의 이름이 알려지기를 원하지 않았다가 어떤 경위인지 이름이 밝혀지고, 그녀의 외조부가 빨치산활동을 하다가 어찌 되었다는 사실과 관련하여 말들이 많다.
지식인이라는 사람들도 그녀의 선행을 칭찬하기보다 특정인이나 언론이 이에 편승하여 빨치산에 대한 저항감을 없애려는 음모가 있다고 하고, 뭐하는 사람들인지 몰라도 “잘난 척은 혼자 다하고 있다”느니 “몸값 올리려는 언론 플레이”라고 매도하고, 심지어 “피는 못속인다. 더러운 피는 반드시 그 자식에게까지 흐르게 되어 있다”던가 “한번 범죄자는 영원한 범죄자다. 연좌제를 부활시켜 방송출연 자격을 박탈하고 구속해야 한다”고 주장하는 사람까지 있다. 그녀의 아리따운 선행은 온 데 간 데 없고,본말이 전도되어 그녀의 조상과 그 행적으로 피해를 입게 되다니…정말 이래도 되는 것인가?[…]
However, the majority don’t understand why this becomes the scandal and argues that we should eliminate old perspectives.
탤런트 문근영의 기부활동이 그 집안사와 휘말리는 모습을 보며 무척이나 가슴아팠다. 다들 남의 일이라고 쉽게 외조부가 좌익이니 어쩌니 말하지만 실제 당사자들에게는 가슴을 후벼파는 아픔이다. 21세기 하고도 10년 가까이 지난 지금까지도 아직 우리사회에는 “좌빨”이 천형처럼 짓누르고 있다. 이게 민주공화국인가? 나는 문근영 가족사를 들먹이는 사람들을 보면서 6년 전 민주당 경선에 나섰던 노무현이 떠올랐다.[…]
(동영상은 http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=CFdQF5htOjQ)
“제 장인은 좌익활동을 하다 돌아가셨습니다. 그러나 해방 되는 해에 실명을 하셔서 앞을 보지 못했기 때문에 무슨 일을 얼마나 했는지는 모르겠습니다. 제가 결혼하기 훨씬 전에 돌아가셨는데 저는 이 사실을 알고제 아내와 결혼했습니다. 그리고 아이들 잘 키우고 지금까지 서로 사랑하면서 잘 살고 있습니다. 뭐가 잘못됐습니까? 이런 아내를 제가 버려야 합니까? 그렇게 하면 대통령 자격이 있고 이 아내를 그대로 사랑하면 대통령 자격이 없다는 것입니까? 여러분이 자리에서 여러분들께서 심판해 주십시오.여러분이,여러분이 그런 아내를 가지고 있는 사람은 대통령 자격이 없다고 판단하신다면 저 대통령 후보 그만두겠습니다.”
I thought about Roh Moo-hyun who was the democratic party candidate of the Presidential election 6 years ago while I am watching people who talk about Moon Geun-young’s family history.[…]
“My father-in-law died while he was working for the left wing. He became blind in the liberation year, 1945. So I don’t know how much he could be involved. He passed away before I got married and of course I got married to my wife with knowledge. And now we love each other and raise our children well. Then what is the problem? Do I have to dump my wife due to that reason? Then will I be qualified to be the President? If I love my wife as I do, does that mean I am not qualifed to be the President? You judge me. If you judge that the person who has such a wife doesn’t have the qualification to be the president, I will give up be the Presidential candidacy.”

author: Hyejin Kim


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Madagascar: Land deal with Daewoo finally rejected by authority · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Mahefa Rakotomalala writes at L'express de Madagascar that the alleged land deal with South Korean company Daewoo   has been officially rejected by the Malagasy government. The minister of land reform explained in a press release to local newspapers that anyone can request to lease an unlimited amount of land but it has to be approved by the state cabinet (fr).

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Mongolia: Coffee in Ulaanbaatar · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bilguun recommends some nice coffee shops in the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Myanmar: Social networking site · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Myanmar Space is a new social networking site for Myanmar speaking people all over the world. There is a chat room, photo and video upload, forum, polls. There is also a blog section where members can post articles.


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Nepal: The Story of Karnali · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bibek Paudel reviews the much acclaimed Nepalese play “Karnali Dakhhin Bagdo Chha” (कर्णाली दख्खिन बग्दो छ — Karnali flows southwards) which was featured in the Kathmandu International Theatre Festival 2008.

author: Rezwan


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Pakistan, India: Cyber Warfare · Global Voices
Rezwan

Teeth Maestro reports that the websites of oil and gas regulatory authorities of Pakistan and India had been defaced as hackers of both the countries were engaged in a cyber warfare.


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Russia: Circassian case for self-determination · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Paul Goble of WindowonEurasia brings attention to demands of a Circassian youth group to found a Circassian Republic in the North Caucasus, thus increasing the risks of further ethnic tension in the region.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Russia: In the wake of financial crisis · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Streetwise Professor discusses how the Russian economy is coping with its challenges in the wake of the global financial crisis.


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Russia: Moscow plans of financial glory · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

LJ user romanemo comments on [RUS] Russia's plans to turn Moscow into an international financial centre.


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Russia: Murder of Vladikavkaz Mayor · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

LJ user Zhurnal Cheloveka reports on [RUS] the murder of Vitaly Karaev, mayor of the North Ossetian capital Vladikavkaz.


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Saudi Arabia: A Lesson in Buckling Up · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger Ahmed Omar BaAbood is proud of his handiwork. He has taught his daughter Joori the importance of safety and buckling up and is collecting the dividends today.
Writing at his blog, Living in KSA, BaAbood shares the following story (Ar):
Although all Arab countries now have rules regarding the use of safety belts in cars, many flout the law and only buckle up when there is a policeman in sight.


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Searching for blogs in Myanmar · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

There are several sites that provide a list of blogs in Myanmar. Myanmar Blog Directory contains an alphabetical listing of blogs. Sharbar offers a list of blogs according to category.


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Singapore: Economy and rights · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Singapore Democrats tackles the economic crisis and its impact on workers’ rights.


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Sri Lanka: The Disappearing Village Homes · Global Voices
Rezwan

Serendipity opines that the concept of Sri Lankan village is fast disappearing in substance.


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St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Santa Baby  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blogging from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Abeni has some practical items on her wish list for Santa.


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Thailand: Airport chaos and travel advisory · Global Voices
David Reid

Surawut at Thai Blogs reports on the chaos at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Bangkok Pundit reports the Australian government has put out a new travel advisory.

author: David Reid


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Trinidad & Tobago: Monkeying Around  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

From Trinidad and Tobago, Paolo's Blog is convinced that “Patrick Manning and his roving band of capuchins have thrust us headlong into an economic conundrum that will be far more complex than many imagine.”


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

This Beach Called Life makes a few “psychic” predictions about Trinidad and Tobago.


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Venezuela: Jose Ignacio Cabrujas and His Mark on Society · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

Cabrujas was a outstanding playwright, theater director, actor, TV writer, and above all, a humorist and a critic of Venezuelan society. As a leading critic of his time, he managed to build, with irony and humor, a sort of a mirror of the common people. He's also remembered for changing the soap opera genre in Venezuela, a very important part of daily life, from a shallow distraction for housewives to real cultural commentary. He also participated in a very popular publication called El Sádico Ilustrado / The Erudite Sadist [es] in which several intellectuals of the time published their humorous views on the country. He wrote:
Los venezolanos hemos generado muchos mitos en relación a nosotros mismos, porque los venezolanos somos admiradores de los mitos, porque no entendemos nuestra historia. Como ni siquiera la conocemos, nos hemos visto obligados a sustituir la historia por la mitología, que fue lo mismo que le pasó a los griegos, que tampoco conocían su historia, aunque por razones muy distintas. Los venezolanos tenemos mitos, en los cuales creemos tanto que los convertimos en actos de fe (…) Creemos que somos un pueblo vivo en el sentido de astutos, de pícaros, de una gran destreza y de una gran habilidad (…) Un país que no ha logrado resolver un enigma, un país que le entran 15 mil millones de dólares y tiene 20 millones de habitantes, ¿por qué este país tiene la crisis que tiene?, no le cabe en la cabeza a nadie, ¿cómo pueden considerarse vivos, astutos, hábiles a los ciudadanos que viven en este país?
We, the Venezuelans, have generated a lot of myths in what it comes to ourselves, because we admire myths, because we don't understand our history. And since we don't even know it, we have found ourselves forced to substitute history for mythology, something that also happened to the Greeks, who did not know their history, but for different reasons. We believe in myths, in myths we believe so strongly that we turn them into acts of faith. (…) We believe ourselves to be vivacious, in the sense of being shrewd, cunning and of great ability (but…) This is a country that has not been able to solve an enigma, a country that earns 15 billion dollars and who have 20 million inhabitants, why should it have such an economical crisis? That cannot be explained. How can this people believe themselves to be vivacious, cunning and full of abilities?
From La viveza Criolla. Destreza, mínimo esfuerzo o sentido del humor, 1995
..el venezolano es un Estado mágico, en el que los políticos son grandes magos que han sacado la realidad de un sombrero gracias a la riqueza petrolera, que tiene la potencia de un mito.
The Venezuelan State is a magical one. In it, politicians are the magicians that have pulled reality out of a hat thanks to oil riches, something with a lot of potential for myths.
Jamseg [es] wonders how Cabrujas would see Venezuelan society today:
Seguramente, no haya estadística pero recuerdo haber declamado a una docena de personas si viviese Cabrujas que diría sobre el referéndum… (al comprar el libro El país según Cabrujas de un librero) recibo mi bolsita y con sus ojos, una felicitación tremenda por llevarme a casa un trozo del pensamiento de un hombre esencial para entender este país.
I'm sure there are no statistics, but I remember having heard more of a dozen people wondering what would Cabrujas say if he were alive now, at the moment of the Referendum… (when she bought the book Our Country According to Cabrujas from a bookseller) I receive my bag, and a look of congratulations (from the vendor) for taking home some thoughts of a man essential to the comprehension of this country.
In Blogs de Telenovelas [es] there is information the way Cabrujas adapted literary works for use in the soap operas, since soap operas usually are more focused on the beauty and voluptuousness of the models that play the main roles, the blogger quotes an analyst that points out:
Todas y cada una de las telepresencias sobresalen entonces como la suma de valores étnicos individualizados más vigentes que nunca (…) no estamos hablando de la mera filmación de lo escrito. (…) Cabrujas se ha encargado de engordar los diálogos (…)
El Muro te Lamenta [es]  says
J. I. Cabrujas ha sido una de las más descomunales mentalidades, vocaciones públicas, pasiones por el acto creativo, capacidades de trabajo y entrega para cultivar disciplinas y géneros tan disímiles, que hayamos tenido en el siglo XX venezolano. (…) de sus grandes obsesiones –la de tratar de comprender sin trampas ni edulcoraciones cómo éramos, o cómo somos realmente los venezolanos, y la de identificar las patologías nacionales en el ejercicio del poder– le llevaron a conclusiones terribles sobre nuestro pasado y nuestro destino (…) el extremo de personalismo, populismo, autoritarismo y culto a la personalidad al que hemos arribado en el presente.
J. I. Cabrujaas has been one of the most outstanding minds, public vocations, and passions for creative acts, capacities to work and devotion to a variety of disciplines and genres that had been present in the 20th century of Venezuela. (…) Two of his obsessions – trying to understand without tricks or euphemisms how we were, or how we really are, and to identify the national pathologies in the exercises of power, which brought him to terrible conclusions about our past and our destiny (…) the extreme cult of personality, populism, authoritarianism and personal interests for power to where e currently arrived.
The author of the blog Perra nostalgia [es]  remembers her encounters with the neighbour…
Un día de ésos, antes de aquel sábado, me lo tropecé en el estacionamiento. Me envalentoné y le dije “algún día te contaré mi vida, es mejor que todas tus novelas”. El me replicó al instante, con esa voz roncota de locutor de otoño: “todos dicen lo mismo”.
La Dueña, one of his most popular soaps is based on The Count of Montecristo and tells the story of Adriana Rigores, a young orphan that inherits a great fortune from his father,
Most of his works can be found here [es]

author: Laura Vidal


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Watch ‘Best of the Blogs’ Awards LIVE · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

The winners of this year's Best of the Blogs awards (The BoBs) will be announced in Berlin tomorrow, November 27, 2008 (8pm CET). The event is open to the public. If you're not in Berlin, you can watch the whole thing online via this post. Or you can embed the viewer on your own blog and watch it from there.
Global Voices website, Rising Voices has been nominated in the Best Blog category. Vote for us! Online voting ends today.
The awards are hosted by Deutsche Welle, and are considered among the most prestigious awards for bloggers. Over 8,500 blogs, videoblogs and podcasts were nominated in 16 categories for the BOBs this year, and 176 made the final cut.
If you watch carefully, you might see someone from Global Voices waving.
For information on how to embed these streams in your own blog, visit The BoBs.
Vote for us!
Congratulations to all Rising Voices bloggers on the nomination.

author: Solana Larsen


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AIDS awareness through video · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

HIV/AIDS is a World-Wide pandemic which has been decimating the lives of men, women and children for more than 20 years. Today we bring you videos that discuss HIV/AIDS in its different aspects: how to live with it, protect yourself from it and how to raise awareness to the cause. From Cameroon, an award winning song about AIDS, from Argentina, a campaign that is not afraid to tell youth what a condom is and how to use it, and from Beijing, a video on discrimination, living with it AIDS and the strength to make the condition public.
Koumandjara is a song in French by Deny Munka which won an award in 2005 in a contest organized by the National Committee in the Fight Against AIDS (CNLS) in Cameroon. It tells about risky behaviours, preventive measures and about the songs namesake, a young girl who contracts HIV through a female genital cutting procedure:
In Argentina, a national campaign was launched last year to promote condom use among teenagers. The successful triki-triki bang-bang campaign is being relaunched this year with a different version, geared towards educating youth on how to negotiate condom usage. On the following behind-the-scenes video clip, the organizers explain how the TV videos are a way to bring youth towards their website, where they will be able to access much more information regarding prevention, testing and more. With their new slogan “if you don't put it on then I'll put it on you” they set the stage for the series of videos on how to integrate condoms into sexual play by using flavored, textured, colored condoms, how to get both partners engaged in the usage of condoms and even how to put it on using the mouth, in order to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Videos and website are in Spanish.
QAFBeijing touts itself as being the first independent gay video podcast in China and in this 5 part video, they show two distinct cases: first, they speak to South African grand justice Edwin Cameron, an openly gay and HIV positive man who was personally appointed by Nelson Mandela to his office, who states:
I'm still the only person holding public office in South African who has chosen to make public my HIV status, I felt I was called to witness. I felt called to account for my survival in a country in which hundreds of thousands were dying unnecessary deaths. I did not feel I could or should remain silent…
They also show the story of Xiaozhou, a young gay man living in China who shares how he found out about his HIV status, how he has dealt with it and what his expectations and hopes are for the future. The video is subtitled both in Chinese and English, with audio in both languages:
Part one of the video follows, and you can view part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5 by following the previous links.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Angry Arab’s Blog Blocked in Syria  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese Dr As'ad Abu Khalil, who lives in the US, writes: “A reader in Damascus tells me that my website is still blocked there. Maybe this will lift the ban: Down with the Syrian regime.”


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Armenia: Bloggers Throw Funeral at Georgian Embassy · Global Voices
Simon Maghakyan

Carrying a black casket labeled “The Newborn Georgian Democracy,” a group of bloggers in Yerevan have marched toward the Georgian Embassy protesting what they call the destruction and desecration of Armenian cultural monuments in neighboring Georgia. Bloggers tell the story.
Posting a YouTube video of the march, ahousekeeper says the bloggers’ November 27, 2008 action was  “[i]n response to regular desecrations, vandalism and attempts (often successful) to appropriate Armenian churches by Georgian clerics.”
Another blogger, 517 design [RU], posts photographs of the action and links to nine other bloggers he knows who participated in the protest. An E-Channel post quotes one participant, Hayk Balanyan who blogs at infernorarm, as saying in Armenian:
Հայերի համար Վրաստանը միշտ էլ մոտիկ երկիր է եղել։ Բայց վերջին 5 տարիների փորձը ցույց տվեց մի բան, որ այդ երկիրը շարժվում է դեպի ֆաշիզմ։ … Մեզ հետաքրքրում է մի բան՝ կատարվում է հանցագործություն, բացահայտ խուլիագնություն. գերեզմաններ են քանդում,
փոշիացնում են պատմական հուշարձաններ:
The recent controversy surrounds the removal of Armenian gravestones from Norashen, a church that Georgian priests are accused of taking over. Several days ago England-based Armenian blogger Mark Grigorian [Ru], a journalist in exile, reported and commented on desecrations at Norashen:
…когда к церкви “Норашен” прибыл член парламента Грузии, этот священник сказал, что лишь временно передвигал камни, “чтобы ПОЧИСТИТЬ под надгробными камнями…”
Представляете? Почистить под (!) могильными камнями!
[…]
Интересно, грузинское общество снова промолчит?
Can you imagine? Clean under the gravestones!
[…]
It’s interesting; will the Georgian society be silent again?”
Grigorian’s information came from another blogger, vesta923, who had posted information and photographs about the gravestone removals. The blogger was one of the participants of the November 27 “funeral.” The news, nonetheless, broke at an online Russian-language Armenian forum Hayastan in mid-November, when user Nick posted photos he had taken at the Norashen church.
While the overwhelming majority of Armenian bloggers seem to be in support of the protest at the Georgian Embassy, a blogger from Tbilisi cautions not to generalize all Georgians in such actions.
Commenting on pigh’s post, juventini says:
[…]
Самое обидное, что многие сейчас подумают, что все грузины такие и что к армянам там ужасно относятся, но это, конечно же не так. Мы (тбилисские армяне), всегда жили и продолжаем жить дружно с грузинами и не жалуемся.
[…]

author: Simon Maghakyan


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Bahrain: Ancient burial mounds · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

Nzingha gives us a tour of the pottery and the ancient burial mounds in the village of A'ali in Bahrain.

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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Bahrain: World Hypoparathyroidism Awareness Day · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The world will mark the World Hypoparathyroidism Awareness Day on January 5. Bahraini Hassan Fadhul writes on Mideast Youth his role in making that day a reality.


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Bangladesh: Bangla blogs react to the Mumbai terror attacks · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

The Bangla blogosphere reacted to the Mumbai terror attacks with concern. Condolences poured in with bloggers such as hzbrl  saying
আমি শুধুই জানাতে পারি সমবেদনা এবং সহাবস্থান ঘোষনা করতে পারি মুম্বাইবাসীদের সাথে। আমরা আপনাদের সাথেই আছি এই ক্রান্তিলগ্নে।
These sentiments were echoed by many others. Ahmed Akhtar writes in the comments section of the same post
শোনার পর থেকেই সাধারণ নিরীহ মানুষগুলোর অসহায়ত্বের ছবিটাই মনে হচ্ছিল বারবার। সভ্যতার নামে আমরা যে আসলেই কী করছি কে জানে !
After hearing the news, some of the bloggers were also concerned whether neighbor Bangladesh would be linked with the incident. This concern has been captured in the comments section here where Hasib asks:
হাসিব বলেছেন: বাংলাদেশীগো দায়ি কৈরা প্রেসনুট আইছে এহনতরি? …
Blogger BDIdol expressed another theory in the same post :
ভারত-পাকিস্তান-আফগানিস্তান এই তিন দেশ নিয়ে আমেরিকান কুটনীতির সাম্প্রতিক কিছু নাড়াচাড়া হচ্ছে। ম্যাককেইন আসছে কিছু দিনের মধ্যেই। ওবামা ক্ষমতা নিয়েই আফগানিস্তান-পাকিস্তানে হামলা করার সম্ভাবনা আছে। সেটার পটভূমি তৈরি করা হচ্ছে বোধ হয়। সমবেদনা থাকলো..এইসব নাটকে সর্বদাই নিরীহ লোকের প্রাণ যায়।
But a bigger worry that bloggers in Bangldesh are expressing is of the possible fallout of this event on the upcoming Bangladesh elections. Shamima Sumi puts this worry into perspective with these words
এইভাবে চলতে থাকলে আমাদের দেশে এর প্রভাব পড়বে সামনে নির্বাচন। আমরা অনেকদিন পর একটা নির্বাচন আশা করছি। যা হলে দেশে নাকী গণতন্ত্র আসবে। গণতন্ত্রই আসুক আর যাই আসুক সরকার নিয়া তো কেউ বৈধতার প্রশ্ন তুলতে পারবে না। কিন্তা ভারতের অবস্থা দেখে মনে হচ্ছে আমরা বুঝি অনেকটা পিছিয়ে যাব। আমার আর সহ্য হয় না। তাজে হামলাকারিরা কী চায়G
Blogger Z Zaman expresses hope that the elections will bring in a new dawn in Bangladesh, that it will be a strong statement against terrorism.
আমরা আর জঙ্গীবাদ ও দুর্ণিতীবাজ চক্রের আবর্তে আর বন্দি হতে চাইনা।আমরা ২০০৮ এর নির্বাচনের মাধ্যমে নতুন অধ্যায়ের শুরু দেখতে চাই।
নির্বাচনে দুর্ণিতীবাজ ও জঙ্গীবাদের বিরুদ্ধে রায় দিন।

author: Aparna Ray


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Bermuda: New Political Era?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermuda's Crushing Fools says that “most small island politicians behave as if it is their inalienable rights to be in charge of the people's political affairs” and envisions a new era “when politicians will have to come up with sound plans and programs and a character to match before the people will even consider them.”


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Bolivia: One Year Since Sucre Conflict · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

It has been one year since Bolivians confronted one another in the capital city of Sucre. Ciudad de Patas [es]  remembers the fallen.

author: Eduardo Avila


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China: Human rights in the spotlight · Global Voices
David Reid

Taiwan bloggers shine a light on some important human rights issues in China. The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato looks at the case of Wo Weihan who has been sentenced to death. Michael Turton looks at Taiwanese connections to Chinese organ harvesting.


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China: Worry on the striking, 4-trillion stimulus plan · Global Voices
Bob Chen

Global economy is stumbling, and neither can China stay out of the trouble. On 9, Nov, a striking stimulus plan, totally of 4 trillion yuan, was announced to public by the central government. Stock market was encouraged, so was the confidence of global market as it signals China’s pledge to pitch in the effort to solve the financial crisis.
However, the worry of public didn’t fade away, but only turned to new concerns: first, would the immense plan simply mean a big meal for corruption; second, would the over-heated constructions lead to more shoddy works, as that exposed by the subway tunnel tragedy happened last month in Hangzhou?
A massive infrastructure spending program has been pushed forward. The stimulus package is estimated to reach at 4 trillion yuan (about 570 billion U.S. dollars), which will be spent in the next two years to offset the gloomy global economic condition.
This is just the plan proposed by the central government. Shortly after it was revealed, local governments all over China followed closely to open their own plans that totally amount to 18 trillion yuan. A wave of heated construction is expected to flood across the country.
In the agenda of central government, the 4 trillion is going to be spent on 10 categories, among them welfare investment such as housing for low-income, health-care system and education, also infrastructure-building such as new railways, roads and airports. Specially, aid to post-earthquake reconstruction in Si-chuan is mentioned in the agenda. Equally notable is the subsidy for farmers and an explicit announcement to increase the price of state food purchase from farmers.
Of only the fourth-season budget of 2008, as much as 100 billion has been allocated to different national departments and agencies. Among them, the department for transport further proposed a 5-trillion spending in the next 5 years.
The scale of the construction is unprecedented. And from the day it was pushed forward, a race has kicked off.
Journalists have reported that delegates from nearly all provinces and every department have rushed to the office of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to apply for funding, so that they can grab a piece of the huge cake.
11月18日下午，在国家发改委门口，记者看到两边停着江苏、山东、河北等不少外地牌照的车辆。附近的清洁工和保安也向记者证实，近来门口的外地车辆连日不断，传达室也常常拥挤着不少人。
The NDRC, along with its provincial branches, is the central agency charged to make finance plan and allocate funding. It is now one of the hottest places.
“都是老相识了，不但省里发改委，各厅局也抽调了人来。”得到记者在报道中不提及姓名的承诺后，河南省发改委一位工作人员对记者说，这些人中还有河北、山东等省发改委及财政厅的人员。
The race is speeding up. But blogger worry the fund will be spent as quickly as they were obtained but far more irresponsibly.
Plain-clothed-prince said:
最新消息称中央11部委争抢1000亿资金，在国务院的“快准狠”的目标要求下，积极落实各项措施无可厚非，但千万别为了邀功，别为了短期的GDP目标而浪费社会资源与要素
Wang-anping praised the tax-cut:
“在全国所有地区、所有行业全面实施增值税转型改革，鼓励企业技术改造，减轻企业负担1200亿元。”尽此一句话，就尤其给人直接的安慰和希望。
But given the tunnel collapse in Hangzhou, bloggers warned that a controlled spending is even more important.
First, reporter Yang-chuanmin 杨传敏 told how the transport construction is crazily speeding up:
杭州地铁湘湖站原本预计三年的工期，缩短为不到两年。因工期短，施工方为了赶工期，很多细节没做到位。在5层楼高的应力挤压下，支撑钢筋捆不住围绕基坑的连续墙，逐渐变形，终于在15日下午，其中的一堵被扭转成一个巨大的S 形。
One of the Hangzhou subway stations was completed 11 months earlier than planned. A security report in July indicates: “From January to June, 128 safety problems have been detected.”
Therefore, blogger zhangranbaodao  said:
杭州地铁坍塌事件，在眼下股市充满离奇、充满幻觉的时刻，是对投资大跃进决策与行为的最有力的一声棒喝！很明显，“紧迫感”与“责任感”驱动下，对于建地铁的态度是“只争朝夕”。现在……事实上，本来是“皇上不急太监急”；现在，四面火起，那已经变成：上面紧张了，下面更是急如星火。
Though the plan of central government is already more than striking, the local governments leap even further. Its investment amounts to 18 trillion.
Among them, Yunnan province, neighboring Burma, proposed a significant 3 trillion investment plan. It includes the China-Burma oil pipe and some railways. Guangdong, fell behind a little with 2.3 trillion.
The funding for investment, according to experts, will mainly come from bank loans. Also, a large part will have to come from private sector, because the governments can by no means to afford so large a spending.
But bloggers express theirworry.
A columnist in Yan-zhao Metropolitan Daily says in his essay <4万亿 10万亿 18万亿 投资为何变竞赛> 4 trillion, 10 trillion, 18 trillion, why the investment turn into a race:
笔者认为，18万亿投资计划存在泡沫的一个理由是，很多地方政府无米下锅。……还有学者预计地方政府直接债务规模在2万亿左右。背负这么多的债务，加之未来财政收入的不确定性，如何保证18万亿投资计划实施，是一个未知数。即便可以通过银行贷款等方式来筹措资金，但银行敢于按照地方政府的“胃口”放贷吗？地方政府又如何来还债呢？
Also, writer Niu-dao 牛刀 said in his article 18-trillion investment is great sweet-talk《地方政府18万亿投资是个超级大忽悠》
加印钞票风险显而易见，那就是通货膨胀会达到无法遏制的地步。
Additionally, Ye Tan pointed out in the article, Local governments need no 10-trillion investment, letting alone the 18 trillion 《地方政府投资无需10万亿更无需18万亿》that 4 problems will be troubling:
四分之一的项目未按期建成投产；将近四成的已建成项目运营效果差；部分工程质量存在重大隐患；挤占挪用建设资金及损失浪费问题严重。”
While the most straightforward criticism comes from the scholar, professor Xu-zidong , who in a TV talk program relentlessly impugned that half the 4 trillion will be used for CORRUPTION. The program was scheduled to be rebroadcasted at 6:30 next morning. But audience found it replaced.  Is it simply a pointless talk, or too honest to be tolerated?

author: Bob Chen


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Cuba: Castro & Penn  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

American actor Sean Penn's interview with Raul Castro is being widely commented on by Cuban bloggers:
Child of the Revolution, The Cuban Triangle and Havana Times.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Ecuador: Christmastime for the Saraguro · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Angel Gualan provides descriptions on how the indigenous group of the Saraguros celebrate Christmas in the Loja region of Ecuador [es].  Much of it sits on the shoulders of the “Marcantaitas” who are the “owners” of the feast and makes sure everything turns out fine.


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Egypt: 550 Boys Arrested on Suspicion of Harassing Girls  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Egyptian police announced last Wednesday that they had arrested 550 boys in Cairo on suspicion of sexually harassing schoolgirls. The police reportedly focused their raids on Internet cafes near schools,” writes Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Egypt: Activists Protest Arrests  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Egypt, Elijah Zarwan writes: “Egyptian activists yesterday staged protests to call for the release of 16 people detained in the southern city of Samalout in mid-October. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse an angry crowd that gathered when police killed a pregnant woman on October 8 as they searched her house.”


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Egypt: Police officers banned off university campus · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

In a historic court ruling, police are now banned from patrolling Cairo University's campus. Instead, the university will have to deploy civilian personal as security guards. Bloggers welcomed the ruling with guarded optimism.
In a series of posts, blogger and activist Hossam El Hamalawy linked police recklessness to March 9 movement, a group of Cairo University professors who came together in March 2003 in protest of the US invasion of Iraq and who now press for university autonomy and academic freedom, to the final court order that banned police officers off campus.
In his post AI: Egyptian police are reckless, El Hamalawy quoted Amnesty International saying:
Against the backdrop of recent killings during police operations, Amnesty International deplores the increasing use of excessive force by police and security forces in Egypt when carrying out search operations, seeking to disperse protestors or patrolling the Egyptian borders, which have often led to deaths. The organization fears that this pattern of killings and excessive use of force will continue unless those responsible are brought to justice and clear instruction and adequate training is given to police and security forces.
In a subsequent post he quoted journalist Sarah Carr saying:
The Cairo Administrative Court Tuesday issued a ruling that bans the presence of police officers on Cairo University’s campus. The verdict obliges the university to employ civilian personnel as security guards.
While the verdict only concerns Cairo University, its effect should extend to all Egyptian universities, Cairo University professor Abdel Galil Mostafa from the faculty of medicine told Daily News Egypt. University campuses are currently policed by interior ministry personnel and police officers who have no link to the university in which they work and are not answerable to it.
Earlier this month, two engineering students from Helwan University, Nagy Kamel and Mostafa Shawky, filed a legal complaint against police officers who physically assaulted them while they were attempting to enter the engineering faculty. Both students are known members of the Socialist activist group, Resistance Students. Kamel told Daily News Egypt that interference by security bodies in Helwan University is pervasive and that politically active students and their families receive threats from them.
The case had been brought by members of the March 9 Movement, a group of Cairo University professors who came together in March 2003 in protest of the US invasion of Iraq and who now press for university autonomy and academic freedom. The administrative court upheld March 9’s challenge to the presence of police personnel on university campuses on the basis of its violating the Egyptian constitution and the universities law.
Speaking of Helwan University, Hossam El-Hamalawy reports a silent protest that took place today:
Helwan University’s Resistance Students organized a march against police brutality on campus today. Simultaneously, professors from the 9th of March Movement held a silent protest in front of the university’s administration building denouncing the administration’s involvement in the security assaults.
Zeinobia commented on the court ruling saying:
I am so happy with the historical rule of the administrative court to kick out the security forces aka the university security from  the Cairo university campus. I am so so so happy. This is the best way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cairo University to liberate it from that ugly control.
Unfortunately Cairo University administration appealed !! Anyhow I will not be dreamy because even if the security is outside of the University now ,it is still inside it through the pro-regime administration and staff. This is an old legacy I am afraid that goes back to the Nasserite era.
You know I have a mad thought now or rather a prediction on how the security will come back to the University. Expect in any moment a clash between some pro-regime students or even thugs entered illegally and others mainly from the MB students “with my all respect to them”. Those pro-regime students would provoke the MB students and the rest is well known. Believe me this could happen, in fact wait with me and see.

author: Marwa Rakha


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Egypt: Riots as Police Kill Bird Seller · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The Skeptic from Egypt reports: “Two thousand people rioted in Aswan after police mistakenly killed a bird-seller in the southern Egyptian city.”


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Georgia: Armenian Church Scandal · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

With religion arguably playing a greater role in the lives of most of its citizens according to recent surveys, the ever strengthening power of the Orthodox Church in Georgia has long been of some concern in the South Caucasus republic. Publishing her research paper online in August, blogger  Diana Chachua warned of the dangers.
[…] A truly democratic society cannot accept physically or verbally aggressive treatment of its people on the basis of religion or belief — which has taken place to a great extent over the years in Georgia. From a legal standpoint, these aggressive acts represent a classic case of hate crimes motivated by religious bias, and religious extremism. […]
Misusing of those religious values against other religious representatives and in personal political aims is what makes hard for country like Georgia to exceed from transition period into full length democracy. […] Looking through Georgia’s past and present, religion nationalism still keeps its hazard and this is what should be avoided.
Today, that point was not lost on protesters who gathered outside the Georgian Embassy in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, to protest the latest example of religious hegemony and intolerance, presumably with the tacit approval of the State, in their northern neighbor.
This time, however, the target of the Georgian Orthodox Church came in the form of seizing a derelict Armenian church in Tbilisi which should have been returned to its rightful owners following the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
Conflicts between the Orthodox Church and other religious denominations have been complicated and frustrated by the special recognition afforded to it under the Georgian constitution.
The demonstration, organized by a small group of [mainly nationalist] local bloggers, decried what they called the “death of a newborn democracy” in Georgia. Ahousekeeper [EN/AM/RU] posts a video of the action.
Interestingly, while The Tunnel at the End of the Tunnel sets the background, The Armenian Observer notes that [ethnic Armenian] bloggers in both Armenia and Georgia were the first to report on the scandal which soon escalated when a Georgian priest was discovered desecrating Armenian graves.
Blogs were the first to blow the whistle about the fresh attacks by Georgians on Armenian church – St. Norashen in Tbilisi. The traditional media tailed the blogosphere in disseminating the information and providing analysis.
The posts and comments started rolling in the blogosphere after Vesta’s post:
“Today, on November 16th, father Tariel Sikinchelashvili, along with several workers, started to demolish the graves of Tamamshyanns placed in the backyard of Norashen church. The crowd of frustrated Tbilisi-Armenians demanded that tombstones be returned to their original locations”.
[…]
Another journalist-blogger Mark Grigoryan is drawing parallels and asking questions.
“I want to particularly stress the fact, that it is hard to imagine something like this happening in the capital of “much hated by Armenians – Turkey”. And here, look, in the “brotherly Georgia”… what a shame! I am appalled by the silence of Georgian public.”
Indeed, the threat to St. Norashen is not new and was reported on by Armenian blogger Pigh [RU] in June.
Since then, 517 Design [RU] has started a Facebook Group to protest the inaction of the Georgian authorities in preventing what most see as a clear case of violating ethnic minority and religious rights.
The blogger also posts photographs from today's demonstration. A blog, Save Armenian Church “Norashen” in Tbilisi, Georgia! [EN/GE/AM], has also been set up at http://norashen.blog.com.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago: Letter to Zoellick  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

HaitiAnalysis.com republishes a letter from the former Trinidad and Tobago Ambassasdor to the US (and special advisor to the UN on Haiti) to the President of the World Bank.


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Impressions of an Egyptian Blogger in Cape Town  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Mostafa Hussein visits Cape Town, South Africa, and pens this eye-opening article on Muslims and race.


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India: List of casualties in Mumbai attacks · Global Voices
Rezwan

Mumbai Help posts a number of lists containing the names of dead and injured in the Mumbai terrorist attacks and their present location (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5).


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India: Media, Mumbai and Terror Attacks · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Anger at the media for their coverage of the terror attacks in Mumbai is apparent on the blogosphere. For one, the mainstream media appears to have taken the approach of “shock and shake”, as opposed to verifying rumors before reporting them. But the nation appears glued to their television sets, as it is probably the most “live” source of information at this point in time. Kalyan Varma writes:
In tough economic and global times like this, we will win only if we move on with out lives and keep this behind. This is how we fight terror, not overreacting to this, not invading countries and giving up our freedom. Bad enough the security guards check my car and bags each time I enter a mall or hotel here in Bangalore, I do not want to give up any more of my freedom.
and someone please shut up Barkha Dutt of NDTV. She is causing more damage to the country by FUD than the terrorists themselves.
And from the perspective of a media man, Smoke Signals writes a poignant post on news and the self.
The rational corner of my mind tells me that there is no security measure, no multi-crore security ‘plan’ that can permanently inoculate me and my fellow Mumbaikars against what is becoming a gory ritual. But who, listening to a colleague call in with details of grenade explosions and the rattle of machine guns and mounting body counts or watching images of the Taj Mahal Hotel – more, to me and my fellow Mumbaikars than a ‘hotel'; its facade is as much a part of my Mumbai-ness as is vada pav and cutting chai and the boon-granting Ganesha of Siddhivinayak – can stay rational? That other me, the irrational me that showered and dressed and drove to work today, watches news reports of the Prime Minister talking to his wannabe successor to work out travel plans [Shall we go to Mumbai together or separately? Prime Ministerial plane or commercial airliner? Window seat or aisle?] and wonders, don't you guys have anything more important, more immediate, to do? Does Mumbai really need, want, either or both of you to regurgitate the cud of banality, to trot out prefabricated statements on the order of ‘The country must come together to resist this threat to its security?
Falstaff comments on the relentless media coverage, and if someone has stopped to think about how it might end up helping the attackers:
It's a particularly bad idea because it seems to me that most media channels are too busy trying to sensationalize the news to bother thinking through the consequences of what they're saying. It's not just that much of the coverage seems to be designed to amplify the general hysteria and panic, it's also that watching journalists describe what the police are doing or report on who is still trapped inside the hotels, I find myself wondering whether anyone's considered that at least some of that information might be helping the attackers.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: Political will, terrorism and Mumbai · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Even as the unfolding hostage situation in Mumbai escalates, more reactions on the blogosphere – from India and other places. Desipundit has pulled in links from various blogs – highlighting posts – from experience, to shock, despair and rage. The article on the attacks over at Wikipedia is an excellent source, compiling information from various source. Sonia Faleiro writes about being caught in the middle of it all.
We stepped out of the hotel and bullets rang in the air, people screamed, a tidal wave raced down the street and the security guard said ‘Inside! Madam, Inside NOW!’
We ran inside and I messaged my friend Chandrahas. ‘Encounter. We're staying in for now.’ We thought then it was a gang war, and it would end soon and Rahul and I looked at one another and we thought: This is what we're bringing our children into the world for.
Even then though there was no fear, only worry and stress. This is Bombay we said to ourselves, we fear no gangs, they are part of our bloodstream.
It's certainly not the first terror attack. Over the last year, there have been several cities targeted in various ways. From low intensity bombs, to grenades, and now open firing. Just a little something writes
It’s been numbing to say the least. Every time something like this happens I am seized by different reactions – sadness, anger, frustration, and helplessness to various degrees. And I am sure that must be the case with a majority of people. To be so vulnerable to attacks in the spate of a year is extremely scary a situation. Imagine how powerless our Intelligence must be to not have a CLUE about the blasts / attacks coming to any of the cities this year.
The Mad Momma expresses anger at the way politicians have handled the issue so far.
Why didn’t the PM get up at midnight itself and give us some words of comfort and confidence? Why do we need a doddering old Shivraj Patil to make crappy, ineffectual statements? Where is the young blood that will lead us? Oh, apparently old man did warn us about terrorism via sea routes two years ago. So why didn’t we take it more seriously? If they had the gall to turn up at the heavily populated Gateway – can you imagine what goes on along our coastline?
Kalachakra raises some similar and pertinent questions about the ineptitude of the government machinery to deal with terror attacks, despite so many cities having been at the receiving end over the last few years.
Why have there been no resignations? Actually as a nation we are so immune to lack of action by the executive that we have stopped demanding that pubic servants accountable for the security and law enforcement take responsibility and resign. Ideally Shivraj Patil should have resigned many months ago, or should have been sacked and replaced with someone with a better track record.
India seems to be an easy target. With much of the anti-terror tactics hopelessly mauled by politicians after vote banks. Lekhni asks
Do the people who carry out these attacks this believe the West will turn a blind eye to terror attacks in India? Or do they want to create the impression that India, and Mumbai in particular, is an unsafe destination?  Or is India just an easy target with its crowded public places?
The hostage situation doesn't show any sign of ending soon. More on this as the day goes on.


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India:  Sensationalism of TV Media · Global Voices
Rezwan

A Time To Reflect questions the recent coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks by Indian TV channels as most of them resorted to sensational journalism.


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India: Twitting The Terror · Global Voices
Rezwan

The terror attacks in Mumbai have shocked India and the world. The mainstream media sources covered the news extensively and the citizen journalists were also equal to the task as the events unfolded. The Wired has mentioned how Twitter made an impact as a source of first hand information during this tragedy. Twitter feeds from numerous people have been sharing latest information about what is being said in media, blogs, or information from first hand accounts on the attacks. Dozens of twitter updates are appearing every single minute.
Shefali Yogendra explains why twitter is the perfect tool for emergencies:
As Mumbai saw an unprecedented instance of what can only be described as ‘distributed terrorism’, Twitter sprung into action. Twelve hours later, Twitter users all over the world were saying they found Twitter updates more reliable, timely and clear.
The following characteristics of Twitter make it a perfect tool for use in emergencies – both for disseminating updates and  information, and for coordinating help efforts such as contacting friends and relatives, and organizing blood donation drives.
Sepia Mutiny agrees:
Twitter has also been a great way to get details about what’s going on. Try typing Oberoi for example. “Terrorists trapped” also results in a slew of Tweets.
While the TV and media reports have been accused of using sensationalism and inflicting more terror from rumors, the twitter feeds portray the real sense of what is happening and how people are coping with it. Here are some examples of entries which appeared in the #mumbai channel feed:
aravindjose: Dont worry about blast sounds. They are by NSG to break off the doors. Not by terrorists – Maj.Gen.
puneet: In past 20 years that i have lived in mumbai Never have I seen such empty streets in Mumbai
asteris: http://helpmumbai.pinstorm.com, a comprehensive guide to relevant emergency phone numbers and info on the #Mumbai attack
quiz_master: CNNIBN: Deshmukh – “20-25 terrorists came in mumbai, 7 killed, 1 caught
These twitter updates were used by many of the networks to show streaming news on their news channels on TV.
However there is a rumor going around that the #Mumbai twitter channel has been asked to shut down. Arzan at Mumbai Metblogs reports:
Twitter users were asking people to stop sending updates and there were rumors that the Government and/or the Military had asked the twitter channel #mumbai be shut down.
However there is no official record of this and Dina Mehta clarified this on twitter. She reports that the news channels have stopped carrying twitter feeds on their TV broadcasts.
A Twitter users responded:
nexplicable: Its stupid to ask #mumbai posts to stop. Something else will come up in no time. Security forces need to learn to work with this.


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India: Updates On Hostage Situation · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ultra Brown posts an update on the Mumbai hostage situation: “At 1.08am (IST), Nov 28: the drama is far from over. Despite reports that the situation at the Taj had been defused, there has been firing which means things are clearly going to go well into the morning. At the Nariman House and the Oberoi, things are quiet and some evacuation has happened but not enough to show an end in sight.”


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India: War, terror and Mumbai · Global Voices
JJ Rajendran

‘What has struck India?’ is the question at the moment as the world awakes to yet another horrific day in the lives of millions in the Indian subcontinent.  The attacks go far beyond terror; bloggers are certain this is war. What has the Government of India done so far? Is this the time to question or criticize the Indian Government?  Political analysts are speculating on terror groups as they remain unsure.
Desh at Drishtikone, is sure that this is a war and not a religious war at that.
“……I don't want the terrorist angle to be played for long. Yes, these guys spread terror.. but MAKE NO MISTAKE.. this is NOT terror.. this is WAR. It is as much a war as any can be! If we get into this definitions of terrorism.. and then digress into Hindu nationalists should not retaliate and all the rest of the rhetoric of “resilience of Mumbaikars” etc.. then we will MISS the point – which is THAT THIS IS A WAR just as ANY that an enemy could have declared!”
Confusedgatha at Retributions is questioning Indian political leaders and is not quite happy about it.
“..As the Indian state is engaged in exterminating those who have attempted to cripple India’s financial capital, it is incumbent upon those of us forced to watch from the sidelines to support the state in its need of its hour.Because the state in a modern nation-state is much more than the government. The government is merely its representative facade which may change with each electoral cycle. The state on the other hand carries the collective faith of the Indian people–in many ways embodies the idea of Indian nationhood it self. Questioning the state at this juncture wounds the idea of India.There will be time for recrimination, for angry postmortems; and yes for accountability. But for now, as the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leader of L.K Advani demonstrated, it is time to stand as one.”
Yossarin from Offstumped takes it straight to Prime Minister Singh,
“In a brazen act of shamelessness and crass opportunism the Prime Minister had the audacity to put up the pretense of acting against terror and even when he did so he did not “order it” he did not make a decisive announcement of taking executive action. Instead he reminded us of the spineless wimp that he is with merely making a “suggestion”. When the post mortem of the War on Mumbai is conducted it will be incomplete if it didnt look into how the Government and the media lost perspective from the unfinished war in their eagerness to draw moral equivalences and political brownie points.”
Bill Roggio is quite certain that another group is taking credit for this and he has reasons why.

author: JJ Rajendran


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India: Where Is The Leadership? · Global Voices
Rezwan

Supriyo Chaudhuri at Sunday Posts analyzes why Mumbai has become easy target for terrorism, discusses the terrorists’ motives and finally blames the leadership: “The politicians were amazingly ineffective. They had no idea what was happening. They did not share information. They did not show leadership.”

author: Rezwan


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Iraq: Rape Victims Ignored  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Iraqi blogger Wameeth links to an article on Mideast Youth on how rape victims in the Iraq war continue to remain without treatment and counseling.


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Is Secularism the answer to Egypt’s Sectarianism? · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Egypt has always been known as an Islamic country where Muslims, Christians, and Jews peacefully co-existed. Today this is no longer the case. Is secularism the solution?
Voice of Egypt reported the recent Muslim-Christian sectarian strife about turning an old clothes factory into a church in the area of Matareya:
Voice of Egypt added:
The dilemma gets worse as The Religion Virus sheds light on another debatable issue:
Here is a story is so absurd it requires almost no comment. It seems Egypt may ban organ transplants between people unless both are the same religion (Christian or Muslim). The ban is supposedly to cut down on wealthy Christians buying organs from destitute Muslims, but it doesn't take a genius to see through the ruse. It's nothing more than religious discrimination at its worst.
On a brighter side, Mona Eltahawy was faced with the following questions:
What does a Muslim look like? What does a Muslim home look like? And just who exactly makes up the Muslim mainstream? These questions came to mind after I took part in a panel discussion in New York City recently called “American Muslims”. It was meant to highlight the diversity of Muslim voices and experiences in the United States.
Two women from the audience were later overheard saying “They’re trying to convince us they’re the mainstream? They’re not the mainstream.” That, coupled with a question during the Q&A on “what does a Muslim home look like” (read: it can’t possibly look like a home I would recognize got me wondering against whom my co-panelists and I were being compared.
I’m quite sure it’s Angry Bearded Muslim Man. And Covered in Black Muslim Woman.
Angry Bearded Muslim Man is easily recognizable. He is usually yelling “Allahu Akbar” and burning something – an effigy of U.S. President George W. Bush, an American flag or an Israeli flag, preferably all three.
Angry Bearded Muslim’s female counterpart is Covered in Black Muslim Woman. She either walks silently behind Angry Bearded Muslim or she is the subject of countless books, magazine articles and documentaries about the miserable plight of Muslim women. While I do not doubt for a second that terrible abuses of women’s rights are sadly too often justified in the name of Islam, it is incredibly frustrating to feel one is always on the losing end of the authenticity battle. It feels at times as if I’m not Muslim enough simply by virtue of not needing to be rescued from an evil, abusive father, brother or husband.
The next time I’m asked how representative I am, I will ask back “What kind of Muslim do you want?” and quietly celebrate that I am obviously not what they had in mind.
And Ahmed El Masry wrote an apology to his Christian friend
My dear Christian friend I apologize to you for my religion forbids me not to.
Without borders shared a post about secularism in Spain saying:
In his call for a secular Egypt, the blogger says:


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Israel: Sending Help and Sympathy to Mumbai · Global Voices
Maya Norton

Western countries awoke today to news of a widespread attack on the city of Mumbai, India, that occurred Wednesday night and continued through Thursday, killing 101 people and wounding hundreds more. Ten sites were targeted, including hotels, railway stations, and a local Jewish Chabad center. Israel's Foreign Ministry has announced that 10 to 15 Israeli nationals are being held hostage throughout the city.
Chabad reports that among the known hostages are Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg:
“Terrorists attacked multiple locations in Mumbai, India, late Wednesday night, with much of the gunfire occurring near the Chabad-Lubavitch center run by Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg… The Israeli Consulate was in touch with Holtzberg, but the line was cut in middle of the conversation. No further contact has since been established. Other reports on IBN showed the Chabad House’s building as being occupied by terrorists, but no further information could be confirmed.”
A Chabad update on the six hostages being held within the center stated:
“Three people, including the toddler son of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, walked out of Nariman House, home to Mumbai’s Chabad-Lubavitch center. The fate of the parents is unknown, but it is believed they are still inside.”
Rivka Holtzberg's mother described the couple's work, saying:
“They were busy hosting, feeding, listening to Israelis who are there. A warm corner of the Land of Israel.”
India is a popular travel destination for young Israelis after their army service. Houses like this Chabad center serve as an oasis of familiarity where Israelis can feel at home in a foreign land.
The Jews of Mumbai–
But there are many Jews who call India home, over a quarter of whom reside in Mumbai. The Jewish community, known as Bene Israel (or Children of Israel), has lived in Mumbai for 2,000 years and life has been good to them there, moreso than almost anywhere else in the world.
Israel's Blogosphere Reacts–
Many Israeli bloggers are following the events in Mumbai with an all too familiar apprehension. The Muqata, Israellycool, Mystical Paths, and Yeshiva World News are among the sites posting regular updates of the hostage situation.
With the most detailed information of the group, Yeshiva World News posts:
“Israel Radio reported earlier that it will be sometime until the events are studied, but it does indeed appear that the terrorists knew very well that they were targeting the Chabad House, directing their multi-pronged killing spree [as] Jews/Israelis are well.
In the meantime, an El Al flight is scheduled to leave Mumbai at 20:00 Israel time (23:00 Mumbai) time Thursday night, expected to land in Israel during the early predawn hours. The aircraft has space to accommodate 300 passengers.”
In addition to facilitating the return of Israelis, the Foreign Ministry has also announced that it will likely send expert medical professionals to aid with the aftermath of the attacks and possibly a team to support Indian security forces.
Alex Stein of False Dichotomies, a political commentator and recent visitor to India, writes:
“Terrorism – in its rational form – is successful only if it can impact on the civilian population, to change their behavior enough in order to draw concessions from the government. In a country the size of India this is a near-impossibility… India is now arguably the country with the greatest terrorist problem of them all. Even worse, the terrorism is increasingly adopting chaotic forms, forms which in many ways reflect life on the subcontinent, but seem impervious to attempts at prevention.”
Relating to Indian terrorism is an easy empathy for many Israelis. In an entry entitled “Grieving with the People of Mumbai, India,” Yael of Aliyah! Step-by-Step laments:
“It is simply horrifying. We have words like evil and depraved but we really don’t have a vocabulary to describe the depths of depravity for acts like this where just soulless terrorists seek to kill as many innocent civilians as they can. We, who have experienced so many suicide bombings and terrorist attacks against our civilians, grieve with the family and friends of the victims. We grieve with the people of India and share your horror at these heinous acts. My heart is with the people of Mumbai tonight.”
While we wait for word that all those in danger have been brought to safety, Israeli inboxes are filled with prayer requests for the victims. “Pray for Gavriel Noach ben Freida Bluma, Rivka bas Yehudis, and all others affected by the tragedy,” they say. No matter how or to whom you pray, positive thoughts sent to those in need will be appreciated.
Further Reading–
Reporting on the situation continues at “Israel: Mourning Mumbai” and is part of Global Voices Online's ongoing coverage of the Terror in Mumbai.

author: Maya Norton


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Jamaica: Punishable by Death  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As a country struggling with spiraling rates of violent crime, Jamaica has voted to re-introduce the death penalty, despite appeals from Amnesty International and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  The atmosphere on the island nation is tense, with the prevailing attitude appearing to be, in the words of blogger Kadene Porter, “Blood fi blood and fyah fi fyah.”  Porter, a regular contributor to Abeng News Magazine, believes that religious fervour is clouding the real issue:
Over the past two weeks my mailbox has been cluttered with emails denouncing me outright for opposing the death penalty and also for being pro-choice.
Most of all, I have been taken to task by some fervent self-professed Christians, just as mean-spirited as they were before their second birth, who have told me in no uncertain terms, that for all my ramblings about the causes of crime, governmental neglect of the citizens and the making of savages, for all the talk about a lack of leadership, the absence of any clear vision for the country, corruption gone crazy and people breeding like rabbits, I had omitted to name the single most important causative factor in the disturbing descent into madness.
Demons. The country is overrun by demons. Evil spirits are the cause, they say, of the ‘dog-hearted’ killers roaming the streets and striking terror in the hearts of women and children. Men too. ‘Spiritual wickedness in high places’ is tormenting the souls of the people – you know the source is diabolic, they write, when a young high school girl is accidentally shot dead by her own father, and the gunmen didn’t even have to fire a shot.
Despite the deluge of emails trying to set her straight, she maintains that crime in Jamaica has reached the levels it has because of human – not supernatural – influence:
A rash of ex-government officials have been strident in their calls for criminals to be hanged. ‘Hang'em high!’ they cry. It is a mark of enduring shame that some of these shouting from the gallery were either powerless to stem crime when they had the power, or actually produced the blueprints for Jamaica’s torrid affair with guns and murder.
The dots are there, staring us straight in the face, and sometimes it seems as if the inability to see and connect them results from some strange virus that has taken over the nation. Demons again.
Porter is not the only one who thinks so.  She goes on to quote Jamaica Observer columnist Betty Ann Blaine:
I admit that in some ‘closer to perfect’ societies (countries like Denmark, Sweden, Holland, etc) where family life, education, justice and equal opportunities are guaranteed for all their citizens, there may be an argument for capital punishment if any of their people fall out of line. But in a country like Jamaica where just about everything is wrong from top to bottom, and where the entire social and economic fabric is in ruins and is compromised, including law enforcement and the justice system, I'm hard pressed to understand how hanging can be so nonchalantly advanced.
…then puts in her own two cents’ worth:
Eureka.
I say aye, but BAB forgot to mention that in countries like Denmark, Sweden and Holland, people don't hurl Old Testament bible verses around for a pastime, and many of the churches in these countries are museums. Nation building is serious business and approached with serious consideration and employing strategies with long-term effects.
Not so for us. We sit in silence for years in a society bordering on chaos, and watch while the stage is being set for mayhem, daring naysayers to criticize, and as soon as events reach critical mass, when pot start fi bwile, that's when we begin yelling and shrieking for change, and Old Testament justice is expected to right the wrongs of decades of neglect and mismanagement, those demons that still possess us.
Those shouting ‘heng dem’ couldn’t care less that the justice system is flawed, the constabulary corrupt, and that only the little man will face the hangman's noose, guilty or not. The blood lust, once a feature of the ‘criminal’ appetite, has now taken on national proportions as even those who profess new birth and tout Christian love have recanted to quench their thirst.
But there are others who sit firmly on the other side of the fence when it comes to capital punishment.  A Fe Me Page Dis Iyah examines what the vote to re-introduce the death penalty actually means:
The Jamaica people are very tired of all the violence in the country. People understood that years ago that justice was swift and fear of death was what kept many of the “bad man” in check.
The issue will now move to the floor of the Senate, where a debate is not necessary, since there is no need to change the law, but is to be included since it was a recommendation of the Joint Select Committee which reviewed the Charter of Rights.
Still, she admits she found it “interesting” that Leader of the Opposition Portia Simpson-Miller was absent for the vote. (Simpson-Miller was sometimes criticized for letting her religious beliefs interfere with national politics when she was Prime Minister).  Life, Unscripted, on the Rock links to an editorial cartoon from the Jamaica Observer that addresses what many Jamaicans view as Simpson-Miller's ducking of the issue.
In another post, Iriegal explains why she supports the death penalty, saying she “had to think about this for a long time”:
I was raised in Jamaica in era where the death penalty was very common. I was also though raised in a time when there was never this level of violence.
There have been widespread calls in recent months for executions, even by members of the clergy, after the beheading of a young girl and the discovery of an 11-year-old boy's dismembered body in a trash bag.
Further statistics show 66 women were raped in October, while 27 children were victims of carnal abuse. There was also 260 reported robberies, 251 cases of carnal abuse and 34 cases of larceny.
Now if enforcing the death penalty for some of the more serious crimes will stop what is going on in Jamaica, then yes, I am for it.
Iriegal and Kadene Porter seem to agree that the scourge of crime and its effects on Jamaican society have been ignored for way too long – where they part company is on the most effective way to deal with the problem.  Iriegal says:
We have ignored this problem for so long and let the ‘badman’, ‘rude boys’ run this country and control our government. The people need to (and they are) stand up, stand up for justice and what is right. They need to put the ‘Fear’ they have behind them.
Jamaica is more than a place that has gorgeous beaches, sunsets, mountains…it is a place where people are living, and trying to maintain a life.
Porter suggests:
Perhaps the demons that possess us are those of selfishness, ignorance, meanspiritedness and vengeance.
As said countless times, the solution is staring us in the face, right there in Betty Ann Blaine’s observations, but we lack the resolve to apply it.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Thanksgiving  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“America is so full of contradictions! For even as our extended family sits down to eat our Thanksgiving dinner, there are many in our neighborhood who are now facing foreclosure and with barely anything to be cheerful about this year”: Jamaican diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp is thankful for his children teaching him “that this holiday is about family.”


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Japan: Cooperation with Thailand for the Prisoners Transfer Program. · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

At the Irregular Rythm Asylum blog, Shiga announces [ja] that she received a letter from Chinpô-san [珍宝さん], a Japanese who has been serving his term of life imprisonment at Bangwang Central Prison for over 10 years. Chinpô explained that starting this year, Japanese and Thai governments will cooperate in the transfer of prisoners from Thailand to Japan, so that Chinpô-san (and other Japanese prisoners) returning to Japan will not have to stay in prison forever [since there is no life imprisonment in Japan]. The plan is not yet finalized, however, and Shiga encourages readers to send messages to the MOFA to push for the realization of the project.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Kurdish Writer Sentenced for Writing about Sex · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“The Kurdish province convicts and sentences a Kurdish writer for writing about sex.
Don't you like it when pro-war US liberals pretend that the
Talbani-Barzani tribal confederation is an enlightened republic?” reports The Angry Arab News Service.


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Mauritania and Tunisia Hack Dissident Sites  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Hack in the Box reports that Mauritania and Tunisia have mastered a new way of muzzling the online media – hacking dissident news sites.


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Middle East: Mumbai Terror Attack “Crazy and Inhumane” · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bloggers in the Middle East woke up this morning to news of terror and mayhem in Mumbai, India, and are still coming to terms with the size of the calamity.
Weld El-ma6aba, from Kuwait, reports that eight Kuwaitis are among the hostages. He writes:
I won’t get into the details of this crazy and inhumane story as it’s covered by most of the news websites and channels such as CNN and BBC.
What I want to mention is that 8 of the hostages are from Kuwait. your prayers for them please. The good thing is that these hostages apparently have been treated well and were given the chance to contact their family and assure them that things are “ok”.
News of the Kuwaiti hostages appears in the Arabic online newspaper Alaan, which reports that the eight hostages are all women, in Mumbai, on a private visit.
Grey, an Indian expatriate in Kuwait, writes:
This is a sad day …
really sad ,
really sad….
And writing on Mideast Youth, Elinor from Iran, says:
Our hearts mourn with India; we owe the land with as many Hindi movies we have watched, with as many moves from its exotic dances we have learnt as a child, India! Be away from chaos, you are worth millions of worlds. May G-d obliterate the enemies of people, the enemies of peace,
the enemies of life and humanity. May G-d comfort the families of the precious people who lost their lives in the attacks, May G-d help the ones who are now in the evil hands of the terrorists, oh they may
create the unrest, but they can never change the heavenly image of India. Jai Hindustan.
In Jordan, American Kinzi is finding it difficult to celebrate Thanksgiving with such news making the headlines. She writes:
Giving thanks is difficult with the astonishing terror still unresolved in Mumbai. Oh Lord, families kidnapped, children killed in rail-stations, stop this evil.
But for one Malayalee (Kerala native) blogger Chaya Kada, who lives in the UAE, the attacks trigger deeper questions.
McMenon asks:
With all its imperfections and contradictions, India is my country and I am proud to be an Indian. Last night, our nation was attacked. Once again, terror came to Mumbai, India’s financial/commercial capital.
Why is it that we as a nation have always been a soft target? Whether it was the Afghanis hundreds of years back, the marauding East India Company – British Raj or the Pakistanis in the last sixty years?
Our intelligence agencies have once again failed to stop this terror attack. The very police chief, Hemant Karkare, who led the investigation – which revealed the ugly side of home-grown terror in the Malegaon Blast, was one of the killed in last night’s terror attack.
Why do we have to give the benefit of doubt to the Pakistani government or its military and intelligence agency (ISI)? They have caused so much harm to our nation in the last six decades, that there is no reason to think they have good intentions towards India.


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Middle East: Shock and Anger at Mumbai Terror Attacks  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bloggers from the Middle East were quick to respond to the Mumbai terror attacks with shock and anger.
Israeli blogger Yael says the news has developed from “bad to worse” as the size of the calamity unfolded.
She further notes:
It is simply horrifying. We have words like evil and depraved but we really don’t have a vocabulary to describe the depths of depravity for acts like this where just soulless terrorists seek to kill as many innocent civilians as they can. We, who have experienced so many suicide bombings and terrorist attacks against our civilians, grieve with the family and friends of the victims. We grieve with the people of India and share your horror at these heinous acts. My heart is with the people of Mumbai tonight.
From Egypt, Zeinobia, writes:
I feel sad and angry for those terrible acts because I know that innocent people died for no reason and that my country can face such terrible acts.
Watching the terror unfold, she notes:
# This is highly orchestrated  work with lots of planning.
# You need highly trained elements to carry out such operation in the same time with no mistake , it is more than 11 people for sure.You do not train them in mountains for sure.
# You need to have a hi-tech telecommunication network can’t be traced to orchestrate the work of these groups in different places.Check the CNN interactive map
#You need lots and lots of information so you choose the correct time and place.
Zeinobia further concludes:
You need an army to do such a dirty job not some Mickey Mouse organization never been heard before !!
The Angry Arab's Comment Section, posts a news link to the story – and one reader is quick to condemn the attacks.
Moyhabin writes:
This is simply awful.
Life-of-Rubin,  a Jewish blogger from New York, US, initially reported that a Rabbi could be among those missing in Mumbai. The blogger later updated the post, saying that the story has been “changing rapidly.”
On the terror attacks, ChaimRubin notes:
Terrible news coming out of India tonight following a terrible terrorist attack, the worst in India’s history.
Stay tuned for more reactions from the Middle East – and the rest of the world, through Global Voices’ Special Coverage page on the attack here.


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Morocco: Caring for the Blind  · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

The View From Fez writes about caring for the blind in Morocco.

author: Jillian C. York


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Morocco: Thanksgiving Away from Home  · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Elizabeth, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, writes about celebrating Thanksgiving so far from home.