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Is the Spanish Army Punishing Women Who Denounce Sexism? · Global Voices
Lourdes Sada

Army women during an act at El Goloso base (Madrid) in 2006. Picture from website laicismo.org.
During the past days, news has come to light related to the situation of women in the Spanish Army, making people believe that after 25 years of integration in the military force, women are still being discriminated by their superiors.
The first story is from Captain Zaida Cantero who accused Colonel José de Lezcano-Mújica of sexual harrassment. After many hurdles, she managed to have the Supreme Court sentence him to two years and 10 months in jail [es]. From that point on, the Captain's brilliant carrier started to crumble and she was even sued and taken to military court for an apparent misdemeanor [es]:
un juzgado togado militar de Madrid ha abierto diligencias contra ella por un presunto delito de deslealtad, que el Código Penal Militar castiga con penas de hasta seis años de prisión. Se la acusa de haber “manipulado” las fechas en la solicitud de permiso que presentó mientras estaba en el curso de ascenso a comandante.
A superior military court in Madrid has opened an investigation against her for an alleged disloyalty offense, which in the Military Criminal Code is punished with up to six years in prison. She was accused of “manipulating” the dates of the permit she presented while she was taking the commander promotion course.
Even though the military judge filed the case for considering the issue unimportant, the Defense Ministry applied a disciplinary action and pushed for it. Now, she could be punished with up to two months of arrest in a disciplinary center. The case is doubly unjust, because as El País informed:
Captain Zaida Cantero with several colleagues during joint operations in Germany. Picture from the website diariomilitar.es.
Cantero ha sido expedientada a partir de un auto de archivo que, al no haberse celebrado juicio, no puede darse como un hecho probado. En cambio, no se actuó tras la sentencia del Tribunal Militar Central que señalaba a una serie de mandos como cómplices del coronel abusador.
Cantero has been punished based on case that didn't make it to trial, thus cannot be considered proven. On the other hand, no action was taken after the Central Military Court pointed out a series of superiors as accomplices to the abusive Colonel.
The second case is that of private Silvia Ruiz, who has breast cancer and whose contract wasn't renewed due to absences and a negative report given by a Captain:
El capitán al mando en su compañía de entonces ordenó su arresto hasta tres veces, la última de ellas fue de 14 días por haberse negado a realizar los ejercicios aduciendo que fingió una lesión el día que sintió el dolor en el pecho. Posteriormente, este capitán elaboró el informe negativo del que se ha valido el Ejército para justificar su expulsión.
The captain in charge of her former company ordered her arrest three times, the last one for 14 days after she refused to do the exercises due to a faked injury that she felt on the chest. Afterwards, this captain wrote a negative report that gave the Army the excuse to expel her.
Silvia's mother started a petition on change.org [es] asking the Minister of Defense to readmit her as a soldier in the armed forces. It has already gathered 50.000 signatures.
Irene Lozano, speaker of the Defense of Union Progress and Democracy (UPyD) requested a parliamentary review of the Disciplinary Regime of the Armed Forces putting captain Cantero's case as an example:
Se utiliza el régimen disciplinario contra ella, transmitiendo el mensaje de que no se puede acusar ni condenar a un coronel por acoso sexual
The disciplinary regime is used against her, delivering the message that you cannot accuse and condemn a colonel for sexual abuse.
The main opposition party, PSOE, has demanded the Minister of Defense, Pedro Morenés, to present himself in an audience to explain the situation of women in the army:
El portavoz de Defensa del Grupo Socialista en el Congreso, Diego López Garrido (…) se interesó por la situación actual de la capitana [Cantero]; los motivos por los que fue objeto de un Informe Personal de Calificación (PEC) de carácter extraordinario, cinco meses después del ordinario; y por qué no se atendió su solicitud de aplazamiento del curso de ascenso a comandante. Además, López Garrido pidió conocer qué medidas ha adoptado el Ministerio de Defensa y cuál fue la intervención en este caso del Observatorio Militar por la Igualdad.
Young Spanish soldiers in a UN peace mission. Picture from the blog blogodisea.
The defense spokesperson of the Socialist Group in the Congress, Diego López Garrido (…) became interested in the current situation of captain [Cantero]; the reasons why she was the object of a Qualification Personal Report (PEC) of extraordinary character, five months after the ordinary one; and why her application to be promoted as commander was ignored. Besides, López Garrido asked to know which measures have been adopted by the Defense Ministry, and what was the intervention of the Military Observatory for Equality in this case.
Also Elena Valenciano, Vicepresident General of the PSOE, mentioned both cases in her Facebook page [es], where she shared the link to the above mentioned petition in change.org [es].
In social media and information sites, the news has caused outrage. Tanchus [es] wrote on El País:
El “glorioso” ejército español: un nido de vagos, borrachos, corruptos y maleantes (salvo honrosas excepciones). Por otro lado, nada de extrañar en este país que se ha convertido en un patio de Monipodio en el que, el que más puede, más trinca.
The “glorious” Spanish army: a nest of tramps, drunks, corrupts and criminals (except for a few). On the other hand, it is no surprise that this country has turned into a thieves dungeon where whoever can steals the most.
And anguiman [es] also expressed his anger for what happened:
Puaj, qué asco de gente. Y estos mierdas son los que se llenan la boca con la patria. Lameculos del poder y sostenedores de reyes que trastabillan. Y magreadores de mujeres con valentía que no se dejan arrinconar.
Yaiks, these people are disgusting. And those scumbags fill their mouths with the homeland. Power bootlickers and tumbling kings’ supporters. Fumblers of courageous women who don't let themselves be cornered.
On Twitter, netizens also showed their disagreement with the treatment given to women:
Defensa expedienta a la capitán que denunció acoso sexual http://t.co/be0gYxiyzs Anda que menuda imagen dan de machistas y violadores
— john murphy (@ubunteacher) September 16, 2013
Defense acts against the captain who denounced sexual harassment http://t.co/be0gYxiyzs What a showcase of male chauvinists and rapists.
#ZaidaCantero, la capitán del ejército sancionada x denunciar acoso sexual d un superior, vergonzosa y miserable actitud de sus superiores.
— eduardo jimenez (@omicrom3111) September 16, 2013
#ZaidaCantero, the army captain sanctioned for denouncing sexual harassment by a superior, shameful and miserable attitude from her superiors.
“Acusan d deslealtad a la Capitán que sufrió acoso sexual x un Coronel”.El precio d la denuncia d las mujeres es alto.http://t.co/U9Updko4Ax
— Miguel Lorente (@Miguel__Lorente) June 18, 2013
“They accuse a Captain who suffered sexual harassment by a Colonel of disloyalty”. The price for women to denounce is high.
Dicen q ya no hace falta feminismo: Acusada de deslealtad la capitán que sufrió el acoso sexual de un coronel http://t.co/TZLi2YlFng
— txarlie (@axebra) June 18, 2013
They say feminism is no longer needed: Accused of disloyalty, the captain who was sexually harassed by a coronel.
But maybe the one that summarizes with the most wit the feelings of the majority of netizens is the sarcastic comment of Metaxa en El País [es]:
La justicia militar es a la justicia lo que la música militar es a la música.
Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.

author: Lourdes Sada


text:
Latin America: “Where do the Disappeared go?” · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

This is the second part of a two-part article. To read the first part click here. We also invite you to visit the Office of High Commission for Human Rights page, which you can access with this link, for some more official information on the topic.
Demonstration Convened by Agrupación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos [Families of Detained Missing Persons Group]. 2009, Santiago, Chile. Photo from antitezo on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
In the previous post we explored some of the stories and activity of families of missing people in Latin America. We got closer to testimonies, we opened up contexts, and we introduced popular songs which ask, “Where do the missing people go?”
After decades of questions with no answers and cases that continue to increase the list of victims, we could say that, thanks to their relatives, the missing people and their stories can be found, if only virtually, on Internet social networks.
We see, therefore, family and friends making an effort to fight so that memories are not another victim of the forced disappearances. In this way, the internet becomes a source of innumerable initiatives and stories that fight against impunity and the return to the past.
In this post we dedicate space to the topic in Peru, Guatemala, Uruguay and Mexico. Similarly, we also mention the contribution from arcoiris TV [es], which makes accessible a documentary [es] directed by Ángel Palacios about forced disappearances in Venezuela.
In Peru, the conflict between the Peruvian State, Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) and the MRTA (Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement) has been the main source of the crimes that have resulted in victims of forced disappearances.
A decade after the delivery of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, Spacio Libre [es] publishes observations about the results that the Peruvian justice has presented regarding the victims of forced disappearances. In the editorial, the right of the victims to get answers is defended and the unfulfilled promises that are not allowed to advance to Peruvian justice are listed:
Muy poco se ha avanzado en materia de reparaciones y sobre todo en la búsqueda de la verdad y de un proceso sincero de reconciliación, luego de la violencia desatada por la insanía terrorista de Sendero Luminoso y el MRTA y la respuesta brutal de un Estado que no dirimió entre inocentes y culpables y mató tan igual que el enemigo que perseguía.
Y es que no se puede hablar de reconciliación, cuando un sector bastante influyente de la clase política ha pretendido silenciar y desprestigiar un trabajo realizado con ahínco, con compromiso y con un interés concreto de generar memoria y buscar un camino para recuperar la esperanza de miles de familias que perdieron a un ser querido y que en muchos casos (15 mil) no tienen ni idea de donde están.
Very little has progressed in terms of compensation and above all in the search for the truth and for a sincere process of reconciliation, after the violence unleashed by the terrorist insanity of Sendero Luminoso and the MRTA and the brutal response of a State that does not distinguish between the innocent and the guilty and kills just the same as the enemy it pursues.
And the thing is you can't talk about reconciliation, when such an influential sector of the political class has tried to silence and discredit an undertaking achieved with effort, with compromise and with a concrete interest in generating a memory and searching for a way to regain hope for thousands of families that lost a loved one that in many cases (15 thousand) have no idea where they are.
Also in Peru, the historian Renzo Salvador Aroni [es] gathers stories and analyses the circumstances of families that still hope for signs from their missing relatives. In his post “The Families of the Disappeared”, the blogger defends the importance of regaining the historical memory of the country and indicates that this also involves “regaining the memory of those who are absent”:
[…] La memoria de los familiares de los desaparecidos, siguen aguardando la posibilidad de que sus seres queridos aparezcan. […] Para los familiares es muy difícil aceptar un hecho aún no concluido.
[…] The memory of the family members of the missing people, they continue believing in the possibility that their loved ones will appear. […] For the families it is very difficult to accept an event that is unresolved.
The author also explains how pieces of memory carve themselves a space in people's daily lives. He explains that these are painful experiences and sometimes they express themselves in oral narratives, in artistic representations, in dreams, and in other forms of language, and cites part of the testimonial of the mother of a missing person.
- Si lo veo, me dice: “mamá no llores por mí”.
Así me habla. Ya no lo he vuelto a ver [a mi hijo: Segundino Flores Allcaco], sólo en mis sueños. Lo veo con la misma ropa que tenía puesta.
- If I see him, he tells me: “Mum don't cry for me”.
This is how he talks to me. I haven't seen him again [my son: Segundino Flores Allcaco], only in my dreams. I see him with the same clothes he had on.
In Guatemala, where the detained and disappeared are commemorated every 21st of June, the Comunidades de Población en Resistencia (Communities of Population In Resistance) [es] blog explains that forced disappearance in Guatemala is a current circumstance, that has expanded throughout the region and that counts on the silent collaboration of power:
La desaparición forzada en Guatemala no es un hecho del pasado. Es un crimen de lesa humanidad de carácter imprescriptible instaurado en América Latina, que también permanece vigente por su continua utilización como mecanismo de control social y dominio político; así como por la impunidad que persiste sobre los hechos cometidos y que hoy se expresa, entre otras cosas, en la reconfiguración de las estructuras de poder que articularon, financiaron y callaron estos crímenes.
Forced disappearances in Guatemala are not a fact of the past. It's a crime against humanity of an imprescriptible character established in Latin America, that also remains in force because of its continued use as a social control and political dominance mechanism; as well as because of the impunity that persists about the committed acts and that is expressed today, among other things, in the reconfiguration of the power structures that articulate, finance and conceal these crimes.
The blog Familiares de Desaparecidos [Families of the Disappeared] [es] also reunites the Uruguayan families of missing people that have not stopped searching and gathers together the efforts of people who live in Uruguay or are in exile:
Desde la apertura democrática caminamos juntos respetando la diversidad de pensamientos que nos caracteriza pero unidos en torno a nuestros principales objetivos: MEMORIA, VERDAD, JUSTICIA Y NUNCA MÁS
Since the democratic opening we have walked together respecting the diversity of thoughts that characterises us but united around our principal objectives: MEMORY, TRUTH, JUSTICE AND NEVER AGAIN
In Mexico the forced disappearances explode from the war against narcotics trafficking. The Mexican Comité Cerezo [es] made available a handbook called “What to do in case of forced disappearance [es]”, downloadable from its web page.
It's important to add that the topic of disappearances is not exclusive to Latin America and does not form a part just of the historical memory. Yet the number of people who vanish in dubious circumstances is great, and many more are those who are silenced and terrorised by these crimes.
So, to conclude, it's important to highlight that the families’ struggle continues outside the Internet. And also that these initiatives and movements see their reflections online before and after the international day of their commemoration. In this way social media helps to revive the memories and connect groups of victims outside their borders. Their meeting point: the search for answers and the collective fight for justice.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Laura Vidal


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No Longer Silent: “Queer Pakistan” · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

UPDATE: Queer Pakistan was coincidentally banned and blocked by the authorities on the same day this article was published. The site's administrators are mirroring the content to a different domain.
“Please tell me, is there any doctor who can help me become straight?” This is one of the questions on the forum of the newly launched Queer Pakistan (@QueerPK) website that aims to provide support to Pakistan’s LGBT communities, and start a discussion about topics that are otherwise taboo in a society in which homosexuality is religiously and legally condemned.
One of the website's founders has spoken anonymously to Global Voices about its goals.
The initiative is introduced in a post called “Hello world! Let me present Queer Pakistan”:
How many times do you hear the word Pakistani gay? Or Pakistani queer? Probably you’re more aware of the derogatory terms that are locally used for the LGBTQ community in Pakistan. … And you probably laughed it up! Did you ever think what goes on in the life of a Pakistani queer person? What they have to go through? Or you were too busy denying it’s something ‘western’ and doesn’t exist in Pakistan? Well NOT ANYMORE! We’re here! And we’re here to show our existence.
Screenshot of the Queer Pakistan website.
Another post addresses coming out in Pakistan:
For a regular Pakistani youngster the internet is the major source of all kinds of knowledge and happenings around the world. Same goes when a young gay Pakistani approaches the internet with his major life problem about being a homosexual. As the internet is dominated by content from western countries almost all the websites about being gay encourage you to ‘come out of the closet’ and tell the whole world you are gay and be yourself. This is great advice but only if you are living in a free country where laws and legislation are strict and there aren’t any religious fanatics going around running their own rule. In Pakistan things are different. We are not going to be appreciated even by the most educated people if we are who we are in public. Moreover we also run a great risk of being harmed. It doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl. The risk is almost the same.
The post concludes:
We don’t advocate coming out and being openly gay in a society like Pakistan, however we do emphasize the importance of coming out to yourself. It’s extremely important that you come to terms to your sexuality and know who you really are.
One of Queer Pakistan's founders has spoken anonymously to Global Voices about the website's aims and focus.
Global Voices (GV): What is Queer Pakistan aiming to do?
Queer Pakistan (QP): Queer Pakistan is aiming to start building an open discussion about issues which are otherwise regarded as unspeakable. We intend to use the power of social media for community building because currently there is no support available to a huge number of the LGBT population in the country. Other than providing an awareness-based and educational resource to the community, we also intend to initiate LGBT advocacy and resistance alongside providing what we call “virtual support” to the community. There have been all sorts of attacks in the mainstream media on LGBTQIA communities and they are rarely defended so we figured it's time to take matters in our own hands and at least start to speak.
GV: Are there other websites focused specifically on the Pakistani LGBTQ community?
QP: There are a couple of them in my knowledge. There are also a few “secret” groups on Facebook that deal with the issues but they have a different approach which is to reach and support the community silently. While I appreciate their efforts, I don't think that's enough because there's a sizeable community that is not connected to even virtual support and their only solution is to look for an online resource. We are trying to be that resource.
GV: How does this resource work?
QP: We provide a space for discussion through our blogs section, support page and Facebook page where people can initiate or participate in discussions. The blog section welcomes guest posts and we have also enabled the comment section where every comment is allowed as long as it doesn't involve harassment or incites violence. On the support page, anyone can send us questions anonymously and are answered by a team including two practising doctors along with people who have been through almost anything society can throw at them. This section is overseen by a queer-affirmative psychological expert to ensure the advice given is appropriate.
GV: Your website is primarily in English; does that limit who it will reach?
QP: We are trying to make it a bilingual platform. While English is spoken and understood by most Pakistani internet users, we understand that there's a sizeable population that has difficulty understanding it. That's the reason we put the content that is of utmost importance in Urdu as well. Our online video portal works with foreign content partners to produce Urdu-subtitled videos. In future we want to make all of our content available in both languages.

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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South Korean Catholic Leaders Protest Spy Agency Scandal · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

About 700 Catholic leaders gathered for a candlelight vigil in Seoul [ko] to protest the state spy agency's interference in the presidential election.
Two hundred Catholic priests and 500 nuns in their vestments, together with civic groups, protested at Seoul Plaza on September 23, 2013. A total of 5,000 participated in the demonstration which took the form of Mass (police estimate below 2,000), and it is the first time [ko] in recent decades that the Catholic Church as a group has organized a large-scale demonstration.
Back in mid-August, a little over 4,500 clergy members gathered at Sogang University, the alma mater of the current President Park Geun-hye, to release a manifesto that calls on the president to investigate and apologize for the spy agency scandal. Prominent citizen journalist Media Mongu posted a YouTube video of the scene.
A Catholic priest (@ngo7979) and Nun Juliana (@nun1004) tweeted photos of the protest with comments, as seen below:
더 이상 민주주의 훼손을 지켜볼 수가 없습니다. 오늘 “국정원 해체와 민주주의 회복을 위한 미사”에 첨석하신 모든 분께 고마움의 인사를 전하며 민주주의 회복을 위해 끝까지 함께해주세요~ pic.twitter.com/7Zful0Bm9s
— 세월의 더께 (@ngo7979) September 23, 2013
We can no longer stand idly by while our democracy is being harmed. I want to say thank you to all of those who participated in today's Mass calling for the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to disband and for the restoration of our democracy. Please stay with us till the end.
상식과 보편된 진리가 통하는 날까지…함께합니다… pic.twitter.com/0WddO9Zpn9
— 율리아나 수녀 (@nun1004) September 23, 2013
We will stand together till truth and common sense prevail.
광장의 신부님들. pic.twitter.com/OMlejU2rVs
— 하늘걷기 (@actwalk) September 23, 2013
We see Catholic priests at the Plaza.
300여명의 사제단 입장-서울시청관장 시국미사 pic.twitter.com/ITQfkKX6xq
— 하늘정원 (@bonghaaa) September 23, 2013
This is the scene of 300 clergy members entering the demonstration place during the Mass at the Seoul City Hall Plaza.
One of the nation's beloved bestselling authors, Gong Ji-young, tweeted a photo of the rally and wrote a commentary [ko] about the long history of the Catholic Church functioning as a refuge for democracy. For instance, back in 1970s and 80s when two dictatorial regimes ruled the country, Myeong Dong Cathedral in the heart of Seoul became an iconic bulwark of the democratic movement by hiding and defending activists.
카메라가 눈의 감동읗 다 전하지 못하네요 pic.twitter.com/nNU98vpHyN
— 공지영 (@congjee) September 23, 2013
The emotion cannot fully be delivered through the camera lenses.
@congjee: 박종철 고문치사 사건도 신부님이 폭로하신. 한장의 쪽지로 시작되어 6월항쟁의 도화선이 되었죠 RT @tgs432004: <속보>천주교 사제단 시국선언문 중에 “사전에 개표결과가 조작되었다는 의혹이 있다” 처음으로 천주교 시국선언에서 투표조작을 거론합니다[…]
@congjee: Park Jong-chul's torture and death is also a case disclosed by a Catholic priest. A memo by him [reporting Park's death] sparked the June Democracy Movement [in 1987] RT @tgs432004: <breaking news> Catholic clergy's statement contains a clause that ‘there is a suspicion that the [presidential election] voting tally has been manipulated even before [people cast votes]’. It is the first time the Catholic Church has brought up this election manipulation issue.
Protests against the NIS scandal have continued for over four months now, and religious groups who usually remain silent have joined one by one – starting with the Catholic Church, several factions of Protestant Church, and Won Buddhists. Net users have tweeted comments on why religious groups are taking action. One tweet read:
2. “천주교가 나설 수밖에 없는 것은 정당과 사법부 등 국정원 사태 해결을 책임져야 할 주체들이 제구실을 못하고 있기 때문이 아니겠냐”고 말했다. -천주교인권위원회 이사장인 김형태 변호사
— creation (@bonaventura0) September 23, 2013
The reason why Catholics had to take a stance is because neither of the major players, such as the political parties and the Ministry of Law, who are supposed to take the responsibility for this NIS situation, have functioned. – The Board of Directors of the Catholic Human Rights Committee, Lawyer Kim Hyung-tae

author: Lee Yoo Eun


text:
Brazilian President Calls for Global Respect of Net Neutrality at the UN · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

Net neutrality, privacy and human rights were in focus on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's speech (pdf) at the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on September 24, 2013. The leader said that UN needs to establish international protections for Internet users from spying and announced Brazil's intention to prepare a proposal for the creation of multilateral mechanisms for governance and internet use. Soon the hashtag #DilmaNaONU became trending on Twitter.
An investigative report by Globo TV [pt] from early July, based on Edward Snowden's leaks, denounced N.S.A. priority spying on Brazilian citizens’ electronic communications, including Brazilian president's phone calls, embassies and the state oil corporation, Petrobras. At her speech, the President considered this electronic surveillance to be a serious human rights violation and an act of disrespect towards the principles that should guide relations between sovereign countries.

author: Sara Moreira


text:
China: Finding Light in the Darkness on Xia Junfeng’s Execution Day · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A cartoon by “A sad morning dream” from Sina Weibo.
A man is at the gallows, a noose around his neck and his hands tied behind his back. Below him, a woman and child hold him up so he doesn't hang. Below them, a tower of people do the same.
The sky is black, but a lone beacon of light shines from afar. Everyone looks in its direction.
The solemn scene appears in the latest artwork from a cartoon blogger who goes by the name “A sad morning dream”, uploaded to popular Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo on September 25, 2013. Attached to the cartoon is a very brief comment: “The God says, let there by light.” The comment is followed by a crying face.
What does the cartoon mean? September 25 was Xia Junfeng‘s execution day.
Xia was a laid-off state-owned factory worker who ended up hawking sausages and kabobs in the street to support the family. In May 2009, Xia killed two urban management officers during a conflict. He was found guilty of intentional homicide by the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court in November 2009. Despite the rigorous appeals made by human right lawyers against his death sentence and the overwhelming public sympathy for Xia's self-defense act, China’s Supreme People’s Court   upheld Xia's death penalty and had his execution carried out on September 25. The last meeting between Xia and his family was very brief and the authority did not allow Xia to take his last family photo.
For four years, Chinese netizens have been offering both spiritual and material support to Xia's family and campaigning to defer the execution. The news about his execution stirred widespread anger. Below are some initial reactions on Twitter, translated by China Change, a website on Chinese civil society news and commentary:
@tufuwugan: Tears came. For the one life that will soon pass. For the old and the young of his poor family. For this condemned country. No matter how hard we try, this evil group always answers us with the most egregious and heartless acts. F*** you!
@wenyunchao：This evil regime, when executing a powerless street vendor who merely defended himself, does not even plan to let him meet with his wife and child for one last time.
@liushui1989: To kill Xia Junfeng means that Chengguan, or the government, is digging grave for itself.
On Sina Weibo, because of the heavy censorship measures, netizens’ anger and sorrow was more subtle. The news spread and netizens put up candles and crying faces on their status. They quickly got the message behind the cartoon by “A sad morning dream” and expressed their despair, grievance and hope in the comment section:
康斯坦丁哥哥：光亮永远没有人民身上散发出来的多
“Brother of Constantino”: the light coming from people's bodies is lighter than the ray coming from afar.
中年格瓦拉：我看到這張圖 眼睛突然發酸…圖裡的人舉起了雙手 終於撐起了死刑犯 可我們呼喊了4年 結果卻是死前連張照片都照不了
“Middle age Che Guevara”: tear comes out when I see this picture… people raise their hand to support the prisoner condemned to death. We yelled out for four years, but they did not even [allow the family to] take a photo before the execution.
Gengsen：让无力者有力，让悲伤着前行
Gengsen: Let the powerless be powerful, let the sorrowful move on.
陌阡-逝夏：顾城发出呼喊，我们要寻找光明。可我们苦苦寻觅了几十年。依旧是一片黑暗。原来，不是没有光明，而是在云端的人，一手遮住了光明
“Summer passing by”: Gu Cheng [a famous Chinese poet] screamed out: We have to search for the light. We have been searching for it for so many decades, the darkness still prevails. The light is there, but those operating in the cloud have covered it up.
乱画的：那束光，是幻觉。。。
“Doodle”: The ray of light, is illusion…
猪八猫：有的事看似离我们很远，我们可以选择视而不见。但今天是他，明天也许就是自己，谁也猜不准那根绳子哪天就套上自己的脖子。有人说就快要有光了。过于乐观了吧？有条件的赶紧出去吧，没条件的多积点德，祈祷下辈子换个地儿投胎…
“Piggy cat”: Some incidents seem so far away that we can choose to ignore them. However, we may end up like him. The rope may be around our own neck one day. Some say there will be light soon. This is too optimistic. If you have the chance, leave. If you don't have the resources, pray and wish for a better life after.
战斗指数96：这不是我们要的！黑暗不散，抗争还在继续！
“Battle index 96″: This is not what we want. Fight until the darkness gone.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China’s Banned Websites to be Allowed in Shanghai · Global Voices
Abby Liu

South China Morning Post reported that China will lift a ban on internet access within the Shanghai Free-trade Zone to websites that are currently banned in China, including Facebook, Twitter and The New York Times. In response to the news,Chinese netizens have made sarcastic comments online, although most of the comments were soon censored. Offbeat China has translated some of the comments.

author: Abby Liu


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China’s Disgraced Top Official Bo Xilai Sentenced to Life in Prison · Global Voices
Abby Liu

Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai was sentenced to life in prison on September 22, 2013 after being found guilty on charges of corruption, taking bribes and abuse of power. He has decided to appeal after the hearing.
According to the South China Morning Post, Bo yelled in anger when the Jinan Intermediate People's Court announced the decision, but was taken away by the court's guards. The court released its decision on its official Weibo account.
Since early 2012, the downfall of the rising political star has become one of China's most watched political scandals.
Bo Xilai, the son of one of Communist China’s founding revolutionary leaders, held high posts and was expected to rise even further. However, Bo’s career began to unravel when his wife was involved in the murder of a British businessman in China and when one of Bo's top lieutenants tried to seek asylum at the US embassy. The revelations of murder, corruption, abuse of power and sex has shocked China.
State media used Bo's trial as an example to show the rule of law and the party’s determination on crackdown against corruption.
China Daily said:
The manner in which it was conducted was a far more significant legacy. Before the trial, not many people expected that it would be broadcast via a micro blog. Viewing the trial live on the Internet, many expressed the view that this trial had set a good precedent for similar trials in the future. It is a well-touted judicial clich that court judgments must be based on facts and in accordance with the law.
People’s Daily wrote:
对薄熙来的坚决依法惩处充分表明，党纪国法面前没有例外，不管涉及到谁，都要一查到底，都要依法严惩。
The resolute punishment of Bo Xilai according to law has fully shown that there are no exceptions in the face of party discipline and state laws. No matter who is involved, they will be investigated in the end and punished according to law.
Global Times added:
China's Fallen Politician Bo Xilai Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
相信薄熙来案是一记非常响亮的警钟，中央依法反腐的决心和信心都坚定不移，各种侥幸心理，以及各种怀疑都应被彻底放弃。
The Bo Xilai case is a very loud and clear alarm bell. The determination and confidence of the central authorities to counter corruption according to law is unwavering. All kinds of suspicions should be laid to rest.
Due to the recent crackdown on online rumors, most Weibo comments after Bo’s sentencing were supportive of state media. One Weibo user “Ningmen yu Shaonianyi” echoed:
薄熙来案反映了党反贪污的决心
Bo Xilai’s case has proved that the Party is determined to fight against corruption.
Beijing-based political commentator Li Weidong thought [zh] Bo’s life sentence won’t have serious impact on him:
具体刑期对薄这样的人物无多大影响，过十年八年他就可以「保外就医」出来与家人团聚。之前被判监的陈希同和陈良宇，都是坐牢几年后即「保外」出来。
Specific term won’t have much impact on such a figure, after eight or ten years, he can come out on “medical parole”. In the past, Chen Xitong and Chen Liangyu were sentenced to prison, but were out of prison after a few years.
However, professor Zhang Ming from People's University of China thought Bo’s case is by no means the end of the threat to the Party’s power. He wrote [zh] on his personal blog:
不管怎么说，薄熙来现象被中止了。但是，这个现象所提出的问题，却没有解决。中共内部的合法性危机，并不会因为最高层位置的确定而宣告结束。内部的纷争和动荡，还在发酵。中共18大之后令人反常的持续高压维稳，最大的可能，是高层的问题。跟当年审判四人帮不同，此番审理薄案，政治问题完全被抛开。但是，薄案留下的政治问题，却作为隐患依旧存在。今后的中共政权，无论乐意与否，必须得正视这个问题。
The Bo Xilai phenomenon is aborted. However, the issues raised from this phenomenon have not been resolved. The Communist Party of China's internal crisis of legitimacy will not come to an end due to the establishment of the top level. Internal strife and turmoil is still fermenting. After the 18th Chinese Communist Party, the abnormally constant maintenance of stability is most likely due to the top level issue. Different from the Gang of Four trials, political problems have been put aside on this case. However, the political issues Bo left behind still exist. In the future, whether willingly or not, the communist regime has to face the problem.


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Crowdsourcing Accountability of the Electoral Campaign in Portugal · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

[All links lead to Portuguese language pages.]
In the run up for this week's municipal elections in Portugal, the platform Campanha Limpa (Clean Campaign) invites all citizens to help monitor electoral spending, by sending pictures of campaign materials such as posters, banners, signs, gifts and treats, rallies and events.
The platform, an initiative of Transparência e Integridade Associação Cívica (Transparency and Integrity, Civic Association), or TIAC, provides a map and instructions for participants, as well as legal documents and real time statistics:
The most voted gift (on September 24, 2013): food by far right political party PNR (National Renovator Party). “The best photos will be featured and used to illustrate the (a)typical folklore of the electoral campaign, in the Portuguese way.”
os dados recolhidos sobre o número e o custo dos cartazes espalhados pelo país [são conferidos] e [comparados] com os orçamentos de campanha entregues pelos candidatos.
Citizens can report via mobile with an Android app.
The electoral campaign started on September 17 and lasts until Friday, September 27. The vote will take place on September 29. About 1,500 candidates (some more eccentric than others) are running for 308 municipalities.


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India: Rape? Its Womens’ Fault · Global Voices
Rezwan

The media attention on rape in India and the public notion that women are responsible for most rapes have lead comedy podcast All India Bak**** (AIB), brainchild of comedians Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, Ashish Shakya and Gursimran Khamba, to protest by posting a satirical video on Youtube “It's your fault” (text-script here). The video went viral and had been watched almost 1.5 million times in the first week.

author: Rezwan


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Lawyers Seek Ouster of Zambia’s Chief Justice · Global Voices
Gershom Ndhlovu

Battle lines have been drawn between the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), a statutory board that governs law practitioners, and President Michael Sata’s government over the continued tenure of Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, who in ordinary circumstances should be making history as the first female head of the judiciary in the nation’s history.
Justice Chibesakunda, 69, was appointed to act in the position after the previous Chief Justice Ernest Sakala stepped down early in 2012 because he was above the retirement age of 65 and had himself been sued by one lawyer on account of age.
President Sata submitted her name for ratification by parliamentary select committee, but was rejected. She, however, continued holding office much to the chagrin of individual citizens and civil society and LAZ itself.
An unfazed Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba, who is also the ruling Patriotic Front Secretary General, blamed the select committee for failing to submit a report to the full house of 158 members knowing fully well that the ruling party had a small majority for the possible ratification of Justice Chibesakunda if the matter went for a vote.
In its High Court petition, which was presented after LAZ members marched in protest from LAZ offices some two kilometres away to the High Court, LAZ is arguing:
[…] Lombe Chibesakunda at the time of appointment had reached retirement age as Supreme Court Judge, President Sata could have only extended her contract as Supreme Court Judge nothing higher than that.
On the second ground, LAZ argues that even if Chibesakunda had her contract renewed by Sata, she was illegally on contract because the law says a Judge’s contract ca[n] only be renewed once.
LAZ argues that former President Rupiah Banda renewed Chibesakunda’s contract in 2009 to run to May 2012 therefore there was no need for President Sata to renew her contract for the second time.
LAZ gave the government and the acting Chief Justice a one month ultimatum for her to vacate the office failure to which they were to take legal action. Meanwhile, President Sata, at the swearing of tribunals to probe the conduct of two high court judges, alleged that criminals in the judiciary were making the work of Justice Chibesakunda difficult.
Blogger Munshya wa Munshya, who has been following Justice Chibesakunda’s saga very closely, wrote in one of his posts:
In the case of Justice Chibesakunda, she has not been ratified by parliament and on that basis alone; she must recuse herself from further exercising the functions of that office. Indeed, the process of ratification itself does impose upon our system specific procedures that must be met before one could assume the role of chief justice.
Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Member of Parliament Vincent Mwale, writing on the Zambia Reports citizen media website, stated:
I have participated in ratifications of many Judges, Commissioners as well as many other Constitution Office holders, in the process of these ratifications others have been rejected but never in my time as an MP has Parliament discussed names of these rejected […] I therefore find it strange that Hon Kabimba is expecting a report of the Select Committee of a nominee who has been rejected to be submitted for debate in Parliament.
He added:
I have been a member of Parliament for 7 years now and the entire time I have been an MP there has never been a time when Parliament has discussed nominees rejected by its Select Committee. Past Presidents as well as President Sata have always withdrawn the names of nominees rejected by Parliamentary Select Committees.
Allegations abound of why President wants Justice Chibesakunda, who is president Sata's relative, to pass judgments on cases involving elections results in favor of the ruling party. One blogger, reporting what opposition MMD president Nevers Mumba said, wrote:
Mumba has recently made a blatant accusation that Chibesakunda is insisting to stay as chief justice in order to influence the overturning in the Supreme Court parliamentary election results petitions appeals brought by some losing Patriotic Front parliamentary candidates.
The nation will be waiting for the outcome of the case with baited breath.

author: Gershom Ndhlovu


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Nairobi Mall Attack Inspires Two Online Tools for Emergencies  · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Also read: How the Nairobi Mall Attack Unfolded on Social Media and Global Voices Author Remembers Friends Slain in Nairobi Mall Attack.
On September 21, 2013, a group of suspected al-Shabab militants stormed Westgate mall in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, killing at least 61 people, six security personnel and injuring hundreds of innocent men, women and children.
Following the horrible attack, Ushahidi has come up with two tools for emergencies. Ushahidi is a non-profit technology company that specializes in developing free and open source software for information collection, visualization and interactive mapping.
“Ushahidi”, which means “testimony” in Swahili, was a website that was initially developed to map reports of violence in Kenya after the post-election fallout at the beginning of 2008.
The Ping app is a binary, multichannel check-in tool for groups. The tool will help families, friends and companies to quickly check in with each other:
There was a consistent problem in every disaster that happens, not just in Kenya, but everywhere. Small groups, families and companies need to quickly check in with each other. They need to “ping” one another to make sure they’re okay. It has to be something incredibly simple, that requires little thinking to use. People have been doing some stuff in this space in the past, the best like “I’m Ok” are focused on smartphone users, but we have a need to make it work for even the simplest phones. Our goal is to have this available for anyone globally to use.
The Ping App – a group check-in tool for emergencies. Photo source: Ushahidi blog.
This is how the Ping works:
You create a list of your people (family, organization), and each person also adds another contact who is close to them (spouse, roommate, boy/girlfriend, etc).
When a disaster happens, you send out a message for everyone to check-in. The admin sends out a 120 character message that always has “are you ok?” appended to the end.
This goes out via text message and email (more channels can be added later).
The message goes out three times, once every 5 minutes. If there is a response, then that person is considered okay. If no response, then 3 messages get sent to their other contact.
We file each response into one of 3 areas: responded (verified), not responded, not okay.
Every message that comes back from someone in that group is saved into a big bucket of text, that the admin can add notes to if needed.
Another tool is Blood Donation Kenya, which is a crowdmap of all locations of blood drive centers. The map matches blood location centers with people willing to help with donation, medical instruments or medical personnel.
A screenshot of a crowdmap showing blood donation sites in Kenya. Image source: Ushahidi blog.
Erik Hersmann explains the logic behind the map:
One of the most amazing guys in Kenya in any emergency is Philip Ogola of the Kenya Red Cross. He’s first on scene with great updates, but there’s only so much that one person can do. Now, the Kenya Red Cross itself has been doing incredible work, but they have a problem with a lot of their stuff still being paper and pen (and there’s another group working on a locally hosted database system to digitize this without putting real people’s names online, run by Nivi of eLimu). Another problem that they have is that the hospitals are running short on some types of blood, and are overwhelmed with others, as the Kenyan population comes out in full force to donate blood.
How can this be managed better, so that people aren’t turned away from some places and so that they know where to go for their type?
We set up a crowdmap deployment to map our all locations of blood drive centers, in an effort to match these areas with those willing to help at BloodDonationKenya.Crowdmap.com, either through blood donation, medical instruments or medical personnel.
Also read: How the Nairobi Mall Attack Unfolded on Social Media and Global Voices Author Remembers Friends Slain in Nairobi Mall Attack.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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No Handshakes for US and Iran, But Hope Prevails · Global Voices
Farid

‘US and Iran at the negotiation table’ Cartoon by Mana Neyestani via Iran Wire (used with permission)
Despite high expectations for even a simple handshake between U.S. President Barack Obama and Iran's new president, Hassan Rouhani, at the United Nations in New York this week, it did not happen. But the two presidents each delivered speeches to the 68th UN General Assembly on Tuesday, September 25, that rekindled hopes of reconciliation between the two countries.
“We are not seeking regime change, and we respect the right of the Iranian people to access peaceful nuclear energy,” Obama said.
In turn, Rouhani said he listened carefully to U.S. President Barack Obama's speech and hoped that the US “will refrain from following the short-sighted interests of war-mongering pressure groups” so that the two nations “can arrive at a framework to manage our differences.” In a conciliatory tone, he said that Iran “does not seek to increase tensions with the United States.”
Netzines expressed many different opinions on Rouhani's speech – from respect to disappointment, from deja vu to the rise new of new era.
Digital activist Arash Kamangir  tweeted [fa]:
حسن #روحانی دعوا نداشت. از صلح حرف زد. در قامت یک رییس‌جمهور ظاهر شد. @Rouhani_ir
— Arash Kamangir (@Kamangir) September 24, 2013
Rouhani did not want to get into a fight. He talked about peace. He appeared presidential.
Also on Twitter, Taaatweny1 writes with irony [fa]:
بعضیا هم انتظار دارن #روحانی وسط سازمان ملل داد بزنه ” بان کی مون یادت باشه موسوی باید باشه ” :| — T@H£R£ (@Taaatweny1) September 24, 2013
Some expected that Rouhani himself would shout in the UN, “Ban Ki Moon [UN general secretary], remember that Mir Hossein Mousavi [Iranian opposition leader] should be here.”
This refers to an earlier press conference with Rouhani on June 17, where someone heckled the president in front of the cameras, saying “Remember, Rouhani, Mousavi should be here!”
Jedaaal tweeted [fa]:
زبان سخنرانی #روحانی تا این لحظه سکولارترین و غیرایدئولوژیک‌ترین سخنرانی است که از یک ایرانی (حتی اپوزیسیون) می‌توان انتظار داشت.
— Ali Alizadeh علیز (@Jedaaal) September 24, 2013
Rouhani's speech was the most secular and non-ideologic one we can expect for, even from an Iranian opposition member.
With irony Ali writes [fa]:
متن سخنرانی #روحانی رو #احمدی‌نژاد تنظیم کرده بود
— Ali (@AliStar66) September 24, 2013
Ahmadinejad [former hardline president] must have prepared Rouhani's speech.
Farshid Faryabi tweets [fa] that although Rouhani's speech was written in an idealistic way rather than realistically political, his points on sanctions were good.
Both the US and Iran spoke about the need for negotiation and mutual respect to end crisis. May be as Mana Neyestani, a leading Iranian cartoonist [above] illustrates with her cartoon on Iran Wire it is time to leave the warrior garments behind. Maybe we can look forward to the two countries’ leaders shaking hands one day… hopefully soon.

author: Farid


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Planned Olympic Canoe Racing Course Threatens Tokyo Park · Global Voices
Keiko Tanaka

Photo of Kasai Rinkai Park by Flickr user Yuichi Sakuraba (CC BY-NC 2.0)
More than 13,000 people have signed a Change.org petition [ja] urging Tokyo governor and the Japanese Olympic Committee not to destroy part of Kasai Rinkai Park to build canoe racing stadium.
Tokyo and the Japanese Olympic Committee plan to build the racing course for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics, despite 25 years of concerted effort in the Kasai Rinkai Park to bring back the bio-diversity lost from development and pollution.
The petition organizer describes [ja] the beauty and diversity of the nature in the park:
東京都が世界に誇る都市の中の自然公園です。公園の池や草むらや松林には、野鳥226種、昆虫140種、クモ80種、樹木91種、野草132種、絶滅危惧種に指定されているクロツラヘラサギもいます。多くの家族が憩い、自然とふれあい、サイクリングや散歩道を楽しみ、大都会の疲れを癒しています。
Kasai Rinkai Park is a world-class park in Tokyo. In its pond, grassy areas and pine forest, 226 kinds of wild birds, 140 kinds of insects, 80 kinds of spiders, 91 kinds of trees, and 132 kinds of wild grasses live. You can even see Black-faced Spoonbills, which are listed as an endangered species. Families come here to relieve their stress from city life, and take a walk or bicycle ride to enjoy the nature.
The Wild Bird Society of Japan has submitted a request [ja] in late August to the Tokyo Metropolitan Governor and Japanese Olympic Committee to change the plan to use Kasai Rinkai Park for the canoe racing.
Wildlife and animal journalist Eiki Sato wrote a message to the Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose on his blog [ja]:
葛西臨海公園は、猪瀬さんがよくご存じのように、東京都が 東京湾沿岸の汚染や埋め立てで“破壊された自然環境を再生しようと” 作った公園です。(略） 葛西臨海公園の面積の約半分は、カヌーの競技場とその施設になるという 計画なんですね。 (略） 25年もかかって取り戻した都会の中の切ない大自然。25年ですよ、 一瞬でぶっ壊して大金を使う算段なんですよ。 あの場所に、高さ９メートルの長い長いコンクリの壁でできた１万人導入の観客席の塀、似合わない事は、あなたが一番イメージできてるでしょう。
Dear Govorner Inose, as you may know very well, the Kasai Rinkai Park is a park built by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government with “the aim to rebuild the natural environment of Tokyo that had been destroyed by pollution and artificial land reclamation”. […] The plan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is that they will use half of the park for a canoeing course and its facilities. […] With the flick of a pen allocating millions in funding, it will destroy the nature that people have worked so hard to take back over 25 years. Dear Governor, I'm sure you can easily imagine that the park with a canal and nine-meter-high wall of concrete with a capacity of 10,000 spectators will not look right in this particular location.
The post was quickly shared on social media and attracted a lot of attention, driving more than 200,000 traffic hits with 59,000 Facebook recommendations.
You can see under-represented nature of Tokyo photographed by Eiki Sato on his blog [ja].

author: Keiko Tanaka


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Rumors Fly that Putin Has Remarried · Global Voices
Nina Jobe

Alina Kabaeva appears in a music video, 12 September 2010, screenshot from YouTube.
There have long been rumors that Vladimir Putin has a romantic relationship with Uzbekistan-born former gymnast Alina Kabaeva. Indeed, the speculation predates Putin's divorce, which he announced to the press in June 2013. In the last week, the gossip has flared up again, and this time the RuNet's busybodies suspect that Putin (age 60) and Kabaeva (age 30) may finally have tied the knot.
It started with a mid-afternoon tweet on Saturday:
Как мне сообщили, Путин с Кабаевой венчаются сегодня в иверском монастыре. Весь Валдай оцеплен.
— Kалой Ахильгов (@akaloy) September 21, 2013
I am told that Putin and Kabaeva were married today in the Iversky Monastery. All of Valdai is cordoned off.
This message, written by lawyer Koloy Akhilgov, grabbed over 500 retweets, and sent the Russian blogosphere scrambling for more information. A few hours later, Akhilgov reported:
Друзья, за достоверность факта не ручаюсь, но местные сообщили о фсо, перекрывшей все и вся вокруг иверского.
— Kалой Ахильгов (@akaloy) September 21, 2013
Friends, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the facts, but locals reported the FSO blocked off everything and everyone around Iversky.
A parody Twitter account that mocks Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, soon tweeted:
Да, Владимир Владимирович венчался! Но не с Алиной Кабаевой, а на царство.
— Усы Пескова (@Sandy_mustache) September 21, 2013
Yes, Vladimir Vladimirovich is married! Though not to Alina Kabaeva, but to the kingdom.
Within hours of Akhilgov's first tweet, Dmitry Peskov went on TV Dozhd (TV Rain) and denied the rumors, reproving the blogosphere for its chatter, and accusing netizens of “Internet exercises on Saturday out of boredom.”  This seemingly vague denial only heightened the buzz online. For instance, LiveJournal user Egor Sedov argued that Peskov had only stoked the flames of the rumor and made it an even bigger story.
Я этих слухов не слышал.  Зато теперь – услышал. Кому спасибо говорить? А г. Пескову, вот кому. Смолчал бы Песков – и слухи (даже если они и были) стихли бы сами собой. Теперь – нет. А вообще, Кабаева, вроде, мусульманка? Или нет? Если мусульманка, то возможно ли венчание?
I had not heard these rumors. But now I have. Whom can I say thank? Mr. Peskov, that's who! If Peskov had said nothing, the rumors (even if they are true) would have died down by themselves. But not now. Another thing: is Kabaeva a Muslim? Or no? If she is a Muslim, is a wedding possible?
Also commenting on the religious aspect of a potential Putin-Kabaeva union, another blogger speculated that Kabaeva has converted to Orthodoxy, in order to marry Putin.
Blogger Pasha Businessman urged the blogosphere to calm down and stop spreading unfounded rumors:
Считаю все эти слухи выдумками. Кроме самих слухов подтверждений из других источников нет.
Ни одной фотографии, ни одного видео и так далее. Даже не важно как это комментирует пресс-служба. Кроме вбросов таблоидов и таблоидных журналистов никаких других фактов, что Путин встречается с Кабаевой нет.
Господа журналисты давайте не будем бегать впереди паровоза, получите факты, зафиксируйте, подтвердите из независимых источников а потом и публикуйте.
I think that all of these rumors are just inventions. Except for the rumors, nothing is confirmed by other sources. Not one photograph, not one video, and so on. It does not matter what the press office says. Besides stuffing the tabloids and all the tabloid journalists, there are no other facts that Putin [even] met with Kabaeva. Lord, journalists, let’s not run ahead of the engine. Get the facts, get a handle on them, verify using independent sources, and then publish.
On her Facebook wall, journalist Natalia Gevorkyan wondered why the Kremlin has to make everything a “special operation,” noting how Putin waited for wide speculation in the media to accumulate before announcing his divorce.
Сколько лет не жил с женой, прежде чем сходить в театр на интервью о разводе? Теперь столько же лет проживет в браке, прежде чем о нем объявить? Может, правда, на Олимпийских играх…. Как-то логично-символично.
How many years did he [Putin] not live with his wife before going to the theatre for an interview about his divorce? Now will he live as many years in this marriage before it is announced? Maybe, however, at the Olympic games…. Somehow [it could be] logical-symbolic [to reveal it there].
The odds are that the gossip about Putin's remarriage is just that. But if Gevorkyan is right that Putin is waiting for another unexpected, well-attended setting for the dramatic reveal, we may have to wait until next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi.

author: Nina Jobe


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Blogging for Freedom on Saudi Arabia’s National Day · Global Voices
Guest Contributor

Saudi Arabia marks its National Day on September 23. While this is usually a day people celebrate the monarchy more than the country itself, the previous two national days were different. Saudis, with the use of social networks and blogs, had the chance to express themselves freely – blogging their hopes for a nation which respects and embraces its people and their aspirations.
Writer and Doctor, Bader Al-Ibrahim wrote:
لا يكفي الاحتفال الكرنفالي لتعزيز الانتماء الوطني في غياب ذاكرة جماعية وهوية مشتركة ومؤسسات ترعى المواطنة #اليوم_الوطني
— بدر الإبراهيم (@Baderalibrahim) September 23, 2013
The carnival celebration is not enough to reinforce the national sense of belonging in the absence of a popular memory, a joint identity and institutions sponsoring citizenship.
Jordanian Human Rights Defender, Fadi Al-Qadi, tweeted:
عبد الله الحامد ورفاقه في #حسم يقضون #اليوم_الوطني_السعودي في السجن. احد التهم الموجهة “تعطيل التنمية”. اما تهمة الحاكم فهي “تعطيل البشرية”
— Fadi Al-Qadi (@fqadi) September 23, 2013
Abdullah Al-Hamed and his fellows in ACPRA are spending the Saudi national day in prisons. One of their charges is “impeding development” while the ruler's charge is “impeding humanity”.
Writer Abdullah Al-Malki tweeted:
في #اليوم_الوطني نذكر #حسم والحامد والقحطاني والبجادي وتوفيق العامر والمناسف وإصلاحيي جدة وكل من ناضل لإصلاح ورقيّ هذا الوطن .. سلام عليكم
— عبدالله المالكي (@iAbuhesham) September 22, 2013
On our national day, we remember ACPRA, Al-Hamed, Al-Qahtani, Al-Bjadi, Tawfeeq Al-Amer, Al-Mnasif and Jeddah reformists and everyone who struggled for this country to reform and prosper. Peace be upon you.
While Eman Al-Qaffas noted:
من يعتقد أن حب الوطن يستوجب حب الحكومة هو شخص لا يحب الوطن
— Eman Alقaffaص.. (@Emashii) September 22, 2013
Whoever thinks loving your country necessitates loving your government is a person who does not love the country.
And Rehab Al-Hamdan added:
#اليوم_الوطني أصبح الناس هذه الأيام أكثر نضجا ووعيا… و لم تعد العبارات الفارغة الجوفاء تخدعهم…! أو تنطلي عليهم…!
— رحاب الحمدان (@RihabAlhamdan) September 24, 2013
People are more aware now. Empty words don't fool them anymore.
Many bloggers shared their thoughts on the national day from different perspectives.
Sultan Al-Amer, writer and blogger, wrote from an Arab nationalist point of view:
إن تاريخنا “القومي” كعرب ليس محصورا بحدود الدولة السعودية وتاريخها.
إن تاريخنا القومي هو تاريخ الشعوب الممتدة من الخليج إلى المحيط وليس تاريخ الأنظمة فقط.
وإن معنى “الوطن” لا يمكن الاحتفال به قبل تجسيده كحقوق سياسية وحريات.
وإن الأنظمة الحاكمة تستطيع بسهولة أن تبني شرعية متينة إذا تحولت إلى أنظمة مدافعة ومنحازة لقضايا أمتها ومستجيبة لآمالها وتطلعاتها.
Our national history as Arabs is not restricted by the borders and history of Saudi Arabia. Our national history is that of the people living between the Gulf and the [Atlantic] ocean not the history of regimes only. The meaning of “a country” cannot be celebrated until it is embodied by political rights and freedoms. The ruling regimes can easily build a strong legitimacy if they start defending and siding with their people's causes and responding to their hopes and aspirations.
While another nationalist journalist and writer, Abdullah Al-Duhailan, blogged criticizing two types of people. One is the intellectual elites who refuse to celebrate such a day until all political and civil demands are met. The other is the majority of the people who respond to media's propaganda and celebrate certain people instead of the country itself.
The families of detainees saw this day as a chance to raise awareness about their cause. Anonymous advocacy groups @e3teqal [arrest] and @almonaseron [the supporters] called for several small protests that took place mainly in Buraiydah.
From the women's protest in Buraiydah
Tires were burnt in non-residential areas with posters next to them demanding the release of the detainees. And  a meeting was held in Buraiydah where relatives of detainees met and discussed the possible ways to support the detainees. The family of Abdulkarim Al-Khuder, imprisoned ACPRA member, were among a few families who had their houses surrounded by police cars for hanging pictures of their detained loved ones.
Mahdi Al-Zahir, an activist from Qatif, tweeted:
أود أن أحتفل ب #اليوم_الوطني ولكن أخي معتقل وابن خالي معتقل صديقي معتقل وحتى جاري معتقل.. عفوا ياوطني، ولكن قيدك يمنعني #غرد_للوطن
— مهدي الزاهر (@alzahir_ma) September 23, 2013
I would like to celebrate the national day. But my brother is detained, my cousin is detained, my friend is detained, even my neighbor is detained.
And The Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) published a statement [ar] calling for the release of all prisoners of conscience and for a national dialogue between the government and elected representatives of the people as equals.
وإن هذا الشعب كباقي الشعوب فيه من هو مستعد للنضال السلمي للوصول للحقوق المشروعة والسجون لن تكفي فكلما سجن فوج جاء فوج آخر … فأما الحكومات وأحيانا الدول تتغير وتبقى الشعوب.
There are persons in this nation, like any other, who are willing to continue the peaceful struggle until their legitimate demands are met. Prisons will not be enough. Every time a group is imprisoned, another group will come out… Governments, and sometimes countries, change, but the people remain.

author: Guest Contributor


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South Korea: ‘The Man Must Buy the House’ · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

Although South Korea is still a male-dominated society that ranks toward the bottom of polls in gender equality, more men seem to feel they are losing ground. It is partly true when it comes to marriage where social pressure for young men to provide a house for their brides is enormous, while men in their 20s and 30s still struggle to find jobs. Korea Bang translated net users’ reactions to the issue.


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Two Women Jailed After Kissing at Religious Rally in Brazil · Global Voices
Fernanda Canofre

[All links lead to Portuguese-language pages except when otherwise noted.]
Two young women were jailed by order of Brazilian congressman Pastor Marco Feliciano after kissing during the evangelical event Glorifica Litoral in the city of São Sebastião in the north of São Paulo on Sunday, September 15, 2013.
The kiss which resulted in the arrest of the two young women. Photo: YouTube
Feliciano, who is also a congressman and president of the House Commission for Human Rights and Minorities [en], stopped his presentation during the gospel festival, which bills itself as an “evangelical social-cultural week”, to request the municipal guards and military police officers present arrest the two young women.
“Those two girls have to leave here handcuffed. No use trying to run, guards are headed there now. This here isn't palace where anything goes, It’s the house of God,” he said into the microphone.
According to reports from those present at the event, while the women were being removed, the pastor continued to incite the crowd of 70,000 people against them.
The two young women, Yunka Mihura, 20, and Joana Palhares, 18, were taken by agents of the Municipal Civil Guard to the First District Police Station of São Sebastião, where the police chief filed the incident for investigation. The women alleged other heterosexual couples were also exchanging kisses during the event, and that they were physically assaulted by the police.
In the blog iGay, they stated that they had already kissed a few times during the event and that nobody seemed to mind.  Yunka stated:
O evento era público, pago com o nossos impostos. Aquele palco, aquele microfone, tudo tinha dinheiro público. Também era um espaço aberto, na Rua da praia. Estar ali era direito nosso.
The event was public, paid for with our taxes. That stage, that microphone, everything was with public money. It was also an open space, on Beach Street. It was our right to be there.
According to the lawyer for the two women, Daniel Galani, there was a conflict of rights during the event:
The online community “Moça, você é machista” (Girl, you are a chauvinist) published an image questioning the act which lead to the arrest of the two young women. (Text reads: What's that?? A lesbian kiss is religious intolerance???)Photo: Facebook
A gente vê que foi uma situação que fugiu completamente ao controle. A gente sabe que existiam dois direitos em conflito: um é a liberdade de expressão e o outro a liberdade do ato religioso. Os dois direitos são constitucionais e estão previstos para que as pessoas possam fazê-los.
We see it as a situation that got completely out of control. We know there are two rights in conflict: one is the freedom of expression and the other the freedom of religious practice. The two rights are constitutional and are prescribed so that people can make use of them.
In statements to magazine Revista Fórum, the director of the Commission for Human Rights of the Brazilian Order of Lawyers (known by its acronym OAB – Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil) in São Paulo, Martim de Almeida Sampaio, considered the detention “illegal” and added the young women “could have called for the pastor's arrest for abuse of authority,” had they known about the Penal Code.
Without giving interviews to the press, Feliciano used his Twitter account to talk about the episode, citing the Brazilian Penal Code to justify his actions:
1) o código penal brasileiro no seu artigo 208 diz: Escarnecer de alguém publicamente, por motivo de crença ou função religiosa;
— Marco Feliciano (@marcofeliciano) September 16, 2013
1) Article 208 of the Brazilian Penal Code states: to mock someone publicly for reason of belief or religious function;
— Marco Feliciano (@marcofeliciano) September 16, 2013
2) impedir ou perturbar cerimônia ou prática de culto religioso; vilipendiar publicamente ato ou objeto de culto religioso:
— Marco Feliciano (@marcofeliciano) September 16, 2013
2) to impede or disturb a ceremony or practice of religious worship; publicly vilify acts or objects of religious worship:
— Marco Feliciano (@marcofeliciano) September 16, 2013
3) Pena detenção, 1mês a 1ano ou multa. P.U. Se há emprego de violência, a pena aumenta de 1/3, sem prejuízo da correspondente à violência — Marco Feliciano (@marcofeliciano) September 16, 2013
3) Punishment detention, 1 month to 1 year or fine. P.U. If violence is used, the punishment increases by ⅓, without prejudice to the correspondent violence
— Marco Feliciano (@marcofeliciano) September 16, 2013
The social network was also used against the pastor by opponents of his attitude. Marcelo Gerald, an LGBT rights activist, associated the incident with religious fanaticism:
O direito dos fanáticos religiosos está ultrapassando qualquer limite aceitável
— Marcelo Gerald (@mkGerald) September 17, 2013
The right of religious fanatics is surpassing all acceptable limits
— Marcelo Gerald (@mkGerald) September 17, 2013
And he stressed:
Sobre Feliciano só direi que ele precisa ser punido, NADA justifica a violência empregada contra lésbicas em espaço PÚBLICO, — Marcelo Gerald (@mkGerald) September 17, 2013
Regarding Feliciano I can only say he needs to be punished, NOTHING justifies violence used against the lesbians in a PUBLIC space,
— Marcelo Gerald (@mkGerald) September 17, 2013
Congressman Jean Wyllys, an advocate for LGBT rights and one of the main opponents of Feliciano in the House and on the Human Rights Commission, was attacked on his account by various users. He considered the arrest of the two young women to be an arbitrary act and stated:
Investigar a exploração comercial da fé e o charlatanismo essa polícia não faz! RT “@camilo_aggio: Viu isso, Jean? http://t.co/4z1iZoO0Kl”
— Jean Wyllys (@jeanwyllys_real) September 17, 2013
These police don’t investigate charlatanism and the commercial exploitation of faith! RT “@camilo_aggio: Have you seen this, Jean? http://t.co/4z1iZoO0Kl”
— Jean Wyllys (@jeanwyllys_real) September 17, 2013
During the week, video production company WAPTV Comunicação, contracted by the organization Glorifica Litoral, released a video defending the pastor. The company has among its clients the pastors Marco Feliciano and Silas Malafaia – noted by Forbes [en] as one of the richest pastors in Brazil.
The video claims to reveal the truth about the imprisonmentof the two girls by stating that the event took place in a “closed space” and that it got its support from evangelical churches on the north coast of Sao Paulo state, not from public money like activists have said. Then it shows pastor Feliciano repeating the same legal arguments that are quoted above:
After becoming known thanks to racist and controversial statements, Feliciano is opposed by a good portion of the Brazilian political class since the beginning of his mandate as president of the Human Rights Commission. At the beginning of the month, the Brazilian Order of Lawyers announced that it will request, together with more than 20 entities linked with human rights, the expulsion of Feliciano as well as Congressman Jair Bolsonaro, for inciting hate crimes.
According to the municipal government of São Sebastião, the case against the two women will be investigated by the inspectors office of the Municipal Civil Guard.

author: Fernanda Canofre


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Ugandan Minister: Indecently Dressed Women Are Asking to Be Raped · Global Voices
Prudence Nyamishana

A screenshot from the petition calling for the minister's resignation.
According to Uganda's Youth Affairs Minister Ronald Kibuule, women who are dressed indecently are asking to be raped, and suspects who have raped such women should be released. He also said that in cases of rape, police should first ascertain the dress code of the victim, and if they were dressed indecently, they should also be charged with inviting the crime.
Kibuule made the comments in Kajara County, Ntungamo District on Saturday September 21, 2012, while attending the launch of Kajara Youth Development Cooperative and Savings Society. The comments appeared on Uganda's newspaper Daily Monitor on September 24, 2013. The article, however, did not explain the context in which Kibuule made the comments.
The parliament has summoned the minister to appear before it to explain the comment he made last week.
Ugandan netizens responded in fury to the comments using the hashtag #Kibuule on Twitter. Those calling for his resignation are using the hashtags #KibuuleMustGo and #KibuuleOut.
A petition on Change.org calls for his resignation:
By these words, Mr. Kibuule is promoting the rape of women based on their dress code; he is excusing rapists for their crimes against supposedly scantily clad women and; he is ensuring that victims of rape are afraid to come forward for fear of being persecuted for being raped. He should lose his position immediately since he clearly does not represent the well being of his constituents.
Rosebell Kagumire (@RosebellK), a Ugandan online journalist, wrote:
4000 children in northern #uganda are defiled annually, I bet #kibuule thinks its because they were provocative! Idiots in power!
— Rosebell Kagumire (@RosebellK) September 24, 2013
Linda (@LindaNEK), a Ugandan businesswoman, ridiculed the minister’s moral authority:
#Kibuule is morally incompetent to give any substantial opinion on Moral issues esp considerin the fact that hes a Polygamist @DailyMonitor
— Linda (@LindaNEK) September 24, 2013
Mark Namamanya (@mnamanya), a sports journalist, observed:
In most societies, the clown that is #Kibuule would be holding a resignation press conference today. Sadly, Uganda is not most societies
— Mark Namanya (@mnamanya) September 24, 2013
Gordon G Ananura (@NgabiranoIV) joined those that ridiculed the minister:
@eshbankwesiga @iDEASUG : I knew tht #Kibuule Minister was a joke
— Gordon G.N Ananura (@NgabiranoIV) September 24, 2013
However, some Ugandans such as Ibrahim Batambuze (@TheBigPapaa) supported the minister's argument:
@Mr_Bata_ totally agree with you. If you leave your door open and you are robbed, whose to blame for your stupidity? #Kibuule
— Anthony J Kateeba (@TheBigPapaa) September 24, 2013

author: Prudence Nyamishana


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What We Watch: YouTube Video Popularity Comparison · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

What We Watch
A new data visualization tool from the Center for Civic Media in the United States helps illustrate how popular videos spread online and between countries. Looking at the most popular videos in 61 countries, What We Watch  shows which countries have the biggest overlaps in interest. Civic Media Center Director, Ethan Zuckerman describes the project and initial findings.

author: Solana Larsen


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With Outcome Foretold, Tajik Elections Spark Online Ridicule · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

There are about six weeks to go before Tajikistan's presidential vote on November 6, but few people in the country have doubts about who will serve as president during the next seven years. The foregone conclusion before the nation heads to the polls is that Emomali Rahmon, who has been in office since 1994, is assured of an easy victory.
This awareness and the unwillingness of both the government and opposition parties to admit that the upcoming presidential vote is nothing but a formality is drawing criticism and ridicule from the country's social media users. They make fun of Tajikistan's veteran president and opposition leaders by photoshopping their images and posting them on Facebook.
“The Return of the ‘Rahminator'”
Although President Rahmon has not yet confirmed that he will participate in the upcoming elections as a candidate, Facebook users expect him to announce a re-election bid soon. The image below predicts the continuation of Rahmon's rule in Tajikistan.
“Soon…”. Image uploaded by ‘Nibiru Nibiru’.
The next image compares Rahmon to the Terminator (with his famous “I'll be back“) from the Hollywood science fiction film.
“The Return of the ‘Rahminator'”. Image posted by ‘Moderator Platformy’.
Reflecting a widely shared view in the country, the cartoon below suggests that Rahmon is unlikely to step down anytime soon.
Tajik leader unwilling to let go of his presidential chair. Image posted by Tahmina Mavlonova.
Some netizens believe that the incumbent president will not even step down in 2020, after completing the last term he is constitutionally allowed to hold. The next image shows Rahmon as a royal figure cancelling further presidential elections in 2020.
“His Majesty's Edict: Elections Are Cancelled”. “Year 2020″. Image uploaded by Said Saidov Platforma.
And another image showing Rahmon as an old man, still serving as president.
Old Rahmon with a long grey beard and grey hair. Image posted by ‘Moderator Platformy’.
“Fake opposition”
Tajikistan's leader is not the only target of ridicule in the run-up to elections. Netizens also use doctored images to register their disdain with opposition parties. The recent decision by two leading opposition forces in the country, the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) and Social-Democratic Party (SDPT), to throw their political support behind a female candidate who is unlikely to win the elections has prompted a storm of criticism and mockery.
The image below shows the leader of the IRPT, while the text reads: “Fake elections? No, it is fake opposition!”.
“Fake elections? No, it is fake opposition!”. Image posted by Moderator.
And the next image shows IRPT's leader under a portrait of President Rahmon, thus speculating that the opposition leader is following orders from the administration. The text reads: “A loyal servant of his master. A photo of the master is in the background”.
“A loyal servant of his master. A photo of the master is in the background”. Image posted by Moderator.
The image below suggests that by supporting the candidate who is unlikely to win, the country's opposition parties are in fact helping the incumbent president to stay in power. The text reads: “Unified candidate supported by fake forces”.
Image shows Rahmon laughing. The text reads: “Unified candidate supported by fake forces”. Image uploaded by ‘Nibiru Nibiru’
Netizens also laugh at presidential candidates nominated by smaller parties, suggesting that these candidates participate in the elections only because they were ordered to do so by the administration. For example, the next image portrays the candidate nominated by the tiny Socialist Party as a clown.
“Presidential candidate Abduhalim Gafforov, head of the Socialist Party of Tajikistan”. He is portrayed as saying: “Our motto is: Vote for Rahmon!”. Image uploaded by ‘Umniy Biznes’.
Surprisingly, there are not many doctored photos of Oynihol Bobonazarova, the female candidate whose unexpected entrance into the presidential race has drawn so much attention from social media. This is perhaps because most people know too little about Bobonazarova and do not know what to think of her. On the rare photoshopped image of the female presidential candidate (who used to teach at a university), she is portrayed as shaming President Rahmon.
On the photo, Bobonazarova tells Rahmon, “Ask the people to forgive you”. Rahmon answers, “Teacher, I will not behave like that again. I am sorry, I apologize”. Image uploaded by ‘Moderator Platformy’
Laughing at electoral process
The netizens also make fun of the very electoral process which is heavily skewed in favor of the incumbent president. The image below shows that the outcome of the presidential vote is foretold when all state-owned TV channels (which remain the main source of public information in Tajikistan) serve as Emomali Rahmon's personal PR machine.
“You decide which one of them will become president”. Image uploaded by Artyom Geyvandov.
And those Facebook users who do not have the skills to edit photos – or do not want to do so – share jokes that indicate what they think of the country's institution of elections, which consistently produces outcomes remarkably favorable to the incumbent leader. ‘Politik Reformator’ has shared [ru] the following funny story:
Барак Обама звонит Рахмону и жалуется, что есть большая вероятность, что его демократическая партия проиграет на выборах в конгресс США. Рахмон говорит: “Фигня! Я тебе помогу. Есть у меня мега-спец по выборам, Шермухаммади Шохиен [председатель Центральной комиссии по выборам] его называется. Он к тебе приедет- все уладит” Выборы в США прошли. Рахмон звонит Обаме узнать что-да-так. Обама говорит: ” Да вообщем-то все тихо- спокойно прошло. Только вот результат.странный какой -то- во всех штатах с большим отрывом победила НДПТ [правящая Народно-демократическая партия Таджикистана, возглавляемая Рахмоном].
Barack Obama calls Rahmon and complains that it is very likely that the Democratic Party will lose the elections for US Congress. Rahmon says: “[This is not a problem!] I will help you. I have a great expert in elections, Shermuhammad Shohiyon [head of Tajikistan's Central Elections Commission]; he will go to US and will take care of everything”. After the elections, Rahmon calls Obama to find out how it went. Obama says,”Well, in general, everything was peaceful and quiet. However, the outcome is very strange – the PDPT [the ruling People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, led by Rahmon] has had a landslide victory in all states”.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Busting Myths about Kazakhstan · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

Kazakhstan is not part of the Middle East; Kazakhs do not have Chinese blood in their veins; and not everything about Kazakhstan is bad. Blogger busts (part 1, part 2) [ru] common myths about the oil-rich Central Asian nation.


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Europe Warns French Minister over Statement Regarding Roma Community  · Global Voices
Marie Bohner

“Stop the Raids” Roma protest in Paris – photo by Philippe Leroyer – creative commons license 3.0
The statement from the interior minister of France Manuel Valls gave new life to the tense relationship of France with the Roma community. Mr Valls said on France Inter radio [fr] on September 24 :
ces populations ont des modes de vie extrêmement différents des nôtres et qui sont évidemment en confrontation [avec les populations locales]”.
This community has a way of life that is very different from ours and their way is clearly at odds with the way of life of their neighbors.
The statement got plenty of reactions from the francophone community on twitter, some with a hint of sarcasm :
C'est les roms qui sont la cause de tous nos malheurs, c'est à cause d'eux qu'il y a plus de 25 % de chômage chez les jeunes en Europe.
— Michel Rueher (@Michel0669) September 25, 2013
Roma people are the reasons for all of our misfortunes. It's because of them that more than 25% of youngsters in Europe are unemployed.
Les #roms, ces familles entre le marteau et l'enclume d'une #Europe désargentée qui les rejette et de systèmes mafieux qui s'en enrichissent
— Julien Valette (@Julien_Valette) September 25, 2013
These families are caught between a rock and hard place: a declining Europe that rejects them and the mob that is getting richer
On a subject that was already quite sensitive for Human rights in France, the Minister's statement got him a warning from the Council of Europe:
Ce débat perpétue une tendance inquiétante vers une rhétorique anti-roms discriminatoire et incendiaire, et risque de prendre un virage dangereux avec les prochaines élections municipales et européennes.”
This debate is taking a worrisome path towards a narrative hostile and discriminatory towards the Roma community. It might also take a turn for the worse during the next European parliamentary and municipal elections.

author: Marie Bohner


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“Fetishization of Somoni” Continues in Tajikistan · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

As Tajikistan's president unveils yet another statue of national icon Ismoil Somoni, blogger Tomiris criticizes [ru] monument monoculture in the country:
Don't we have other historical figures to erect statues to? Was Somoni really the only one of its kind? I understand that this fetishization of Somoni is a political phenomenon, [part of] nation building, so to say. But why are the representatives of our intelligentsia <…> silent about this? Do they also worship Somoni?
Tomiris has previously argued against the ‘Somonization’ of Tajikistan.


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Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Kills Hundreds in Southeastern Pakistan · Global Voices
Arslan

Mud houses collapsed in Awaran during Balochistan earthquake. Photo by Sangar Publication (Shared with permission)
More than 327 people have been killed following a powerful earthquake that struck south-west Pakistan on Tuesday, September 24, 2013. The epicentre of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake was 120 kilometres southwest of Khuzdar in Balochistan Province at a depth of 10 kilometres. Provincial authorities in Balochistan declared an emergency in Awaran District.
The News reported another hundred people have been reported injured. The Baloch Hal, a local online newspaper, published a number of early pictures of the devastation. On the Gwadar coastline, the quake created a small island about half a mile into the sea near an area called ‘Jhanda’, according to Express Tribune.
Tremors reached as far as northern India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Pakistan Army Medical Squad leaves for Balochistan to treat with earthquake affected of Awaran at Malir Cantt in Karachi. Image by ppiimages. Copyright Demotix (25/9/2013)
Director General Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR), a directorate under ministry of defense, Major General Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) tweeted that 300 soldiers are already in the area, with the number expected to rise to 1000 by tomorrow morning. Khuzdar would be used as base for the rescue effort.
Update #Earthquake: 300 soldiers busy in rescue as of now.Strength will grow to 1000 by late morning. 40 deaths being reported from area
— AsimBajwaISPR (@AsimBajwaISPR) September 24, 2013
A tweet from Jihandad Baloch (@BalochTawar) regrading Director General ISPR, Major General Asim Bajwa's tweet.
#Pakistan is deploying a large number of Army in #Awaran who could be used against #Baloch #FeedomFighters instead of relieve activities
— Jihand Baloch (@BalochTawar) September 24, 2013
Balochs are sharing photos, updates and reports with the hash-tag #BalochistanEarthquake. Many users like PIRDHAN (@PIRDHAN_BALOCH), Chawash Baloch (Chawash_Baloch) and others are sharing latest photos on Twitter:
picture showing all story no need wait for #ISPR press release #rescue #BalochisanEarthQuake #Awaran @Faiz_Baluch pic.twitter.com/dqREQHCvna
— PIRDHAN (@PIRDHAN_BALOCH) September 25, 2013
Baloch social media activists are demanding demanded international aid for the Baloch nation. Well-known Baloch social media activist Bahoot Baloch (@NaqeeboBaloch) shared appeal of Baloch National Front (BNF) towards international community:
URGENT APPEAL: Baloch National Front #BNF appeals international aid agencies to step in and help thousands of quake victims. @ICRC
— Baahot Baloch (@NaqeeboBaloch) September 24, 2013
Jihandad Baloch (@BalochTwar) also appealed to international aid agencies for direct intervention in Balochistan:
International Aid Agencies should directly intervenue in #Awaran #EarthQuake instead of relying on #Pakistan and its corrupt army
— Jihand Baloch (@BalochTawar) September 24, 2013
Famous Baloch tweep The Baloch (@BalaachMarri) made an appeal of food and shelters for victims. Cyber journalist Khalid Khan (@khalidkhan787) replied to him asking the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) to give space to relief teams:
@BalaachMarri plz ask BLA to give space to relief teams, its a genuine demand @ZarrarKhuhro #earthquake
— Khalid Khan (@khalidkhan787) September 24, 2013
Top Pakistani journalist and host of Geo TV's Capital Talk Hamid Mir (@HamidMirGEO) shared shocking news through his tweet:
Many people from Karachi informed me that they reached Awaran via Hub this afternoon with relief goods but stopped by FC to enter Awaran
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirGEO) September 25, 2013
Leading organization of Awaran, the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), welcomes aid agencies, NGOs and international rescue teams to carry out relief work in effected areas, reports Saam Baloch (@SaamZad):
BLF welcomes aid agencies, NGOs and international rescue teams to carry out relief work in effected areas. #BalochistanEarthquake
— Saam Baloch (@SaamZad) September 25, 2013
Meanwhile, the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) warned through BBC Urdu that if the Pakistan army made any doubtful activity in affected areas, the group would strike at them. Remember that BLF is a separatist militant group in Balochistan, demanding the freedom of Balochistan from Pakistan.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs offered Pakistan government for help in ongoing rescue operation.
The United Nations and its humanitarian partners stand ready to support the Government’s ongoing relief effort for the people affected by the earthquake and mobilize any international support, if requested.
Balochs created a ‘Baloch Welfare Committee’ for quake victims. Hakeem Wadhela (@HakeemWadhela), an activist of the Baloch Freedom Movement and ex-Joint Secretary of the Balochistan National Movement (BNM) Karachi region, shared a banner on Twitter to support the Baloch Welfare Committee. Hennah Baloch (@Hennah_Baloch) shared the poster:
HUMANITY ABOVE ALL. Come forward, help earthquake survivors in the time of catastrophe. pic.twitter.com/FWaBopDjvb
— Hennah Baloch (@Hennah_Baloch) September 25, 2013
Amid all of these, some Pakistani netizens started a campaign under the hashtag #PossibleNamesOfNewIsland to think of a name for the island that the earthquake created, as Express Tribune reports.
More tweets and reactions from #BalochistanEarthquake.
Death of 350+ people in #Balochistan earthquake didn't get half of the coverage that attack on #JinahResidency received! #Pakistan
— Bashir Ahmad Gwakh (@bashirgwakh) September 25, 2013
#BalochistanEarthQuake Pak army is spreading lies through controlled media in order to frighten the Int'l aid agencies from visiting d area.
— Faiz Baluch (@Faiz_Baluch) September 24, 2013
News is not the #BalochistanEarthquake but the new island that emerged as a result. Any plans to occupy it ?? #Pakistan
— NoNy (@azad_me) September 24, 2013
Where is media coverage of #balochistanearthquake ? It wont grab attention as #breakingnews? Too Disappointing #Pakistanimedia
— Rehmat Yazdani (@rehmatyazdani) September 24, 2013
#BalochistanEarthQuake sadly another opportunity for Hafiz Saeed's JuD to make in roads in #Balochistan as Govt will fail to provide relief.
— Oljaitu Khodabandeh (@aushpaz) September 24, 2013

author: Arslan


text:
Peru: 7 Magnitude Quake Hits Acari, Arequipa · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

A 6.8 magnitude quake, later updated to a 7, was felt at 11:43 a.m. in the central and southern regions of Peru. The USGS determined that the epicenter was in the Acari area in the Arequipa region.
Some media report small-scale damage [es], such as rock slides that have blocked part of the southern Panamericana highway. There have been no reports of victims.
There are reports of collapsed telephone lines, presumably caused by the saturation of calls from people with families in the affected areas. For his part, the mayor of Acari, Carlos Mejia Quispe, said [es] that there was damage to houses and schools, whose infrastructures suffered cracks, and the mayor of Caraveli, the province to which Acari belongs, dismissed deaths.
Coverage on Twitter was rather quick; here are some reports:
El sismo ocurrió a las 11:42:40 La magnitud fue de 6.9 º al sur de las Lomas (Arequipa) con una profundidad de 30 Km pic.twitter.com/Vy5FOJtmYG
— Agencia Andina (@Agencia_Andina) September 25, 2013
The quake occurred at 11:42:40. The magnitude was about 6.9º to the south of Lomas (Arequipa) with a depth of 30 KM
Ese temblor estuvo algo largo, vecinos #Arequipa
— Diego de la Cruz (@cruzpe) September 25, 2013
That quake was rather long, neighbors
Radio Yaraví http://t.co/JO9xiEb1yI y Radio Melodía http://t.co/yT6BlfwjoI reportan en vivo sobre movimiento en Arequipa.
— Manuel Igreda (@Elmejormanuel) September 25, 2013
Radio Yaraví and Radio Melodía report live about the quake in Arequipa.
Later some of the media spread reports by audio [es] and video [es] from the area. Some images and reports also came through Twitter from Acarí:
Policía de Carreteras confirma desplome de cerro en Chala, #Arequipa http://t.co/9OZygzk6Vc
— Diario La República (@larepublica_pe) September 25, 2013
Police from Carreteras confirm collapse of hill in Chala
#Arequipa: poblador de Palca informó que caserío quedó aislado por fuerte #sismo http://t.co/zhvDoQIZzz [VIDEO]
— AméricaNoticias.pe (@noticiAmerica) September 25, 2013
A Palca local reported that a group of houses remained cut off by strong quake
@PanamericanaTV imagen de casa destruida en Acari pic.twitter.com/fySz0raJmR
— Godo Ramos (@godoramos) September 25, 2013
Image of a house destroyed in Acarí
Paredes rajadas y vidrios rotos de viviendas causó sismo en distrito de #Acarí http://t.co/9KWWNycjZZ
— Agencia Andina (@Agencia_Andina) September 25, 2013
Torn walls and broken pieces of glass from houses caused by the quake in the district of Acarí
Although a tsunami as a result of the quake was ruled out [es], some reports indicated anomalies on the Peruvian coast:
Mollendo RT @terrape: #Sismo: Marea intensa se registra en Mollento, según reporta un poblador de #Arequipa http://t.co/ouKaAm82Ad (vía RPP)
— Marco Ascencio (@DYORKOS) September 25, 2013
Intense wave occurs in Mollento, according to a report by a local from Arequipa
The quake was also felt in Lima, although with less intensity; however, they still had to enact security measures:
#AlertaNoticias Trabajadores de empresas en Dan Isidro Evacuaron tras Sismo de 6.8 dado en Arequipa pic.twitter.com/gdRD5XotUg — Cecilia Gonzales (@_CeciliaGF) September 25, 2013
Workers in Dan Isidro evacuated after 6.8 quake in Arequipa
Temblor… pic.twitter.com/NOaU9b1Qvv — Milagro de Maria (@gatito_de_chifa) September 25, 2013
Quake…
There were also reports from other cities in the country:
@noticiAmerica En Chincha, zona sísmica se sintió fuerte, felizmente no se conocen daños materiales ni personales — roger yataco (@yatacorogers) September 25, 2013
In Chincha, a seismic area, it was felt strongly, happily there is no known material or personal damage
Temblor en la ciudad del Cusco. — cuscoenportada (@CuscoEnPortada) September 25, 2013
Quake in the city of Cusco.
@elcomercio Estoy en un segundo piso en Huancayo y se dejó sentir el temblor… — jhon lopez pacheco (@jhonytolopez) September 25, 2013
I am on a second floor in Huancayo and and the quake was felt…
In Chile, Peru's southern neighbor, the quake was also felt:
Regiones de #Chile fueron sacudidos por el #sismo en #Arequipa http://t.co/6WEBOGn6jx via @RadioNacional #hmrd — Humanity Road (@HumanityRoad) September 25, 2013
Regions of Chile were shaken by the quake in Arequipa
Temblor grado 7 en el Peru, en Arica se sintio y fue 3 grados,
— Anastasia de Grey (@IshaArica) September 25, 2013
It was a 7 magnitude quake in Peru; it was felt in Arica and was a three magnitude.
Original post published on the Globalizado [es] blog by Juan Arellano.

author: Juan Arellano


text:
Podcast: China’s Big Internet Crackdown  · Global Voices
Abby Liu

Sinica podcast discusses China's recent crackdown on Big-Vs on Sina Weibo and poses questions about whether Sino Weibo will continue to be popular and if online discussions are already moving away from Sina Weibo towards mobile services like WeChat.