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Parveen Rehman Killed, Pakistan’s Largest Slum Loses its Guardian Angel · Global Voices
Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman

Parveen Rehman, a leading social worker in Pakistan was shot dead by unidentified gunmen amid rising ethnic, sectarian and criminal violence in Karachi city. 56-year-old Parveen was killed right outside Orangi, on March 13, 2013, where she headed the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), one of Pakistan's most successful non-profit organisations, which helps poor communities.
Orangi is considered Asia's largest slum and houses close to a million people in Karachi. A trained architect, Parveen also worked tirelessly to document land in the ever growing slum and in Karachi, to protect it from the city's notorious land mafia, who she had been receiving death threats from for years.
“Parveen Rehman in her Orangi office. She changed the lives of half a million people. Orangi lost a mother figure.” Image from Twitter user @Alexpressed
On his blog Alexressed Diary of a concerned Pakistani, Ale Natiq writes:
Most people know her as the Director of the Orangi Pilot Project but she was more than a mere NGO Director. She and her organisation have left footprints across a wide area of Karachi and have influenced several thousand lives. It will not be unfair to say that she influenced the lives of half a million people or half the population of Orangi in one way or the other. Karachi’s slums and katchi abadis have lost a mother figure.
Among other milestones, the OPP is known for initiating one of the most successful community-driven sanitation programs in the world. Since its inception in 1980, it has helped 2 million people improve their sanitation by installing underground sewer pipes and indoor toilets across Pakistan.
Steve Inskeep, host of NPR's Morning Edition and Author of Instant City Life and Death in Karachi, which features an interview with Parveen, remembers on Twitter:
@NPRInskeep: Outsiders would get a little tense just visiting Orangi, the vast gang-infested zone of Karachi where Rahman cheerfully worked each day.
Karachi Violence
The day Parveen was murdered, seven other people were killed in various incidents of violence in the city. There was a feeling of extreme loss and grief among Pakistan's Twitterati. Pakistan Director at Human Rights Watch Ali Dayan Hasan tweeted on March 14, 2013:
@AliDayan (Ali Dayan Hasan): Slowly but surely, everyone and everything good in our country is being targeted and killed.#ParveenRehman #Pakistan
Others including journalists Beena Sarwar, Mohammad Hanif and columnist Cyril Almeida echoed his sentiments:
@beenasarwar (beena sarwar): #ParveenRehman RT @mohammedhanif: this is the saddest thing. And we thought we have seen too much sadness. Can't even muster up anger
@cyalm (cyril almeida): A selfish thought tonight: am sick at the thought of the growing number of ppl in my phone book who have been cut down. Too much death.
@BhopalHouse (Faiza S Khan): I realise, I've known for some time, that no depths to which Pak won't sink. Grateful that I still feel heartbroken. Soon that too will end.
@AmSayeed (Amima Sayeed): the negative propaganda against NGOs has led to this: #ParveenRehman shot dead. It is the blind hatred that doesnt see contributions!!
Tribute to social worker Parveen Rehman killed by terrorist in Karachi, Image by Ayub. Copyright Demotix (14/3/2013)
Parveen's Fight against Karachi's Land Mafia
Before joining the OPP in 1982, Parveen worked as a architect. She continued to teach at various architecture schools over the years to create socially-responsible architects in the country. Parveen, had spent years documenting land in the fringes of the ever-expanding metropolis Karachi. According to her students and colleagues she had been receiving death threats from the mafia involved in grabbing precious land in the city:
Ms Rehman was an ardent compiler of the record of precious lands, which were on the fringes of the city in shape of villages but were speedily vanishing into its vastness because of ever-increasing demand by thousands of families who were shifting to Karachi every year from across the country. She said on record that around 1,500 goths (villages) had been merged into the city since 15 years. Land-grabbers subdivided them into plots and earned billions by their sale.
Journalist Fahad Desmukh tweeted his audio interview with Parveen Rehman in which she talks about threats from the land mafia in Karachi:
@desmukh (Fahad Desmukh): Parveen Rehman: “We said all that you can do is kill us. What else can you do? We're not afraid of you” #LandMafia
SesapZai an artist from Pakistan writes in her blog:
It almost seems to me that people in Pakistan do not want to develop; development is a looming monster that becomes a huge threat as soon as someone tries to push it forward. And rather than supporting and encouraging such brave humanitarians — like Parveen Rehman — who’d dedicated as well as put their lives on the line, to help the poorest in the region live better lives, they are instead murdered. And with them, all hopes and dreams for a better, more economically sufficient future, wither away too.

author: Qurratulain (Annie) Zaman


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Peru: Controversy Ahead of Lima’s Recall Referendum · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

The recall referendum to revoke municipal authorities in the Lima Metropolitan Area [es] will be held on Sunday, March 17, 2013. In this respect, although the Yes and No options seemed to be tied a couple [es] of weeks ago, last surveys [es] show the Yes is ahead of the No by 8%. Therefore, the scenario has changed a little bit when compared to the previous post we published on the revocation.
According to these survey results, mayor Susana Villarán would probably be revoked, although there is not enough information on whether the municipal council will have the same results. It seems that a recent bridge collapse [es] in Lima has further damaged Villarán's reputation, just like it happened last month with a flood [es] in the road construction project La Via Parque Rímac. Moreover, frequent improper [es] declarations by supporters of the revocation have hindered the Yes from gaining more popularity.
Journalist Martin Hidalgo comments [es] on both campaigns in a post for Sesión de Control:
Y mientras los del No siguen lanzando spots de entrevistas con líderes políticos que apoyan su causa, los del Sí preparan gráficas acusando a Villarán de esconderse tras los artistas que apoyan su campaña, para defender su gestión. […] Los del No, más allá del volanteo, no han tenido mayor éxito después de la viralización de los memes. La semana pasada publicaron, a través de la página La Mula, un mensaje de Joaquin Sabina. Algo que terminó opacado por una adaptación del ya viral Harlem Shake que sacaron los del Sí.
While the No supporters keep broadcasting advertising spots of interviews with political leaders backing them, Yes supporters prepare drawings accusing Villarán of hiding behind the artists who support her campaign, just to defend her administration […] No supporters, besides handing out leaflets, have not been successful after their memes became viral. Last week they published, through La Mula website, a message by Joaquin Sabina. This was eventually overshadowed by a version of the viral video Harlem Shake that the Yes campaign put out.
Susana Villarán. Photo by Cris R. Cossio licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Nevertheless, many people wonder why the left, which has recently won several elections, is in this situation. The blogger Omar Cavero analyzes [es] the defeats of the Peruvian left over the last decades. When he analyses the present he asserts:
al aprobarse la consulta de revocatoria en Lima, nuestra izquierda, que no es resentida y sí es pragmática, considera que lo más estratégico es apoyar la gestión, cerrar filas con Villarán y adoptar su agenda. Como en los noventa y como en los dos mil, el enemigo al frente es el autoritarismo y la corrupción. ¿Cómo explicar más de dos décadas de crisis en la izquierda si siempre hicimos lo más “estratégico” en cada momento? […] Sin identidad, el pragmatismo es suicida. El problema no es ser eficientes, ni saber negociar y ser tácticos. El problema es no saber qué somos ni a dónde vamos […] Sin identidad no hay respuesta posible a estas preguntas: sólo queda andar a tientas en la coyuntura de turno, peleando por los cargos que se asomen.
When the recall referendum in Lima was approved, the left, which is not resentful, but pragmatic, considered that the strategy was supporting the administration, being in favor of Villarán and adopting her agenda. Just like it happened in the 90s and in the 2000s, the enemies we have to face are authoritarianism and corruption. How can we explain more than two decades of crisis in the left party if we always do what's most “strategic”? […] Without identity, pragmatism kills itself. The problem is neither about being efficient, nor about knowing how to negotiate or plan. The problem is that we do not know what we are or where we are heading. […] Without identity there is no answer to those questions: the only thing we have left is searching blindly with the administration in power, fighting for the positions that become available.
In another long post written for Ideele, Juan Carlos Ubillúz tries to find the reasons for this popularity decrease affecting mayor Villarán and he finds three mistakes: facing all groups in power at the same time, having a bad communication strategy and prioritizing ethics over politics. He asserts [es] about the second aspect:
Mientras todo un aparato mediático repetía con altavoces críticas a su gestión, la Municipalidad se demoraba en responder o no lo hacía con contundencia […] Villarán cometió además un error mediático de corte posmoderno: privilegiar en su discurso las demandas culturalistas de la clase media ilustrada sobre las demandas populares. Y si bien las primeras no tienen por qué estar enemistadas con las segundas, lo que vio el pueblo en los primeros días de su gestión fue a una alcaldesa más preocupada por la marcha gay y por la estatua de Cristo que por emprender proyectos que atiendan sus necesidades básicas.
While everyone in the media was loudly and repeatedly criticizing her administration, the Municipality took a long time to respond or it did not give convincing statements […] Villarán also made a postmodern media mistake: prioritizing cultural demands of the illustrated  middle class over popular demands. Although the first don't have to necessarily clash with the latter, what the people saw in the first days of her administration was a mayor who was more concerned about the gay parade and Christ’s statue than starting projects that could meet their basic needs.
From a similar perspective, David Rivera del Aguila writes [es] in Poder 360°:
Pese a todos los errores técnicos y las metidas de pata políticas, en esta gestión se han iniciado una serie de transformaciones o reformas que resultan hoy más vitales que nunca, considerando la presión que ha comenzado a ejercer en diferentes ámbitos la acelerada expansión económica por la que atraviesa el país. Villarán asumió su mandato en un momento en que estas presiones, las expectativas sociales y la intolerancia de la derecha sectaria eran más altas que nunca, y no tuvo los reflejos políticos que ha tenido el gobierno de Ollanta Humala para hacer frente a una realidad que ha sido más crítica para el gobierno central.
In spite of all technical mistakes and political screw ups, this administration has started several transformations or reforms that happen to be more important than ever, if we consider the pressure the accelerated economic growth in this country has put on various areas. Villarán took office at a moment in which this tension, social expectations and right-party intolerance were higher than ever, and it did not have the same political answers that Ollanta Humala has had to face the most critical reality for the central government.
Dante Bobadilla Ramirez, from the blog Voz Liberal del Peru (Liberal Voice from Peru) also compares [es] Villarán's administration to President Humala's, but from another political perspective:
Si Ollanta Humala está cosechado altos niveles de aprobación se debe básicamente a que se apartó a tiempo de todo el lastre de la izquierda inútil. Ha respetado lo fundamental en el crecimiento del país y no ha creado sobresaltos. Gracias a esa conducta la economía sigue creciendo y su popularidad se mantiene. Por el contrario, Susana Villarán ingresó al Municipio tratando de imponer una nueva agenda progresista, dando vuelta y media al proceso de modernización de la ciudad iniciado hace tres gestiones atrás. Pretendió imponer una nueva escala de valores y de prioridades, donde primaba el gesto simbólico y la caricia social.
If Ollanta Humala is highly approved these days, it is because he basically withdrew himself on time from the useless left. He has respected what is important for the country's growth and he has not startled the population. Because of his behavior, the economy keeps growing and his popularity is maintained. Conversely, when Susana Villarán started her administration in the municipality, she strived to impose her new progressive agenda, ignoring all the modernization process that had been started three administrations before. She intended to impose new values and priorities, in which the main aspects were related to symbolic activities and social caresses.
In the blog Catarsis and Harakiri, Frank Kesleich reposts [es] an article by Ricardo Vasquez in which he provides his arguments against the No option in order to defend institutionalism:
Un “frente cívico”, le llama Mirko Lauer donde, como no podía ser de otra manera, los buenos y honestos ciudadanos […] están por Lima y por Susana. Y donde los canallas, irresponsables o mañosos están del otro lado, con la barbarie. Unos son “ciudadanos”; los otros no. ¿Por qué? Muy simple. Porque no están con ellos ni creen lo que ellos. Esto es lo que me subleva profundamente. Así pues, hoy más que nunca, mi voto por el SÍ es un voto de protesta político e ideológico. No quiero la Lima que quiere la señora Villarán. […] No quiero ser un ciudadano de segunda clase por no creer en lo que la “izquierda progresista” y su comparsa mediática creen. No quiero que me impongan el mal gusto de su corrección política. No quiero que me torturen con un pensamiento único. Y si la revocación me da la posibilidad INSTITUCIONAL –sí, señores institucionalistas, la revocación también es una institución política, ¿sabían?– de protestar por eso antes de que culmine su mandato, pues, protesto para que SÍ, se vaya.
A “civilian front”, Mirko Lauer calls it, and it couldn't be any other way, where good and honest citizens […] are in favor of Lima and Susana. In this front, despicable and irresponsible people are on the other side, with barbarism. Some are seen as “citizens” while the others are not. Why? Plain and simple: They are not with them nor do they believe what they believe. This is what moves me towards total rebellion. Therefore, today, more than ever before, my vote favoring the Yes option represents a political and ideological protest. I don’t want the same Lima that Ms. Villarán wants. […] I don’t want to be a second- class citizen just because I do not believe what the “progressive left” and its media show believes. I don’t want them to impose on me the bad tendencies regarding their political correctness. I do not want to be tortured with only one thought. And if revocation gives me the INSITUTIONAL possibility- yes, people, as you read it, institutional, revocation is also a political institution, did you know?- to protest before she finishes her government, well, then I protest favoring YES, so she can leave this administration.
On Sunday night, March 10, after many affirmations [es] and denials [es], a debate [es] was held between Yes and No supporters, which was organized by “Voto Informado” (Informed Vote) from the National Jury of Elections (JNE). Nevertheless, the event did not turn out as expected and citizens were tweeting about the terrible role played by the people representing each option, since all of them were reading instead of speaking directly to the audience. However, that was not the worst: after the two first parts of the debate there were no more Yes representatives present, therefore, the No representatives were debating against no one. In this link [es] you can find some of the tweets posted that night.
Tomorrow we will see if the bad image [es] left behind by the supporters of the Yes during the debate will affect electoral results.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Juan Arellano


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Revenge Attacks Target Bangladesh Hindus for Islamist Leader’s Death Sentence  · Global Voices
পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)

See our special coverage of Bangladesh's #Shahbag Protests
Bangladesh's Hindus have come under attack as Islamists, angry over the death sentence handed down to top Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi by a special war crimes tribunal, engage in a fiery rampage nationwide.
The country's war crimes tribunal sentenced Sayeedi on February 28, 2013 to be hanged for crimes committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War from Pakistan. While the verdict was met with cheers from supporters of the Shahbag movement, who have protested for more than a month to demand death for war criminals, the sentence also sparked violent demonstrations countrywide led by Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir. Protesters attacked police, blocked roads, torched vehicles, and destroyed homes and businesses.
The minority Hindu community of Bangladesh, where the majority of the population is Muslim, has found itself in the group's angry crosshairs. More than 500 homes, 300 temples, and 300 businesses across the country have so far been burned or vandalized, the chairman of Janmashtomi Udjapon Porishad [editors note: an organization of the Hindus, which arranges the Janmastami festivities celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna], Debashish Palit, said in a press conference on March 14, 2013 in Chittagong, the country's second largest city.
During the mayhem, Dayal Hari Shil, a 60 year old Hindu, was killed [bn] in the southeastern city of Banshkhali.
Bangladesh's High Court ordered on March 10, 2013 the arrest of those involved in the atrocities in Banshkhali within seven days. The court also ordered the government to ensure the safety of the minorities in nearby Noakhali, which has also experienced Hindu-targeted violence.
The Hindu community of Banshkhali in Chittagong is in tatters from the atrocities committed by Jamaat. They now live under the open sky with constant fear in their hearts. Image by Mehedi Hasan Khan, used with permission
The brutal attacks directed at the Hindu community are peculiar because Bangladesh's Hindus have no ties to the Sayeedi verdict. But this is not the first time in the country's history that minorities have been targeted – only recently, a Buddhist community in Ramu in Chittagong was attacked.
Blogger Arif Jebtik described the underlying reason for the violence:
রাজাকারের বিচারের সঙ্গে কিন্তু হিন্দুদের কোনো ধর্মীয় সম্পর্ক নেই, অথচ পরিকল্পনা করে হিন্দুদেরকে আক্রমন করা হচ্ছে। এর কারণ হচ্ছে ভারতের সঙ্গে বাংলাদেশের সম্পর্ককে উস্কে দেয়া। যখনই শোনা গেল যে ইন্ডিয়ার রাষ্ট্রপতি এদেশ সফরে নিশ্চিতই আসছেন, তখন হিন্দুদের উপর এই আক্রমন শুরু হলো। […]
এখন যদি একই সঙ্গে বাংলাদেশের হিন্দুদেরকে বিপন্ন করে তোলা যায় এবং সেটি ইন্ডিয়াতে সরবরাহ করা যায় তাহলে ইন্ডিয়ার জামায়াত-শিবির তথা শিবসেনা-বিজেপি গোষ্ঠি সেখানে হইচই করার সুযোগ পায়। সেই হইচইয়ে বৃহৎ প্রতিবেশী ভারতের সঙ্গে একটি অস্থিরতা তৈরির সুযোগ তৈরি হয়।
Though there is no link between the trial of war criminals and the Hindu community, they are being attacked according to a deliberate plan. The reason is to incite tension in Bangladesh-India relations. The attacks started as soon as it was reported that the Indian President was to visit the country. […]
If the Hindu community is put in peril here, then the Indian Jamaat a.k.a. the Hindu-militant right wing parties will get a chance to cause mayhem there. From that, tensions with the neighbouring India can be created.
Blogger Gita Das, quoting an acquaintance, wrote on blog Mukto Mona (Liberal Thinking) that Hindus are being attacked for the crime of testifying against Sayeedi.
Human chain protesting the attack of Hindus. Image courtesy Facebook page I am Hindu.
Many people have risen up across the country in protest of the violence against the Hindu community. Strong condemnation of the attacks has also circulated on social networking websites and blogs. Oli Syed Mahbub, sharing a report about the violence on minorities from the Daily Kaler Kontho [bn], wrote satirically:
ভালোই লাগে এদের রক্তের স্রোতে আমি-আমরা বেঁচে আছি। এই সনাতন ধর্মাবলম্বী ভাইদের, এই পুলিশ ভাইদের খুনের রক্তে আমরা নিরাপদ আছি। এরা মরে গেছে বলেই আমাদের মরতে হয় নি। ঢাকা সুরক্ষিত আছে। আরো সুরক্ষিত শাহবাগে আমি যাই-আসি। বাসায় খাই দাই। ভালোই আছি। এদিকে পুড়ে যাচ্ছে ওদের গা-জীবন-স্বপ্ন-স্বাধীনতা! দিগন্ত জুড়ে আমার কেবল অক্ষম  আক্রোশ!
It feels good to be living on their tide of blood. We are safe and alive shedding the blood of the Hindus and members of the police force. We live because they died. Dhaka is safe. I go to and come back from the safe zone of Shahbag. I eat well at home. Life is good. In the meantime their bodies-life-dreams-independence go up in flames! My impotent anger flashes across the horizon!
In a call to save the country from Jamaat-Shibir's violence, Sabrina (@sabrina_S71) tweeted:
@সাবরিনা_এস৭১: জামাত-শিবির হায়েনার হাত থেকে #দেশ বাঁচান। ওরা #হিন্দু মন্দির ধ্বংস করছে। সংখ্যালঘু #হিন্দু সম্প্রদায়ের ওপর আক্রমণ করছে। #শাহবাগ। (লিন্ক)
@sabrina_S71: Save the country from the Jamaat Shibir hyenas. They destroyed Hindu temples. Attacked the Hindu minorities. http://t.co/BOLZ3D5c7H #Shahbagh.
Shehab (@omarshehab) tweeted:
Poster: Religion is personal, the country is for everybody.
@ওমরশিহাব: আজকে জামাতের মেনুতে কয়টি হিন্দু পরিবার আছে? আজকের শেফ স্পেশাল কী? ধর্ষণ না অগ্নিসংযোগ? #শাহবাগ #সেভ বাংলাদেশ
@omarshehab: How many Hindu families are there on the menu of Jamaat today? What is the Chef's special? Rape or arson? #Shahbagh #Save Bangladesh
The Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian minorities live side by side in Bangladesh with the country's Muslim majority. As a reminder to that, Twitter user Lenin (@nine_L) tweeted:
হিন্দু-বৌদ্ধ-খ্রিস্টান সবাই আমাদের ভাই। চলুন জামাত-শিবিরের হাত থেকে তাদের রক্ষা করি। #shahbag http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=45104 …
@nine_L: Hindus-Buddhists-Christians are my brothers. Let’s save them from the violence of Jamaat-Shibir. #shahbag

author: পান্থ রহমান রেজা (Pantha)


text:
The Old Woman and a Potato: Ukraine’s Poverty Story Goes Viral · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

On Wednesday, March 13, journalist Olena Danko wrote a short post [uk] on her Facebook page about her supermarket encounter with an old woman who had just enough money to buy a single potato. It was a sad story typical for Ukraine, with nothing in it that could surprise anyone who has lived in the country even for a short period of time. Danko could hardly expect it to have any impact – she just needed to vent out her heartbreak and frustration with the current state of affairs in Ukraine. Yet, many netizens found this story of extreme poverty powerful enough to share it, and, within hours, it went viral.
Two days later, a very incomplete list of reposts looked like this:
Here is Danko's story, which took place [uk] in the city of Brovary, a suburb of Ukraine's capital Kyiv:
Went out to a store. At the supermarket's vegetable department an old woman was weighing one!!! potato! The poor saleswoman was petrified. So was I. The old woman said she'd paid for the apartment, for utilities, medicines, and was now surviving on what was left. Today she could allow herself only one potato and a quarter of black bread. I was shocked. Quickly, I went and filled up a whole bag with potatoes, bought it and gave it to the old woman at the cash desk. She felt embarrassed, then thanked me profusely and cried. And I was sobbing on my way home. That bag of potatoes cost only 6 hryvnias [$0.74]. What kind of country is this, [damn it], when the chandeliers at [the President's residence in Mezhyhirya] cost millions, the MPs’ watches cost hundreds of thousands dollars, billions are being laundered through [nonexistent road repairs], and the old woman stands there weighing one little potato?????? Where [the hell] are your [improvements]???? [You all deserve to be burned down]!!!
A screenshot of Olena Danko's story, taken roughly two days after it was posted.
And here are some of the reactions from those who chose either to share Danko's story or to just comment on it.
Nataly Levina wrote [ru]:
It's a catastrophe of a country… On the one hand – hungry old people, neglected children, lucky if they haven't been just thrown away, animals savagely tortured or just thrown out to die, parents going crazy from their inability to help their sick children, even though [the money needed may just be $1,000]. And on the other hand – palaces that cost billions, supercars, yachts, helicopters, expensive accessories, watches, bags and weekends, all worth a life of not just one child…
Oleksandr Zorya wrote [uk]:
The thing is, it's not because the country is like that! The reason are people who lack self-respect. Because if they did respect themselves, already [back in the summer of 2012], at the [UEFA Euro 2012], we would have been playing football with the heads of [members of the ruling Party of Regions], and in the finals, with the head of [President Victor Yanukovych], to say the least!!!
Ira Alymova wrote [ru]:
They are spending more than a million of the President's ass daily, and the old woman buys one potato a day because she doesn't have money for more!!!!!! What Europe [are you talking about]!!!!!??????
Larysa Masykova wrote [uk]:
Here it is, an improvement…. Abroad, I have seen more than once how German pensioners are taking walks, sightseeing, taking pictures of historical monuments. They have money for that, courage, and dignity. And how are our old people living what remains of their lives, especially those who are lonely???…
Lora Prykhodko wrote [ru]:
- We now live better, – said the government.
– We are happy for you, – replied the people.
Natalka Fedechko wrote [uk]:
How much would [PM Mykola Azarov]'s watch cost [if you convert its price into potatoes?] […]
Sergei Gorbachevsky wrote [ru]:
My mother [worked as a teacher for 50 years], her pension is 1,100 hryvnias [a month; $135].
Alex Siriy added [uk]:
Right, and the Communist [MP Oksana Kaletnik] has a watch that costs $24,000 [ru].
User Yarema Dukh wasn't too impressed [uk] with the reactions to Danko's story:
[…] People, you're not in Ukraine now or what?
You don't see poor pensioners at the market, store or just begging outside their houses every day?
Tomorrow, go and help your neighbor or some random old woman – or go and indeed “burn all the politicians down.”
And then write about it on Facebook and gather your reposts.
Because right now we have this whole country of reposts, reposts, reposts. […]
Katya Mykhaylova, too, believes [ru] that people should get together offline and help those in need:
Friends and kind people! Let's do a flashmob of assistance this Saturday! Each one of us will first fill a Bag of Help with food and at 10 AM sharp (or at 11 AM, or at noon) will walk out into the street and give the bag, along with wishes of health, to an elderly person who [needs it].
A Bag of Help may cost about 40 hryvnias [$5] and include a ten-day ratio for one elderly person:
- buckwheat
– [dairy products]
– potatoes
– carrots
1 kilo of each, could be 2 kilos of potatoes – they like it when there's much of it.
Additionally, it would be good to add a pumpkin, butter, apples, a chicken.
Everyone! People in every city! In every family! Let's start offering a little help to those who are in need. […]
If we manage […] to find 100 attentive and kind people in 10 cities, then the lives of 1,000 old and lonely people would become easier… for nearly half a month. And then again we'll have to gather bags and friends, to make the number of these people grow.
[…]
See you on Saturday… [at the stores], markets, […] near the old women who are selling things next to subway entrances…
An old woman in the city of Brovary, a suburb of Kyiv. Photo by Veronica Khokhlova, May 29, 2008.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Blogger Rips Western Media’s Laziness in North Korean Coverage  · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

By investigating the most recent North Korean propaganda video, Blogger TJ reveals that basic fact-checking is being ignored when it comes to Western media reporting on North Korea.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Hong Kong: Rap Song on New Poor · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese introduced a newly released popular rap song, “Your Boss”, about the frustration of young adults in Hong Kong. Screen capture from Youtube video.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Sptn!k: Unconventional Russian Excursions Brought to You by Locals · Global Voices
Teplitsa

The Sptn!k [ru] project was created in St. Petersburg and has now reached Moscow. Last month, in February 2013, Teplitsa‘s Ekaterina Izmeskyeva spoke with the creator, Aleksander Kim, about how the idea came about to create the portal, who becomes tour guides, and what interesting tours can be found on the site.
A.K.: I traveled a lot when I was a student.  I studied to be a programmer, and when I graduated, I felt like I needed to do something useful, so I decided to combine travel and technology.  There were different ideas.  For example, tour guide apps for smartphones.  But I didn't want to make just another app.  I wanted to make something different, particularly, to connect tourists with locals.
Alexander Kim, Sptn!k's creator.
In the beginning, we wanted to make a platform similar to Couchsurfing for tourists and locals to meet, but without the overnight stays.  But afterwards we realized that it would be very strange, because the couchsurfing aspect (staying over at someone’s place as a way to save money and learn more about local culture) is gone, and there is no way to monetize it, and we needed support for the project.  So we decided better to have guided tours, they are more fun anyway.
We decided to set up guided tours by locals for foreigners. Then it grew into us creating tours in Russian as well, for tourists who don't speak English, but who are also interested in tours.
A.K.: The benefit of the project is a very strong influence on the tourism image of the city; tourists who use our service leave with great impression of the city.  It’s also an improvement of the infrastructure, because in Russia the tourism situation is rather bad.  If tourists go through an agency, it might cost them a lot, but if they connect with regular people, they will always help, write, or explain what to do and how to do it.
As for my personal goals — of course we want to make this big and interesting, so that everything is operational and making money.
A.K.: The extremely similar projects are Vayable in America and Gidsy in Europe. There are probably some small projects that I am not aware of. But, we are mainly focusing on Russia and the CIS, and probably on developing countries in the future.  Then we'll see how it goes.
A.K.:  The most immediate is Kiev.  We want to launch the platform this spring, together with Moscow.  After the summer, I think we'll launch it in the Baltics or the Caucasus.  Most likely in the Baltics.  And after the Baltics we'd like to, for example, go to Istanbul.  Or we can go to Eastern Europe or further, to Southeast Asia or Latin America.
Part of Sptn!k's online interface.
A.K.:  The guides are mainly young people, 20-25 years old, students or recent graduates. For them it’s a form of entertainment, it’s interesting for them. Many would, in fact, like to do tours, but just don't want to organize everything. We make the process much easier, because we are the ones creating the platform and are bringing them clients, i.e. tourists.  Among the guides there are also some who do this professionally.
On the other hand, the audience is the tourists.  They are not students, because students don't usually have any money. And so they travel on their own, without support or tours. Foreign tourists are usually 30-35 years old, who travel, who have money to travel, and who can spend money, for example, on tours.
A.K.: There are some free tours, but there are less and less of them. Because people start off giving free tours, then a bunch of requests come in and they realize that they can't handle the volume, so they put a price on it, for example 200-300 rubles, in order to limit the flow.
We ourselves organize irregular but free tours, which we usually announce on on social networking sites.  In the winter this is more rare, but in the summer I think it'll happen once a week. Some sort of free event — a lecture or a tour or something.
A.K.:  You need to register, add a description, a photograph, and fill out your profile. Afterwards, we edit everything and chat with the guide in order to make corrections. Then we either have a short meeting, or run a test tour to which we invite tourists. Then, based on the results of the tour, we either approve of the  tour or not.  Approval – that means that if a person wants to do paid tours we approve the tour as paid.  If the tour isn’t very good, we suggest they try do it for free and practice guiding. Then, if the tour gets a lot of good reviews, it can become paid. It’s a perfectly trainable skill, and not everyone can do it well right away.
A.K.:  For me, a bar tour would be a great tour.  I also like my own tour of Uzbek eateries. There is a metro tour in St. Petersburg, its interesting and timely in the winter. There is a tour of an old Soviet movie theater, where everything is analog. For foreigners, there are interesting master classes on Russian cuisine. There's a fun tour — a winter bike tour. People sign up and ride around St. Petersburg in the winter on a bike. If it's -20C weather, of course, it doesn't always happen, but when it's not too cold, you can do it no problem, there are special bikes with winter tires. The tourists ride just fine, everyone leaves safe and sound.There is also a rather exotic tour for foreigners — going to a public bath. There are many other tours, but these are the most interesting to me.
A.K.:  We're already adding tours. Nothing’s been published yet, but I can read you a few.  By the way, in St. Petersburg we have a tour for homosexuals. And now, in Moscow, some kid also added a tour for gays. People come to our site by searching something like “gays of Petersburg” and “phone numbers of gays in Petersburg” and similar things. The main thing is that they don't block us for propaganda [referring to St. Petersburg’s controversial law against homosexual propaganda among minors].  There is a tour of Moscow's second-hand stores, the zoo, Kolomenskoe. There's some sort of ranch. There is the high-rise on Kotelnicheskaya. There is a tour with merry twin blondes. Tere are many applications, actually, and we need to go through them all. By March, I think, we will have already launched a full version which can be used to book tours.

author: Teplitsa


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Will Singapore 2013 Budget Promote ‘Inclusive Society’? · Global Voices
Oddznns

Singapore’s 2013 budget certainly tries to give Singaporeans what they have been clamoring for: Stricter limits on foreign labour, carrots and sticks to increase local productivity, a more progressive tax structure, more measures to cool house and car prices. Through the budget, the government wants to establish a more ‘inclusive society’:
A Better Singapore
We are transforming our economy so that we can have
Quality Growth – growth that will provide all Singaporeans a better quality of life.
And we are taking further steps towards a more Inclusive Society – starting with our children, helping lower income workers, and providing better lives for our retirees
Marketdecoder presents a succinct summary of the budget which critics say is infused with populist programs. Meanwhile, Roy takes a step back and examines the macro-political impact of these giveaways.  He says:
Singapore 2013 Budget
The other way to look at Budget 2013 is to look at it as a corrective budget.
… Budget 2013 is the start of a series of evolutionary budgets which will be aimed at correcting the missteps by the Singapore government of the economy over the past 10 years or so.
It’s clear that some of the budget initiatives are aimed at the Singapore property market, which has been in a bit of a bubble lately, with house prices increasing much faster than income.
Many are worried that their asset prices will fall as a result of the new property tax initiatives. However, Natasha Goh produces a detailed analysis about the impact of the budget on real estate:
Some analysts also talk about the increase in supply of rental units due to the abolishment of property tax concessions on vacant properties. While I think there might be some increase, I don’t think the numbers will be significant.
Signs of Struggle lists some of the recommendations of parliament members:
Janil Puthucheary (PAP) recommended that free public transport rides be given at off peak hours to try and change commuter behaviour and reduce peak load.
Irene Ng (PAP) asked that respect for all people be shown by recognising a “living wage” level at which a wage is considered fair.
Christopher de Souza (PAP) asked for the preschool sector to be nationalised, pushing against the tide of the G trying to privatise everything.
andyxianwong sees ‘structural flaws’ in the proposal:
To see the government claiming this as a progressive and inclusive budget when it suffers from a number of structural flaws is troubling. It is particularly worrying to see the government embracing expensive, short-sighted populist policies in the light of increasing political discontent…The fact that the budget also appears to pour money into already profitable government linked companies, some of which will inevitably return to the government at the end of the year, is also concerning. Why is it that government spending so often results in putting very little cash into the hands of those who need it most?
Arra's World reacts to the high allotment for the salaries of government officials:
My personal view is that I do not mind them politicians getting paid top dollar to run a country, god knows it is more difficult then running an MNC. I do mind paying mindless scholars with zero EQ the same amount. I also do mind that our policies haven't improved much. Lastly, I do mind that my children will have a hard time scrapping for a roof over their head regardless of the millions of dollars we had paid our politicians. Smells like an insurance scam.

author: Oddznns


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A Look Inside the Indigenous University of Venezuela · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

What is it like to be a student at the Indigenous University of Venezuela [es]? Three students from the department of edu-communication recently took part in a workshop led by Rising Voices in order to learn how to take better digital photographs and how to upload and share them on the internet
These three students are part of an effort to showcase this unique university designed to provide an intercultural and experimental form of education to students from Venezuela's indigenous communities. By accessing the university's satellite connection, which was provided by the government program called Infocentros [es], the students are able to access the internet to share images of activities, facilities, and the stunning nature that surrounds the 2,000-hectare campus located in the state of Bolívar.
To read more about the university and the workshop held in February 2013, please read the post on the Rising Voices blog.
These are some of the photographs taken by the students and uploaded to the university's Flickr account. Click on the photograph to visit the original photograph.
A typical hut-like structure called a “churuata” where the students gather for meetings and other group activities. Photo by Akaneto.
A mural of “Kiwxi” an indigenous leader assassinated in Brazil and whose image adorns the inside wall of the churuata. Photo by Akaneto.
Symbols used as marking during traditional activities and during communal work. It can also be used as protection from bad spirits. Photo by Wadaana.
Preparation of a meal by the river that runs through the UIV campus. Photo by Akaneto
Typical fried fish prepared by the students. Photo by Kuranicha.
Bridge over Caño Tauca, a small river that runs through the campus, where the students can bathe and also fish. Photo by Kuranicha.
Portrait of Jedewanadi from the Ye'kwana indigenous community. Photo by Wadaana.
More photographs can be found here.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Argentina: San Lorenzo Celebrates Pope Francis, its Most Sacred Fan · Global Voices
Laura Schneider

Argentine football has not been immune to the joy sparked by the appointment of Pope Francis; His Holiness Francis is a fan and an active member of football club San Lorenzo de Almagro [es], known in Argentina as the “crows” or the “cyclone.”
The club's nickname, “crows,” is not by accident. The website Goal.com [es] explains the reason for the name [es]:
Definitivamente el apodo no es casual. Cuervos, uno de los modos de referirse a San Lorenzo de Almagro, no viene del ave sino de la manera popular de referirse a los sacerdotes de la Iglesia Católica, cubiertos totalmente con las sotanas negras. También por eso, aunque está en desuso, al club porteño se lo conoce como “Los Santos”.
When news broke that Jorge Mario Bergoglio had been elected as the new Pope of the Catholic Church, San Lorenzo's (@SanLorenzo) [es] official Twitter account wrote:
@SanLorenzo: Es un orgullo para la Institución saber que el primer Papa sudamericano es Socio de #SanLorenzo.
The institution also sent Pope Francis a letter of congratulation [es].
Furthermore, during a match played on March 16, where San Lorenzo de Almagro faced Colon de Santa Fe [es], San Lorenzo players wore a shirt commemorating Pope Francis.
Before the game against Colón de Santa Fe, the Twitter account El Papa es Cuervo (@ivannacasla, the Pope is a crow) [es] wrote:
Image from official Twitter account @SanLorenzo[es]
@Ivannacasla: A ver el partido a lo de cris, vamos san lorenzo, dios y el papa nos ayudan!
On the other hand, Anto Gaitan (@Ggaitan_anto) [es], fan of Boca Juniors [es], pointed to the few tournaments won by San Lorenzo. She also referred to the common practice of drawing a star on the shield of football shirts for each cup the team has won:
@Ggaitan_Anto: A falta de estrellas en el escudo. #SanLorenzo salio con la inscripicion d #PapaFrancisco en la camiseta jaja @ArgEsDeBoca @HinchasXeneizes
San Lorenzo won the match against Colón de Santa Fe by 1 to 0 and with one player less. The club's fans, like @Mrrjoness [es], shared their happiness:
@Mrrjoness: @enunabaldosa gol del ciclón, Bergoglio se prende otra fumata para festejar.
And Ale Tati (@aletati2007) [es] wrote:
@aletati2007:#vamos ciclón!! esta si fue nuestra semana SANTA!!!!
@aletati2007:#vamos [es] (come on) cyclone!! this really has being our HOLY week!!!!
Hector Pappa (@hectorPappa) [es] tweeted that there's a party at the Vatican, and Felipe CQ (@FelCul) [es] said that Pope Francis scored the only goal at the game. According to Diego Mendoza (@diegol_77) [es], San Lorenzo's victory is Pope Francis’ first miracle.

author: Laura Schneider


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China: Where Doctors Are the Bad Guys · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Mary Ann O'Donnell explains why doctors occupy the same hated position in China that lawyers occupy in the United States. The explanation interestingly is related to the role of the governments of the two countries.


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12,000 Dead Pigs, But Shanghai’s Quiet · Global Voices
Abby Liu

The number of dead pigs found in the  Huangpu River has reached over 12,000, yet there have been no protests in Shanghai. Seeing Red in China explores why Shanghai's citizens remain calm about their polluted river.

author: Abby Liu


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Learning Computer Science in Vietnam · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Neil Fraser visited a Vietnamese elementary school and was quite impressed with the computer science curriculum for young students:
I had walked into that class prepared to help them in any way that I could. But instead of the school learning from my experience, I learned from them. They showed how computer science education should be done.

author: Mong Palatino


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East Timor a “Failed State-in-Waiting”? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The La'o Hamutuk NGO links to an editorial of the influential Petroleum Economist which discusses the problems faced by East Timor's economy:
Timor-Leste was once seen as the poster child for developing nations. It had natural resources, a comprehensive legal framework covering their extraction and an oil fund. Now, almost 11 years after attaining independence, the country better resembles a problem child.


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#Followme: Greek Documentary Explores Twitter · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

@andriotakis: Στο τρέιλερ του #followme οι @jeffjarvis @evgenymorozov @drandakis @vatraxokoritso @Urfurslaag @constantnos @asteris http://youtu.be/5OD_9oZXlH8
Videographer and author Manolis Andriotakis namechecks Greek tweeps and acclaimed critics he interviewed for his documentary on Twitter, prior to its’ screening at the 15th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
Andriotakis, whose latest project, GarageTV, focuses on crowdsourced online broadcast media, talked about his documentary to Harry Van Verseendal.

author: Asteris Masouras


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Indonesian ISPs Accused of Illegal Surveillance · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Indonesian government is investigating allegations that the country's major internet service providers – Telkom, Biznet, and Matrixnet Global – are conducting an illegal surveillance of internet users through the use of a spying software. The companies have denied the charge but if found guilty, they can face a 15-year imprisonment


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Myanmar: ‘Save Our Zoo’ Campaign · Global Voices
Chan Myae Khine

The government of Myanmar wants to relocate the Yangon Zoological Gardens which has been a city landmark since 1906. In fact, about 450 animals were already transferred to another zoo in Nay Pyi Taw, the country's new capital. Minister Soe Thein argued that the zoo is already a health threat for residents in the city. He added that the zoo can be transferred to Hlaw Kar National Wildlife Park which is outside of Yangon.
Netizens have launched an online campaign to block the relocation. Mahar Kyaung, who posted the “Save Our Zoo” photo on facebook, reminded authorities that zoos in other countries are also located in city centers:
The Saigon Zoo in Vietnam which opened in 1864 is at the center of the town. Similarly, the Ragunan Zoo which also opened in 1864 is located in Jakarta city. Manila Zoo which opened in 1959 in the Philippines is also in the city proper.
The real big purpose (I heard) is that they are planning to build hotels in the location of the Yangon Zoo.[…]
Photo – Ma Har Kyaung Facebook Page
He then cited his reasons for opposing the proposal:
Since current Zoological Garden is a historical zoo;
Since it was founded with funding raised from the public;
Since it will be a waste of country's budget as it will need to renovate the Hlaw Kar Park;
Since it will be inconvenient to go out of town for friends and relatives visiting Yangon after their visit to Shwedagon Pagoda (Author's Note: Yangon Zoo is very close to Shwedagon Pagoda and those from small towns and villages who visit Yangon usually go to the zoo after Shwedagon Pagoda);
Since I knew the idea of the ex-general (Minister Soe Thein) who wants to make profit by relocating the zoo.
If they were to continue to relocate the zoo to Hlaw Kar, we should send our aunts visiting Yangon to U Soe Thein's home if they want to visit a zoo.
Many netizens seemed to agree with him. Naing Lin Ngwe expressed[my] his worry:
Another activism movement to halt a project is on its way again.
Yan Naung Soe sarcastically wrote[my]:
I pray to Buddha and may other gods praise. May they (ministers) have no idea to relocate the Shwedagon Pagoda.
Ko Gyi Kyaw asks[my] if residents are complaining against the zoo:
To say it (zoo) is unhealthy, are the residents around there protesting against it? You (Minister) were not even born when the zoo was founded.
Zin Mar Lwin shared[my] her disappointment:
They often think that it is a development to relocate something to elsewhere. Frustrated.
Yar Zar Di Yar Zar urged[my] authorities to stop making illegal profit:
Enough with all the demolitions happening in the country now. (You) should already be pleased with the wealth already hoarded.
A number of Facebook users who had seen the post asked the question “Again?”, “What do they want this time?” etc.
Since the zoo is currently being managed by business tycoon Tay Za of Htoo Trading, the company said it would follow instructions from authorities on the issue of relocation.

author: Chan Myae Khine


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Peru: Exit Polls Say Villarán Remains Lima’s Mayor · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Even though the first official results of Sunday's recall referendum have not been published, exit poll results [es] indicate that mayor Susana Villarán will not be revoked. According to Ipsos Apoyo the ‘No’ received 52.6% of the votes and the ‘Yes’ 47.4%. Datum reports that the ‘No’ got 53.2% of the votes, while the ‘Yes’ got 46.8%. According to CPI, the ‘No’ got 54% and the ‘Yes’ got 46%. The National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) is expected to issue [es] results with 40-50% of the votes processed on Monday morning, and results with 100% of the votes processed will be published in the afternoon.


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Philippines: Forced to Leave School Due to Unpaid Fees, Student Commits Suicide · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

A 16-year old college freshman studying Behavioral Sciences in the University of the Philippines Manila committed suicide last Friday morning. She was found dead at her family residence in Tondo, Manila two days after she was forced by the school administration to stop attending her classes because of unpaid tuition.
The student was the eldest among five siblings. Her father is a part-time taxi driver while her mother is a housewife. She was assigned by the university administration under Bracket D of the Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP).
UP Manila implements a “no late payment” policy wherein students unable to pay their tuition on time are forced to take a leave from the university.
Education is a Right | Photo from Pixel Offensive
Grief and sympathy poured all over social networking sites and personal blogs over her untimely passing. Many also expressed outrage over expensive tuition and school fees and the highly commercialized system of Philippine education for driving the student to her death. Here are some reactions on Twitter:
@adrianayalin: Sad, sad, sad news about UP Manila student allegedly committing suicide because of unpaid tuition.
@teddycasino: Those cold hearted bureaucrats in UP Manila should resign in guilt & shame.
@jcmaningat: The suicide of the UP Manila student is big slap on the face of @PresidentNoy who claims that life is easier under his reign #justice #fb
The Facebook status of Cleve Kevin Robert Arguelles, the UP Student Regent representing 50,000 UP students in the university's Board of Regents:
The case of Kristel Tejada was not a suicide. There was no choice – either you pay or you stop pursuing your dreams. She was killed by the system- a system that refuse to recognize that education is a right, that life is measured in your capacity to pay. A sad and outrageous day for us Iskolars ng Bayan (scholars of the people). :(
In her blog, UP Manila alumna Alyanna Morales hopes that the incident will lead to drastic changes in the university’s tuition policies:
I believe that we are an education system that prides itself on honor and excellence. But if we deny someone her rights because of money, are we not worse than the system we claim to fight and abhor? Where is the honor or the excellence in that, my beloved UP?
Candle lighting activity at UP Manila | Photo taken by Carl Marc Ramota
Jefrey Tupas compares the recent suicide of the UP Manila student to the death of a 12-year old girl in Davao City five years ago:
Those who come from grassroots families, those who are living below poverty line, are directly hit by the policy of the government on education commercialization. The yellow government–the Aquino government–is pursuing the same formula being forced on us by the previous governments.
Dean Lozarie answers those who seek to de-politicize the issue by insisting that the death was merely personal and not political.
But it certainly was, if by political we mean that it aptly describes the state of things on a wider scale and reflects the narrative of society at large. We can argue about facts, and we can argue about what was really going through her mind in her final moments. But on this we can certainly agree: barely one year into her stay at the nation's premiere university, long-standing university and government policies prevented her from continuing her studies. Repeated and reasonable pleas from her and her family to reassign her to a lower bracket in UP's financial assistance program and to consider her financial situation were rejected. This deeply affected her emotionally. These facets of society, of the contemporary history of our nation, are manifest in the biography of the UP freshman from Tondo who just wanted to go to school.
No Money, No Entry | Image from Pixel Offensive
Former UP Student Regent Krissy Conti explains why the university’s STFAP is a smokescreen for tuition increase and forms a sinister background for the suicide.
The final tuition collection from all enrolees is right there, tallied in the government accounting. No one has dared deny that income from student fees has grown through the years. In fact it has become a reliable and liquid money source that more or less half of maintenance expenses are programmatically taken from the tuition fund
Priscilla Pamintuan comments that the suicide is a clear example of the unjust system of education now prevailing in the country.
Ano mang paghuhugas-kamay ang gawin sa publiko ng Commission on Higher Education – na kesyo may sariling kapasyahan ang bawat state university na magtakda ng mga polisiya kaugnay ng matrikula – hindi maitatanggi na may pananagutan sila sa sinapit ng estudyanteng ito.
Whatever washing of hands the Commission on Higher Education may do in public – because each state university have the autonomy to set its own policies related to tuition – it cannot deny that it is accountable to what happens to their students. Is it not that CHED and the administration of Benigno Aquino III have long pushed for the yearly cuts in the budget of state colleges and universities to make them “self-sufficient”?
In a Facebook Note, Lisa Ito writes a call to action to honor the dead student's memory.
Some have implored: suicide is not the solution, don’t give up, there is hope. I agree. The solution is to fight for one’s rights, and to see the struggle through to the end. I will never say that she failed in valor, because—whatever the reason for arriving at the point she did—her sacrifice and her family’s loss has compelled us all to finally confront the painful truth: that there is no other recourse but to act on the situation now.

author: Karlo Mongaya


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Video: Crisis Engenders Greek Documentary Boom · Global Voices
Asteris Masouras

The 15th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – ongoing from March 15 to 24, 2013 – includes five crisis-themed Greek films [el] in its lineup, as was the case last year [el]. As the Festival, and Greece at large, continues to labor under the mounting debt and austerity crisis, fiction and documentary filmmakers alike are increasingly focusing their work on its effects on society.
This year, the Festival's poster and trailer feature a sheep whose blindfold is pulled from over its eyes by the deluge of images from a society in crisis:
Two of those documentaries to be screened this year, “Greedy Profit” by “Yannis Karypidis”, and “Cassandra's Treasure“, by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, focus on the conflict surrounding gold mining in the forest of Skouries in Chalkidiki, and how it affects local communities. Karypidis and Avgeropoulos have collaborated in the past, to produce an award-winning chronicle of the first successful breaching of the naval blockade around Gaza.
Stelios Kouloglou's “Holocaust of memory” traces the enigma around the virulent resurgence of Nazi ideology in a country, like Greece, that suffered so much at the hands of Nazis during World War II.
Not all crisis-themed films are downbeat. “Hardships and Beauties” tells the story of a modern-day Greek cowboy, an empirical philosopher and the owner of one of the biggest farms in south-western Greece, whose road trip into the heartland of Greece becomes a symbolic trip into a country that will never be the same again:
Living in Interesting Times follows four charming people living in a sunny but gloomy Athens. They are confronted by the harsh reality of the crisis; they have to fight for what is their due; they have to come to terms with absurdity
A web cottage industry?
Inside and outside the festival distribution track, documentary film-making in and about Greece in crisis is undergoing a boom, as affordable high definition cameras are becoming ubiquitous, and web-savvy young creatives and journalists -many of them returned from studies abroad- are putting their talents to use, chronicling the plight of their country and its’ people.
The trend started with “Debtocracy” and “Catastroika“, two web-published, Creative Commons-licensed, crowdfunded documentaries by journalists Aris Hadjistefanou and Katerina Kitidi, which attempted to chart the historical mutation of capitalism into the voracious debt “virus” attacking societies and countries today.
Last year, a group of 14 young photographers pieced together “The Prism“, a compelling, multi-hued, and competently filmed narrative of 27 multimedia stories, which they produced into a 63′ feature film called Krisis.
This year, several independent, web-based, documentary projects have emerged to fill the gap left by shrinking mainstream media coverage of the crisis’ effects on Greek society.
“Debt Management” is a 42′ documentary in English by a group of young artists and scientists, living in Thessaloniki and collaborating for the creation of alternative documentaries, that explores this “symbolic war between people's determination to preserve common values, human conditions, rights and needs, versus an Orwellian financial world”:
The City at a Time of Crisis [..] is a research project that seeks to trace and research the effects of the ongoing financial crisis on urban public spaces in Athens, Greece.  It will comprise a holistic, cross-disciplinary study of changing notions of the ‘public’, with urban public spaces as its main research subject extending into areas related to ‘public interest’, ‘public security’, ‘public provision’ and the ‘public good’
Into the Fire [..] is an investigative documentary looking at the situation of refugees and migrants in Greece, in the face of severe austerity measures and rising racism. We spoke with refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and undocumented in Greece, to try and get an idea of the state of the asylum procedure in this European border country and what it is like to live in constant fear of being attacked – for having the wrong skin colour.
Portraits of Greece in Crisis is an ongoing project of multimedia stories, of people and constitutions that have been significantly affected by the crisis. It is an attempt to approach the greek crisis, as it is depicted in each portrait.
2 artists on a journey all around Greece aim to highlight the personal stories of the people of the land, and focus on the richness of human testimony. The Caravan project will compose a mosaic of images, narratives and documentaries, in order to emphasize a different way of life than the one systematically promoted by the media, and to shed light on a land that continues to create, dream, and proclaim that “Another World Is Here”!
http://vimeo.com/61030488


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Hello Spring, Goodbye Evil Eye · Global Voices
Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni

Martenitsas on a blossoming tree.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Μάρτης [el], мартеница [bg], мартинка [mk], mărțișor [ru]…however you call it, an ancient tradition [el] with multiple variations that takes place in the Balkans. So, weave your red-and-white threads for protection against the “evil eye” or to welcome Spring!
In Greece, old and young people, especially children, wear the traditional “Martis”, a small bracelet made of white and red yarn, from March 1 till the end of the month. Martis, according to the tradition, protects children from sunburn and from the “evil eye”. The red and white woven threads also symbolize the wish for good health. The tradition, with a slight variation, is followed in Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova, where tying a “martenitsa”, a small red-and-white adornment to a blossoming tree, symbolizes approaching spring.

author: Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni


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Australia: Locals Fight to Stop McDonald’s in their Hills · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Residents’ opposition to a new McDonald’s in the Melbourne hills suburb of Tecoma has linked direct action with online campaigning. In October 2012 an administrative tribunal overturned the local Council’s unanimous decision to reject a Maccas’s proposal for a new fast food outlet.
The Burgeroff website has three videos documenting their campaign so far. The first was posted at the time of the decision:
In addition to lobbying, rallies and marches, the activists have brought some fun to the protests by unleashing hundreds of gnomes on the steps of McDonald’s head office. We await “the reckoning of the gnomes”.
Gnomeageddon protest at McDonald’s headquarters in Melbourne
Courtesy: Burgeroff website
There is the inevitable Facebook page: NO McDonalds in The Dandenong Ranges with nearly 6000 Likes. @SAVE_TECOMA, the No McDonald's Tecoma twitter account, was used recently to ‘SWAMP THE MACCAS SWITCHBOARD!’
@SAVE_TECOMA: This is happening today folks. Can you please donate 5 minutes, your phone and your voice https://www.facebook.com/events/100475593476242/ …
An online petition has 9000 signatories.
#burgeroff has also been a popular hashtag for spreading the word. Freiheitdance (Kari) has even claimed a famous son for the area:
@freiheitdance: #JulianAssange used to live in Tecoma & Emerald. Revolutionary folk start out here. I'm off to order my “No Tecoma Burger” now. #burgeroff
John Weiss has been a supporter of the McDonald’s going ahead. He has challenged its opponents on the Burgeroff website and used his Facebook page for this observation on the involvement of children in the campaign:
Wow, a bunch of grown ups harassing children. What a wonderful statement for your cause. Nothing more than child abuse from a group of school yard bullies!
The latest video, March against Maccas, captured the rally on March 2, 2013:
A crowd of approximately 3000 vowed that the “community stood united once again to declare that they won't ever back down from this fight”.
They are definitely not ‘lovin’ it'!

author: Kevin Rennie


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Bolivia Establishes the World’s Largest Protected Wetland · Global Voices
Pablo Andres Rivero

Under the Ramsar Convention, the Bolivian government designated three new wetlands to be a protected area in the ‘Llanos of Moxos’, a vast region in the Beni province that is now the largest protected wetland in the world.
Positive News explains that this protected area represents “the combined size of the Netherlands and Belgium.”
The Ramsar Convention is formally known as the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971). It is defined as:
[…] an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the “wise use”, or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.
Unlike the other global environmental conventions, Ramsar is not affiliated with the United Nations system of Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
US blogger David Mixner celebrates the designation and also illustrates the news for North American audiences:
In great news for the world's environment, the world's largest wetland was created in Bolivia. The protected land will be the size of North Dakota! The area is close to the borders of Peru and Brazil and is essential for the health of the Amazon.
The international NGO World Wildlife Fund describes the area:
San Ignacio de Moxos. Photo shared on Flickr by Viaje al corazón de Bolivia (CC BY 2.0)
The Llanos de Moxos, located near the borders of Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, consists of tropical savannas with cyclical droughts and floods. These wetlands are especially prized for their rich natural diversity: 131 species of mammals have been identified to date, 568 different birds, 102 reptiles, 62 amphibians, 625 fish and at least 1,000 plant species. Several species – including the giant otter and the Bolivian river dolphin – have been identified as vulnerable, endangered or at critical risk of extinction.
Mauricio Pacheco from Diversidad entre Pendientes, a Bolivian blog on environmental issues, celebrates [es] the step given by Bolivian authorities:
Sumados a los otros ocho sitios designados desde 1990, Bolivia se convierte en el país que ha protegido, bajo este esquema, una mayor cantidad de territorios.
Together with other eight designated sites since 1990, Bolivia has became the country that has the largest number of territories protected under this scheme.
In spite of welcoming the news, International NGO World Land Trust quotes Bennett Hennessey, Executive Director of Bolivian NGO Asociación Armonía, who states:
“It is an important step for conservation that the importance of the Llanos de Moxos region has been given international recognition. It is a poorly studied area that holds important and threatened endemic species that need to be protected,” […]
“But,” he adds, “it is important to note that the Ramsar designation is just a step. We urgently need ongoing conservation efforts on the ground to forever protect the most threatened sites.”
Further down in his blog post, Mauricio Pacheco from Diversidad entre pendientes shares [es] a critical view as well:
Quiero ser optimista y pensar que en un futuro, ya no se permitirán los avasallamientos en el TIPNIS, en el Parque Carrasco, en el Amboró, en el Madidi, en el Cotapata. Quiero creer que se realizará una verdadera planificación de la producción en las laderas y los humedales, y que se integrará realmente a todos en esa planificación. Sobre todo, quiero creer que se entenderá la protección, no desde el cálculo político habitual, sino desde los beneficios enormes que aporta. La importancia que tiene para regular los sistemas hídricos del sudoeste de la amazonia, para mitigar los efectos del cambio climático, y garantizar los recursos productivos de las zonas agrícolas y ganaderas más importantes del país, y por tanto nuestra seguridad alimentaria.
I want to be optimistic and think that in the future they will no longer allow illegal penetration into areas like the TIPNIS, the Carrasco Park, the Amboró, Madidi, or Cotapata National Parks. I want to believe that there will be a plan for the development of slopes and wetlands, and that everyone will actually be included in that planning. Above all, I want to believe that protection will be understood, not under the regular political calculation, but from the enormous benefits it brings. How important it is for the regulation of water systems located in the South-western region of the Amazon, in order to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure the productive resources of the agricultural and pastoral areas in the country, and consequently our food security.
WWF Bolivia shared the following 8-minute video [es] on the wetlands in Bolivia, emphasizing the ‘Llanos of Moxos’ wetlands and the importance of its conservation:

author: Pablo Andres Rivero


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Anti-Gay Preacher Elected Brazil’s Human Rights Committee Head · Global Voices
Inês Pontes

[All links lead to pages in Portuguese unless otherwise specified]
The election of a controversial evangelical preacher, known for his vocal hardline views on homosexuality and racist remarks, as the chairman of the Brazilian legislature's human rights committee has earned the condemnation of religious groups and sparked protests around the country.
In a legislative protest marred by protests, congressman Marco Feliciano, a member of the Christian Social Party (PSC) was elected on 7 March, 2013 for the office of chairman of the Committee for Human Rights and Minorities (CDHM) in the Deputy Chamber [en] after a coalition of political parties scraped together the minimum number of votes necessary.
Feliciano, who is the head of the Assembléia de Deus [en] church, is an outspoken opponent of gay marriage and abortion, and currently is the subject of two Supreme Federal Court investigations – one for embezzlement, and the other for homophobic behavior, to which he responded in a message on Twitter on 31 March, 2011: “The putridity of the homosexual feelings leads to hate, crime, rejection”.
The site Carta Capital reported that during his inauguration speech, Feliciano denied that he is homophobic or racist. But the preacher has left a trail of comments behind him that ruthlessly attack homosexuality and the gay community and seem to demonize Africans.
In a speech delivered during an evangelical congress in September 2012, Feliciano referred to AIDS as the “gay cancer”.
The evangelical preacher Marco Feliciano – photo shared in Gari's blog
The congressman wrote a post on his blog in September 2012 about AIDS and the gay community:
Todos sabemos que a chamada AIDS pode atingir qualquer pessoa independente de preferencia sexual mas a própria ciência revela o predomínio de infecção por esta doença em pessoas manifestamente homossexuais, tanto é verdade que quando se doa sangue na entrevista se for declinada a condição de homossexual essa doação é recusada.
We all know that the so-called AIDS can strike anyone, regardless of sexual preference, but science itself reveals the prevalence of infection by this disease in people who are manifestly gay, so much so that if one declares to be homosexual during the interview that preceeds the donation of blood, the act is refused on the grounds of being from a homosexual person.
In the video below, Feliciano vividly encourages his followers to stand against gay marriage:
The site CSP conlutas lists a roster of absurdities expressed by Feliciano, among them:
A maldição que Noé lança sobre seu neto, Canaã, respinga sobre o continente africano, daí a fome, pestes, doenças, guerras étnicas!
The curse that Noah launched against his grandson, Canaan, spilled over the African continent, thus the hunger, the plagues, the diseases, the ethnic wars!
The congressman has more than 143,000 followers on Twitter (@marcofeliciano) and 105,000 on Facebook. And according to the site Gazeta do Ribeirão, his social media fans have stood by his side:
“As pessoas só atacam quem incomoda. O senhor está fazendo a diferença. O povo de Deus é contigo”, escreveu uma simpatizante no Twitter. “Sei que fará uma gestão digna que lhe foi confiada”, comentou outro seguidor. “Pastor @marcofeliciano é um exemplo pra nossa geração! Um homem de Deus que não tem do que se envergonhar e merece nosso respeito”, acrescentou outro.
“People only attack those who upset them. You are making a difference. God's people stand by you”, wrote a sympathizer on Twitter. “I know you will do an honorable job of the power that has been vested in you”, observed another follower. “Preacher @marcofeliciano is a good example for our generation! A man of God who has nothing to be ashamed of and deserves our respect”, added another.
However, not all of the evangelical community support the preacher. Rede Fale, which represents 39 religious groups, condemned his election and launched a petition to remove the preacher from office.
In an open letter published on their site, Rede Fale states:
Os exemplos históricos de cristãos envolvidos com os Direitos Humanos são vários, figuras como a do pastor batista Martin Luther King Jr. ou do bispo anglicano Desmond Tutu nos inspiram por exatamente colocarem a fé como o motor para suas ações de promoção e defesa dos direitos.
There are several historical examples of Christian people involved with human rights, characters such as the Baptist preacher Martin Luther King Jr. or the Anglican bishop Desmond Tutu are inspirational exactly because they place faith as the engine for their actions towards the promotion and the defense of the human rights.
The blog Mistura Urbana wrote about how Feliciano's actions contradict the very religion he means to represent:
Fundamentados na desculpa da liberdade religiosa e liberdade de expressão, pessoas que deveriam estar comprometidas com o AMOR AO PRÓXIMO como o pastor e deputado Marco Feliciano e o milionário pastor Silas Malafaia preferem, escolhem, optam por inflamar multidões de religiosos com ódio, violência e preconceito. E ainda se posicionam como vítimas de uma militância gay odiosa e perseguidora (?!?!?!?!?!?).
Based on the excuse of freedom of religion and freedom of expression, people who should be committed to the LOVE THY NEIGHBOR principle, such as preacher and congressman Marco Feliciano and millionaire preacher Silas Malafaia prefer, choose, or opt for rousing crowds of religious people with speeches of hatred, violence, and prejudice. And, not content, position themselves as victims of a gay militancy who are filled with hatred and persecutive feelings (?!?!?!?!?!?).
Many people took to the streets after Feliciano's election to protest the move in several capital cities across Brazil. Netizens organized marches on Facebook and shared photos on the social networks. An Avaaz petition asking for the removal of Feliciano had gathered more than 442,000 signatures by 18 March, 2013.
March in São Paulo in favor of the removal of Marco Feliciano from office. Photo from Facebook Fora do Eixo.
Protests in São Paulo against the nomination of Feliciano to the Committee for Human Rights and Minorities. Photo from Facebook Fora do Eixo (CC BY-SA)
Protests in São Paulo against the nomination of Marcos Feliciano to the Committee for Human Rights on 09/03/13. (CC BY-SA) João Lima
Demonstration against the nomination of Marco Feliciano in Vitória. Photo by Beatriz Magoga de Oliveira, for Global Voices.
Protests in Fortaleza, Ceará against the nomination of the evangelical preacher Marco Feliciano as chairman of the CDHM on 09/03/13. (CC BY-SA) Fora do Eixo.
Feliciano's election as chairman of the human rights committee was made possible thanks to other political parties giving up their posts on the committee to the Social Christian Party, to which Feliciano belongs. The committee consists of 18 members and currently it has five members of the Social Christian Party and six others from the evangelical bench. The blog O Diário reported:
Para viabilizar a eleição do deputado evangélico, o PSC teve o apoio do PMDB [Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro] e do PSDB [Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira], que cederam suas vagas na comissão ao partido. Com apenas um membro no colegiado, hoje,  durante a eleição, o PSC tinha cinco deputado membros. O PMDB cedeu duas vagas e o PSDB, mais duas. O partido também recebeu o apoio do PR [Partido da República], do PTC [Partido Trabalhista Cristão] e de um deputado do PSB [Partido Socialista Brasileiro], o Pastor Eurico.
So as to make possible the election of the evangelical congressman, the PSC [Social Christian Party] was backed by the PMDB [Brazilian Democratic Movement Party] that gave their vacancies in the committee to PSC. In spite of having just one member in the college, today, during the election, the PSC had five deputies as members. The PMDB gave two vacancies and the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, two others. The party also had the support of the PR [Party of the Republic], of the PTC [Labor Christian Party] and of a deputy from the PSB [Brazilian Socialist Party], the minister of the church, Eurico.
Jean Wyllys [en], a Socialism and Freedom Party [en] congressman and member of the committee on human rights, said in an interview in Rede Brasil Atual that Feliciano's election as committee chairman stems from political disputes and party negotiations underway in Brazil ahead of the presidential election in 2014. But Wyllys, a champion of LGBT rights, also added that “ideological disputes” related to Brazil's human rights also have to do with the direction the committee has taken.
The site Causa Operária published the final statement of Labor Party member Domingos Dutra, the outgoing committee chairman, before formally handing down the office to Feliciano on 7 March, 2013, in which he accused the party coalition of “dictatorship”:
“Me retiro nesse momento em nome do PT e me retiro em meio a uma ditadura que foi estabelecida aqui” (Congresso em Foco, 7/3/2013). A declaração do petista não invalida o fato que houve um acordão entre as lideranças partidárias para entregar a comissão para a bancada evangélica. A comissão que foi criada há 20 anos teve sua presidência dirigida majoritariamente pela esquerda, só o PT dirigiu 18 vezes.
“I withdraw now on behalf of the PT [Labor Party] and I withdraw amid a dictatorship which has been established here” (Congresso em Foco, 7/3/2013). The declaration made by the PT member does not preclude the fact that there was an agreement settled between the party leaderships in order to deliver the committee to the evangelical bench. The committee, created 20 years ago, has been chaired by the left most of the time, having been under the PT 18 times.

author: Inês Pontes


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China’s New Premier Promises Cleaner Government in First Press Conference · Global Voices
Owen Guo

Combining pragmatism and modeled political language, Li Keqiang, the newly installed Chinese premier, promised a cleaner government and less bureaucracy in his first press conference at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on March 17, 2013.
When asked about pollution that has grappled much of China recently, he said: “Like everyone of you, I also feel pain in my heart”. Since  January we have reported on Beijing's record-breaking air pollution, extreme water pollution, China's cancer villages linked to pollution and 12,000 dead pigs being found in Shanghai River.
Followed by the closing of China’s annual parliamentary session that has seen the completion of the once-a-decade leadership makeover, the routine press conference [zh] by the premier, broadcast live on Chinese state TV, was watched by many who hope to get a glimpse into core leadership's policy inclination, which otherwise would been wrapped up in much secrecy given China's opaque politics.
A netizen from Beijing called “Ka Bu Qi Luo” wrote [zh] on the popular Chinese microblog Weibo:
李克强总理今举行中外记者会，谈到个人经历。讲述：＂为人要正，办事要工，以民为天。＂更谈到了很多关于中国未来建设的规划。希望在新一届政府的统治下， 城镇化建设能够实现，农民能够过上更好的日子，中国现在存在的许多问题，能够完善的解决，希望在不久的将来我们中国会变的更好。
In the press conference by premier Li Keqiang attended by journalists from home and abroad, ( Li) talked about his experience. He said: “ we need integrity, justice and fairness, [we need to] be people-oriented”. He also talked about China's future plans. He hopes the new government can realize the goal of urbanization, and farmers could live a better life, China now has a lot of existing problems, (he hopes) they would be solved (soon), (he hopes) China will be better in the future.
Ramontl, also from Beijing, showed [zh] some skepticism:
听了李总理的答记者问，还是没搞清什么是城镇化。是让农民都进城里来，还是把农村都建成城市的模样？大概估计是大城市都被前任们建完了，他们这一任要去中小城市大建一番。只是不要把PM2.5又带到了农村。
After hearing premier Wen’s answer to the journalist, I still couldn’t figure out what urbanization is. Do we let all farmers in, or build the countryside into city-like places? Perhaps big cities have already been built by the predecessors, the new government will build big time in middle and small cities, I hope they won’t bring PM2.5 into the countryside.
Of all the 11 questions [zh] raised at the press conference, four came from foreign news outlets, covering issues of China’s alleged cyber attack towards US, plans to streamline the government, China-Russia relations, pollution and food safety. Chinese reporters focused on re-education through the labor system, urbanization, government goals, Hong Kong and government reforms. Questions by reporters were largely prearranged. Yet, Li failed to offer specifics to make good on the goals he delivered during the 115-minute Q&A.
In a sign to burnish the image of a strong and determined government to build a better future for its people, Li showed much frankness and his determined will. Different from his predecessor, the retired Wen Jiabao, whose past press conferences have been laden with mentions of classic poetry, Li was characterized as being more commanding and straightforward.
Niueyao Cunmin in New York wrote on his Weibo:
李克强说话官腔少了不少，也没了文艺的诗情和眼泪。
There was less bureaucratic tone, and no poetic rhetoric or tears.
China Youth Daily reporter Caolin commented:
强哥语速比温总朱总快不少，记者可以多问几个问题，这个节奏对听众也不错。
Brother Qiang has a faster speech rate than premier Wen and premier Zhu, reporters can ask more questions, the tempo is also good for the audience.
Xudao Shuanlei said:
正在看李克强总理的第一次中外记者见面会，感觉是个实在的见面会谈，是个干实事的领导！没有文绉绉的话语，PS:真心佩服那个翻译的能力！
I am watching premier Li Keqiang’s first press conference attended by reporters from home and abroad, I feel this is a concrete meeting, he is a pragmatic leader! There is no big talk.  PS: I sincerely admire the ability of the interpreter. However, there are those who voiced their disappointment.
Social commentator Chen Jieren complained:
［印象］这次新任国务院总理的第一次记者会，杰人的总体印象分为三个方面：1、总理很诚恳，答问很认真；2、记者很谨慎，内容很平淡；3、过程很压抑，总体很失望。
［Impression］The first press conference by the New premier of the State Council, I have the following three impressions:1 The premier was very sincere, he answered questions seriously; 2 Reporters were very cautious, the content (of their questions) was very tedious; 3 The whole process was depressing, it was generally disappointing.
Li was born to a local bureaucrat in the less developed southern province of Anhui and rose through the party ranks through the Communist Youth League. He is seen as close to the retired president Hu Jintao. Educated in law and economics in Peiking University, the 57-year-old man is hailed by many as a pragmatic figure. US diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks in 2007 described Li as “engaging and well-informed”.
Now the second in command of the government, he is expected to lead the Chinese State council for the next decade. Li replaced Wen Jiabao on January 15.

author: Owen Guo


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China Pollution – Blame it on the World · Global Voices
Abby Liu

A Chinese politician has blamed foreign countries’ consumption of China's exports for the environmental problems the country is facing. The Director of the Anhui Provincial Environmental Protection Authority accused foreigners of being hypocritical in criticising China and its environmental policies. chinadialogue has more details.


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Former President of Google China Reveals Censorship Statistics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China, published a chart on Twitter showing how often his micro-blog was deleted by the Chinese government's censorship arm. Lee regularly blogs about cultural and technology issues in China on Sina Weibo, the most influential micro-blogging platform in the country.
The Chinese government regularly censors content it deems unacceptable. If you want to know more about how the censorship mechanism works with Chinese social media, you can read Global Voices Advocacy's recent article on Sina Weibo Censorship.
Below is Lee's chart and an explanation of the sensitive terms that caused his posts to be deleted.
Kai-Fu Lee's chart on Sina Weibo deletion.
July 29 – August 5 2012: 6 posts deleted
Sensitive terms:
Qidong incident（啟東事件）: A mass rally in Jiangsu province. Thousands of citizens from Qidong occupied the city government building to protest against the construction of wastewater disposal facilities.
Internet freedom（網絡自由）
Gu Kailai（谷開來), wife of Bo Xilai. She was formally charged with murdering an English businessman in July 2012.
September 10 – September 16: 8 posts deleted
Sensitive terms:
Rational protest（理性抗議）
Xi'an Japanese car owner incident (西安砸車): During the anti-Japanese protests in Xi'an city, a Japanese car owner was attacked by a protester and severely wounded.
November 5 – November 11: 6 posts deleted
Sensitive terms:
The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China（十八大）
Reform（改革）
January 7 – January 13: 7 posts deleted
Sensitive terms:
Southern Weekend's official micro-blog（南周官微): during the Southern Weekend incident, the administrator of the paper's official Weibo account was forced to hand over the password to the chief editor.
March 4 to March 10: 10 posts deleted
Sensitive terms:
Lianghui（兩會): the annual meeting of the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
March 11 to March 17: 10 posts deleted
Sensitive terms:
Pigs in Shanghai (豬投上海): Thousands of dead pigs were found floating in a Shanghai river
Lianghui（兩會)


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Former Guatemalan Dictator On Trial  · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

author: Silvia Viñas


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Jailed For Exposing Moral Policing, Indian TV Reporter Gets Bail · Global Voices
Aparna Ray

Television journalist Naveen Soorinje, who was arrested on November 7, 2012 after exposing a shocking incident of moral policing in which members of far right-wing organization Hindu Jagaran Vedike assaulted a group of young men and women in Mangalore, India, was finally granted bail yesterday by the Karnataka High Court.
This welcome move comes after over four months of active campaigning by the journalist fraternity, civil groups and activists, who saw the arrest as an intimidation tactic by the police and the State government to muzzle not only the news about the incident but also the freedom of the media.
Screenshot of Facebook Page campaigning for the Release of Naveen Soorinje
On July 28, 2012, Naveen Soorinje, a TV reporter for a local Kannada channel, Kasturi TV, was tipped off about an impending attack on a group of young men and women who were partying at a homestay in Mangalore and rushed to the location with his cameraman. According to his statement, the place was peaceful when he reached, with no attackers in sight outside the homestay and so he was in a dilemma whether it was a case of false alarm.
Soon however, over 30 attackers appeared on the scene and according to Soorinje's first person account of the attack, he tried contacting the police at that point of time but his calls went unanswered. Soorinje and his cameraman then filmed the attack, which was later shown across local as well as national channels, thereby drawing the nation's attention to the shocking incident.
Funnily enough, while many of the attackers were picked up from Soorinje's video evidence of the incident, on November 7th, 2012, he himself was arrested by the police and charged as being a co-conspirator in the case. He was booked under multiple sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, criminal trespassing, rioting with deadly weapons, using criminal force on a woman with the intention of outraging her modesty as well as sections of Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
It was also alleged that filming the incident and showing it across TV channels had done greater damage to the victims than the attacks/ assaults per se.
On his part, Soorinje denied the charges and said that he was only doing his duty. In his first person account, the English version of which was published in The Hoot, he wrote:
The incident we have reported is shameful, not the visuals we have shown. The 28 July incident at Mangalore is neither a stray incident nor is such an attack in Mangalore a new phenomenon. Every week such incidents take place. Fundamentalists not only attack boys and girls mixing with the boys and girls of another religion but also take them to the police station. This incident would have taken place even if I had not shot it. Our recording has revealed the inhuman face of the fascists and has led to the arrest of eight attackers. No matter what is said and what cases are booked against me, I believe I have done my duty as a reporter and that is the only satisfaction to my hurt self.
Supporting his stance that he had committed no crime and was merely doing his duty as a reporter in recording (and exposing) the incident, the journalist fraternity, civil society groups, rights activists and netizens have since then been agitating against the administration's ‘shoot the messenger‘ policy, petitioning for his release and demanding the withdrawal of all cases against him.
In December, his bail plea was rejected and the police went on an offensive, arresting another journalist who was also present at the time of the attack. However, the agitations and protests continued to gather speed and finally the government offered to drop charges against Soorinje. The current news of bail being given to Soorinje comes as a welcome news and the reporter himself has said that he feels ‘vindicated’.
Twitter was abuzz with the news, with people expressing happiness and relief at the news of Soorinje getting bail.
Geeta Seshu (@geetaseshu): Heartening news- mangalore scribe naveen soorinje granted bail by justice shridhar rao of the karnataka high court.
Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran): HC grants bail to journalist Naveen Soorinje! Naveen is blessed to have some friends who fought tooth n nail for him
Kamayani (@kracktivist): HURAAAH GOOD NEWS NAVNEEN SOORINJE GETS BAIL :-) http://fb.me/2cKIIZhHS
However, the fight is far from over and some see this as a first step in the larger call to ensure that the members of the media are not intimidated and that freedom of the media is upheld.
G. Vishnu (@geevishnu): Naveen Soorinje has been granted bail!!! Finally. And somehow…. It's almost as though the fight has just begun.

author: Aparna Ray


text:
Zimbabwe Police Arrest Top Human Rights Lawyer · Global Voices
Madalitso Mwando

One day after millions of Zimbabweans approved a new constitution that will bring about presidential and parliamentary elections later this year, prominent Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa was arrested after demanding a search warrant from police who were attempting to arrest her clients.
Police detained Mtetwa and her four clients, all officials of the Movement for Democratic Change, the party of Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, on March 17, 2013. She appeared in court two days later to answer charges of obstructing justice after Zimbabwe police ignored a court order to release her.
Mtetwa, who was described by the New York Times in 2008 as “Zimbabwe's top human rights lawyer”, has been targeted in the past by police and the feared Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), a secret police force which critics say President Robert Mugabe uses as a tool to suppress dissent.
Her arrest comes on the heels of a referendum in which nearly 95 percent of voters approved a new constitution for Zimbabwe. The new charter will see Mugabe and Tsvangirai face off against each other in elections expected this summer, marking the end of the pair's coalition government formed after disputed results in the 2008 elections led to violence.
Beatrice Mtetwa in the back of a police van. Photo courtesy of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Zimbabweans took to social media to express their dismay at Mtetwa's arrest.
Dewa Mavhinga (@Dewamavhinga) wrote:
@Dewamavhinga: president Mugabe & his family in Rome for Pope Francis 1's inaugaration – back in #Zimbabwe lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa remains in police custody
Consta Chimakure (@cchimakure) tweeted:
@cchimakure: No joy yet for Beatrice Mtetwa. She is still in police custody despite High Court order. It seems rule of law is alien.
Sokwanele (@sokwanele) posted an action alert:
@sokwanele: ACTION ALERT: Stand by the woman who would be the first to stand by YOU if your rights were being violated: http://bit.ly/15h0cL6 #zimbabwe
Education Minister David Coltart (@DavidColtart) praised Mtetwa:
@DavidColtart: Well done Beatrice Mtetwa – many of years of consistent and courageous upholding of the rule of law. Amhlope! [congratulations]
Coltart (@DavidColtart) later tweeted:
@DavidColtart: It is very difficult to adequately convey the depth of my disgust at the ongoing detention of Beatrice Mtetwa…. http://fb.me/1tRXqejo2
Trevor Ncube (@TrevorNcube) wrote:
@TrevorNcube: Sad that Beatrice Mtetwa has spent another night in custody for doing her legitimate work.A reminder that #Zimbabwe still far from normal
Kudzi (@Kudzi_Siphiwe) reacted:
@Kudzi_Siphiwe: Really disturbed about Beatrice Mtetwa, even more disturbed by people who continue to defend the indefensible.
Panimaha Dube (@KadomaKid) noted:
@KadomaKid: This Beatrice Mtetwa thing is now just getting out of hand , the cops need to perform better than this!
Mthandazo Nyoni (@MthandazoNyoni) asked:
@MthandazoNyoni: where is th future of Zim if police officers do nt obey High court orders? they refused 2 release human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa
Blogger Sir Nigel observed:
We are well aware of the Machiavellian tactics of the law enforcement agents and other state institutions who have everything to fear from lawyers who represent their clients without fear or favour and insist on full compliance with the law and constitutional safeguards.
These retrogressive forces believe that such tactics will intimidate Beatrice and have a chilling effect on other human rights lawyers who continue to soldier on bravely in representing all manner of human rights defenders who have suffered serious rights violations. There is a misguided belief that by attacking lawyers, as well as their clients, positive forces who believe in a new professional way of behaving will be cowed, and civil society engagement in issues of human rights and democracy will be destroyed.

author: Madalitso Mwando