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Russia: Putin as Presidential Candidate and as President-Elect · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eugene Ivanov of The Ivanov Report writes about Putin the presidential candidate and Putin the President-elect.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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South Korea: Protest Against Start of Jeju Naval Base Construction · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Villagers from Gangjeong, South Korea, have been protesting against the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island for several years. As the military project would impact the ecosystem of a UNESCO's World Heritage sites, 94% of Jeju residents have voted against the base in a referendum.
Nevertheless, the South Korean government has insisted on carrying out the project. On March 7, 2012, the South Korean navy together with the construction company Samsung Corporation, started blasting out rock foundations in the coastline. By the next day, hundreds of activists had arrived on the island to stop the navy from blowing up the coastline further for the construction of the docks. Many have been arrested.
Below is a campaign video showing the how the naval construction would destroy the island coastline and the peaceful protest of villagers and activists:
National Campaign to End the Korean War explains the situation on March 7 on Facebook:
Activists attempt to stop the blasting of coastline in Jeju. By National Campaign to End the Korean War on Facebook.
Despite an official appeal from Jeju Governor Woo to the South Korean Navy to halt the blast of the sacred Gureombi volcanic coastline on Jeju Island, the Navy and Samsung Corporation have proceeded to detonate 800 kilograms of explosives near the seashore. The blasting is estimated to last for five months using 43 tons of explosives.
Local analysts point out that President Lee Myungbak’s rash behavior stems from concerns that construction of the naval base could be placed in permanent jeopardy if the ruling party loses its parliamentary majority in April's general election. However, such a move has outraged many ordinary citizens.
On Save Jeju's Facebook page, Jeju citizens and activists keep updating on the confrontation. About 20 activists have entered Gurombee rock, breaking the perimeter fence with stones. The latest update on March 9 came from Su Lee:
Dennis from California and 9 more activists from another countries were arrested including 5 villagers in Jeju.
Imok Cha described what he witnessed on March 7:
Police line. By Imok Cha on Facebook.
Gangjung completely blocked by 3 layers of police force. The blast will take place within hours, estimated to be around noon, that is in two hrs. The permission to use the explosive is good for 5 months. The blast will take place in several stages. 8 ton will be used near the gate and 35 tons at more west location. They have completed drilling 4.5 m depth hole into Gurumbi for this blast. WHY does it have to come to this!!!
Haein Lee was very frustrated:
This project is total nonsense! Why should we do things that cannot be restored ever and we will definitely regret about! Please stop!
Sung Hee Myoung stressed:
It's like losing a precious part of the world.
We must care about this issue. It's not just a backyard problem of your nextdoor, it's the matter of an island on earth!
Erin Kang pointed out the absurdity of the government action at the eve of the World Conservation Congress in Jeju:
In September 2012, Jeju is hosting the World Conservation Congress, which is totally ridiculous in light of what is happening in Gangjeong right now. The organizers of the event and news agencies should be aware of this hypocrisy. Please send an email to the organizers and alert the media. We need to find any way possible to get more people talking about the atrocities taking place in Gangjeong.
In addition to environmental concerns, international peace movement activists believe that the construction is part of the regional military strategy to surround China, which would drag Jeju residents to the frontline of regional tension. As explained in the Save Jeju Island — No Naval Base petition:
Since plans for the naval base were announced five years ago, 95% of Jeju residents have voted against the base and used every possible democratic means to block its construction. Yet their protests have fallen on deaf ears in your government.
We share the residents’ outrage that the South Korean government is willing to sacrifice the safety of the island residents in order to build this U.S. missile defense outpost as part of a provocative strategy to surround China. Jeju residents refute the claim that this naval base will improve the Korean peoples’ security; they know it will further destabilize the Asia-Pacific region and make the island a prime target for military retaliation.
In response to the situation, peace activists from all over the world have travelled to the island and urging more international support for the local struggle. Imok Cha translated the report from pressian.com:
Angie Zelter, Nobel Peace prize candidate, will stay at Gangjung for 2 more weeks. Yesterday, she went toward the Gurumbi coast and fell in the water. She says more international peace keepers are needed now. She was shocked by Government's blatant lies about the environment and moved by the villagers’ fight to keep their nature.
Bruce Gagnon, who has been in the frontline of the Jeju protest explains the significance of international involvement in his blog:
Sending international peace workers to Jeju Island at this time signals to everyone involved that the global peace movement clearly understands the strategic nature of this local struggle. Obama's announced “pivot” toward the Asia-Pacific means a virtual doubling of U.S. military operations in that region – thus the Navy needs more ports-of-call near China's coast. In this case Gangjeong village is only 300 miles away.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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Video: Indigenous Naso People from Panama ask for Help against Dam · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

In this video by SelvaRica, an artistic collective using multimedia to promote indigenous and environmental issues, a Naso Indigenous woman from Panama asks for help from the international community to put pressure and stop a Dam construction in their lands. The dam will flood their forests and change their traditional lifestyles, impacting their culture in what they view as a second conquest: first they were persecuted for their gold, today for their natural resources.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Afghanistan: US army missing well-equipped SUVs · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nick Fielding digged out an amazing story about the US Army offering a $10,000 reward for any information as to the whereabouts of two SUVs equipped with classified technology used to jam roadside bombs that had been stolen from a military base in Kabul.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Africa: How Many African Women are Online? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Gamelmag would like to know how many African women are online: “Firstly, we need to be able to place a figure on the actual number of active female Internet users. Next, we should figure out the factors that inhibit women's use of the web and finally put in measures to reverse this trend.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Angola: Activists Beaten Just Days Before Protest · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

Two activists tell on video how they were captured by cars without license and beaten up on a remote area of the capital Luanda. Blogger Gil Gonçalves had reported [pt] on the missing men, both involved in a protest of March 10 against the nomination of Suzana Inglês to head National Electoral Commission (CNE). Elections are expected for 2012 in the country.

author: João Miguel Lima


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Angola: Gunshots and Clashes Against Demonstration · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

Blogger Gil Gonçalves reported about police violence [pt] during demonstration today in Luanda, based on updates of activists on Facebook. Freelancer journalist Louise Redvers tweeted, according to sources on site, that police attempted to disperse crowd with gunshots and clashes. Protesters claim the 2012 election process is strongly biased.


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Ghana/London: The Taste of Ghana in London · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Davida reviews restaurants offering Ghanaian food in London: “Eating soul food in London is a unique connection with the motherland that cannot be broken. Indigenous food – or ‘home chow’ – is a big deal. Thankfully, nestling among the various boroughs of London is a proliferation of African markets from Dalston to Peckham, Tottenham to Leytonstone, Harlesden to Brixton and beyond that caters for this specific need.”


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Malawi: The Road to Abolishing the Death Penalty · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Nlex describes the road to abolishing the death penalty in Malawi: “Malawi’s Legal Aid volunteers sift through a pile of files of those on death row. They are doing everything they can to abolish the death penalty in the country and lessen existing prisoners’ sentences. At least 29 men currently sit on death row in Malawi; however, no one has been executed in the country since 1994. Those sentenced to death are entitled to a mandatory appeal in the Supreme Court.”


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Palestine: Gaza Under Attack – Again · Global Voices
Yasmeen El Khoudary

Throughout the night of March 9 and into the morning of March 10, 2012, Israeli warplanes attacked targets across the Gaza Strip, with a death toll of at least 12, and 20 injured.
On the afternoon of March 9, Zuheir al-Qaysi, secretary general of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), was assassinated during an Israeli raid on Gaza City, along with his assistant Abu Ahmad Hanani. Hanani was originally from Nablus and was deported to Gaza as one of the prisoners freed in the prisoner swap deal a few months ago.
In retaliation, Palestinian resistance groups in the Gaza Strip fired rockets into Israel, with no casualties. Israel came back with severe airstrikes that shook Gaza and left 12 martyrs altogether, identified by Ma'an News Agency as Muhammad al-Ghamry, Fayiq Saad, Muatasim Hajjaj, Ubeid Gharabli, Muhammad Hararah, Hazim Qureiqi, Shadi Sayqali, Zuheir al-Qaysi, Mahmoud Hanani, Muhammad Maghari, Mahmoud Najim, and Ahmad Hajjaj. Some reports are now saying that 15 people have died.
Bombing of Gaza City by Israeli fighter jets. Image by Twitter user @journeytogaza.
Gaza's netizens have responded to the attacks on Twitter:
@MaathMusleh: 15 were murdered in Gaza till now, No WORRIES they're just Palestinians!! #GazaUnderAttack
@ectomorfo: Pray for the people of Gaza. No lights, little medicine, no gas. And now they're being bombarded from all sides by #Israel. #GazaUnderAttack
@Omar_Gaza: 18 minutes with no explosions! Cautious silence? is it over? or should I keep holding my breath? #GazaMassacre #GazaUnderAttack
@najlashawa: i dont know how i am still typing that was LOUD! #GAzaUnderAttack
@imNadZ: Welcome to #Gaza. Where sunshine is explosions. Where birds are F16s.
This attack comes at a time of shifting regional and political alliances. Last week, in light of increasing prospects of an American-Israeli war on Iran, two top Hamas officials announced that Hamas would not get involved and support Iran in case of an Israeli attack. Hamas has also declared its support of the Syrian people in their struggle against Assad.

author: Yasmeen El Khoudary


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Palestine: Rare Photographs of Nazareth · Global Voices
محمد عادل

Blogger Iqbal Tamimi posts rare photographs of Nazareth city in Palestine, which go back to 1840-1940.

author: محمد عادل


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Poland: Szczekociny Train Crash, Yet Another Tragedy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Polandian writes about the reactions to the March 3 deadly train crash in Szczekociny, Poland: “When the comments were gathered from the prominent politicians, one that stood out was [PM] Donald Tusk saying something like ‘…This is the worst disaster since… the last such tragedy’.”


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Russia: First Woman in Space Turns 75 Years Old · Global Voices
Donna Welles

Just days before the world celebrated International Women's Day last week, Valentina Tereshkova – the first woman to enter space – celebrated her 75th birthday.
Although the Space Race had its origins in the years following WWII, when the United States and the Soviet Union began cultivating rocket-based missile technology, it did not officially commence until the Soviet Union launched an artificial satellite called Sputnik in 1957. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to enter space in 1961, when he piloted the ship Vostok 1 (the Russian word for East). A few years later, Vostok 6 was launched and Ms. Tereshkova became the first woman to journey into space.
Engineering Pathway Blog marked the anniversary of Ms. Tereshkova's space flight last year, and in doing so highlighted the fact that upon her re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, she had logged more flight time than all of her American counterparts combined:
Today in History – June 16, 1963,  Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space aboard the Soviet Union’s Vostok 6. At the time, Tereshkova had completed three days in space, more than the flight time of all the American astronauts put together. […]
Tereshkova has received a number of medals and distinctions, including two Orders of Lenin; recognition as a Hero of the Soviet Union; the United Nation Gold Medal of Peace; the Simba International Women’s Movement Award; and the Joliot-Curie Gold Medal. In 2000, she was named “Greatest Woman Achiever of the Century” award by the International Women of the Year Association.
Woman of the Week Blog – a publication dedicated to honoring those who have made significant contributions to engineering or science – provided insight into Ms. Tereshkova's background:
Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova was born March 6th, 1937 in Bolshoye Maslennikovo in the Yaroslavl Oblast of the Soviet Union. Her father, Vladimir Aksyenovich Tereshkov was a tractor driver, and her mother, Elena Fedorovna, worked in a textile plant. She had a younger brother and an older sister. Valentina's father Vladimir went missing in action in the Finno-Russian War of 1939-1940, and so Valentina and her siblings were raised by their mother.
Due to World War II, Valentina didn't begin attending school until she was 8 years old. At 17 she had to leave school to work at a textile mill in order to help support her family; however, she continued her education through a correspondence course. Valentina learned to sky dive through an auxiliary organization of the Soviet Air Force located in her town (Yaroslavl). She made her first jump in 1959 and created a Parachute Club at the textile mill where she worked. […]
My Mail.ru user Irina quoted [ru] General Lieutenant Nikolai Kamanin as he provided his account of Ms. Tereshkova's flight:
“I spoke with Tereshkova a few times. It seemed that she was tired but she didn't want to admit it. […] We looked at the television camera and saw that she was asleep. I woke her up and talked to her about the landing she was going to have to make by hand.  [There were difficulties with the orientation of the ship and we were all very worried]. […]”
Irina then provided commentary about Ms. Tereshkova's time in space as well as her landing in Russia:
Despite the nausea and physical discomfort, she completed 48 revolutions around the earth and spent almost 3 days in space. She kept a journal and took photographs of the horizon which were used later to detect aerosol layers in the atmosphere.
The Vostok 6 landed safely in the Baevski region of the Altai territory, about 620 kilometers northeast of Karaganda. […]
Ms. Tershkova herself was then quoted as she discussed what it felt like to see the planet Earth fade into the distance:
“When I catapulted I thought to myself in silent horror, – which I finally admitted 44 years later – I saw the lake below me and my first thought was, “The lord has sent one woman who will be reclaimed into the water!”
Woman of the Week Blog elaborated on the physical and mental demands of Ms. Tereshkova's three days in orbit:
The flight was not without difficulty; the orbiter was oriented incorrectly and needed to be corrected, unfortunately it took her a day to convince ground control. Valentina became queasy during the flight and became sick. To reduce what ground control perceived as space sickness, Valentina was told to stay strapped into her chair for the three day duration of the flight. When she finally landed, she suffered a blow to her nose that resulted in a dark bruise. In the propaganda tours that followed, she had to wear heavy makeup to conceal the bruise.
Polly's Piece of Peace Blog discussed in a 2011 post Ms. Tereshkova's life journey following the historic flight:
After her pioneering flight, she was honoured as a Hero of the Soviet Union and received the Order of Lenin. She studied at the Zhukovskiy Military Air Academy, graduating in 1969. Tereshkova also held several positions in the Soviet government and the Communist Party. As a spokesperson for the USSR, she received the United Nations Gold Medal of Peace, among other international awards, including the Order of Friendship from Russian President Medvedev this past April. Briefly married to a fellow cosmonaut, she gave birth to the first child of parents who had traveled in space: a daughter, who later became a doctor.
Member of the first squad of cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova was awarded the Order of Friendship. April 12, 2011. Photo credit: www.kremlin.ru (CC BY 3.0)
Russell Phillips’ Blog concluded a 2011 post about Ms. Tereshkova by providing a brief summary of her life, including her continuing wish to journey to Mars:
When Tereshkova left school to start work at the age of 16, she continued her education via correspondence courses. She graduated with distinction from Zhukovskiy Military Air Academy in 1969, and earned a doctorate in engineering in 1977. During her 70th birthday celebrations, she said that she’d like to fly to Mars, even if it was a one-way trip.

author: Donna Welles


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Should Indonesia Ban Hard-Line Islamic Groups? · Global Voices
Juke Carolina

The Islamic Defenders Front (Front Pembela Islam, FPI), a hard-line Islamic group in Indonesia, was recently in the news after Dayak tribespeople in Central Kalimantan chased away the group's delegates who flew in from Jakarta to inaugurate the establishment of its local chapter.
Shortly thereafter, the Central Kalimantan administration informed the Indonesian president, Parliament's chairman, ministers, and the chief of National Police of its opposition to FPI presence in the province and asserted that FPI's methods aren't aligned with the Dayak's (indigenous Kalimantan ethnic group's) way of life.
The FPI is accused in the past of using intimidation and brutal acts to attack religious minorities as well as raiding bars and pubs operating during the fasting month.
Digital art by blogger Hasyim Soska which reads "I support Without FPI movement. It's time for Indonesia to speak up."
The Dayaks have inspired other Indonesians to speak up their minds about FPI. There are even proposals to disband the FPI and other similar groups. Hashtags such as #IndonesiaTanpaFPI (Indonesia without FPI), #indonesiaamantanpafpi (Indonesia's safe without FPI) and #bubarkanfpi (disband FPI) were flooded by comments from Indonesian netizens.
@goodXgars: Sesungguhnya surga itu diperuntukkan bagi orang baik dan beriman, bukan bagi yg paling lantang meneriakkan nama Tuhan. #bubarkanFPI
@IwanKamah: Ikut #IndonesiaTanpaFPI, pasti org itu tak suka kekerasan krn track record FPI buruk. #IndonesiaTanpa JIL pasti org kolot tak suka debat..
@absolutia: semoga kampanya hari ini tdk ada aksi2 “dadakan” rampas poster, gebuk protester, seperti yg dilakukan antek FPI2 saat #IndonesiaTanpaFPI :)
@rarawilis: Liat demonya FPI, gak mutu, blgnya demo damai, tp kok nolak demokrasi?#IndonesiatanpaFPI
Radio personality and blogger Panji Pragiwaksono wrote about the demand for FPI to be disbanded. Panji lists some arguments against the disbandment of the FPI:
1) Karena pembubaran FPI hanya akan membuat mereka muncul kembali dgn nama yg baru
2) Karena negara membebaskan siapapun untuk berkumpul dan berserikat. Menghalangi itu, hanya akan berdampak buruk kpd diri kita sendiri
3) Kalau FPI melakukan kegiatan2 yg melanggar hukum, ya pelakunya yg ditindak. Sama aja seperti misalnya POLRI ada yg melanggar hukum, ya pelakunya yg ditindak. Bukan POLRInya yg dibubarkan
On his talk show, Panji invited FPI official Habib Selon who claimed that FPI acts as a shield for the people, and only “attack” immoral places when the police refuse to do anything to improve those places. Responding to Panji's question on why FPI was founded by army generals (one of them is General Wiranto who will run for the 2014 presidency) Selon said:
“Jendral jendral itu adalah pendukung Islam. Boleh boleh saja mereka mendukung Islam. Semua orang Islam pasti mendukung FPI”
Saya memotong dan berkata “Tidak semua lho Bib. Saya aja tidak mendukung FPI..”
Dia menyahut “Mereka yang ga stuju FPI, bukan org Islam!”
I got that on air. On tape.
“Those generals are supporters of Islam. It's okay that they support Islam. All Muslims surely support FPI.”
I interrupted and said “Well, not all. I don't support FPI.” He responded, “Those who disagree with FPI, are not Muslims!”
I got that on air. On tape.
Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) told the Jakarta Post that Indonesians should ask how organizations like FPI got the permit to speak in behalf of Islam.
An anonymous blogger known as Jakarta Commuter said that Indonesia still needs FPI. He elaborates:
Jujur, saya lebih memilih FPI untuk tetap ada. Mereka yang berani kontrol bung.. Tapi anarkis harus dibuang jauh-jauh. Tindak pelaku, bukan organisasinya.
FPI juga jangan membela anggota-nya yang memang salah dan memanfaatkan atribut organisasi untuk melakukan tindakan anarki maupun premanisme.
Gerakan anti FPI hanya merupakan tunggakan liberalis yang pro terhadap kebobrokan moral. Mengatakan kebebasan sebagai hak asasi, tapi menjatuhkan martabat budaya timur. Sok kebarat-baratan, tapi tidak mengetahui apa yang harus dibela.
On his blog post, Panji points out the poor confide in groups like FPI which provide what they need like health assistance, micro lendings, education — assistance that the government has failed to deliver.
Pemerintah lalai dalam membantu mereka, masyarakat kelas menengah dgn starbucks di tangan kanan dan iphone di tangan kiri tidak peduli kepada masyarakat sekitar.
He added:
[…] Di satu sisi apa yang mereka lakukan adalah baik.
Di sisi lain, mereka memanfaatkan rakyat yg mereka beli untuk jadi basis massa yang kelak mereka manfaatkan untuk kepentingan kepentingan pribadi
Ketidak pedulian kelas menengah kepada sekitarnya, telah berbalik dalam wujud yang lebih membuat resah.
[…] On one side, what they did was good.
On the other side, they use the people's trust that they bought and turn it into their mass support which one day they could use for their personal interest.
The upper middle class’ ignorance has turned into anxiety.
In conclusion, Panji said that disbanding FPI is not a solution:
Solusi yang benar, adalah dengan mulai peduli kepada sesama rakyat Indonesia yg membutuhkan

author: Juke Carolina


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Swaziland: New Union Wants Democracy                                                                                · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Tthe newly launched trade union in Swaziland hopes to press for democracy: “The new group is expected to discuss how to step up its campaign for democracy in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.Major protests are expected in April and May this year.”


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Togo: Human Rights Organizations Pressure President Gnassingbé · Global Voices
Sylvio Combey

[All links forward to blog posts in French unless stated otherwise]
For the second consecutive time in 2012, the Organisations de défense des droits de l’homme (Organizations for the Defense of Human Rights – ODDH) expressed their discontent with the prevailing socio-political situation in Togo. On February 11,  leaders, members and supporters of the ODDH marched to the presidential palace in Lomé.
Mr. Zeus Ajavon, a lawyer and president of the Collectif des associations contre l’impunité  (Collective of Associations Against Impunity – CACIT) explains [fr] the rationale behind this second protest march:
Le 12 janvier, nous avions organisé une première marche et nous avons fait une série de revendications et de recommandations que nous avons envoyé au gouvernement et au chef de l’Etat lui-même de, nous attendions des réponses ou des signes mais jusqu’alors silence radio.
The ODDH have once again introduced several recommendations published here on Togosite in their entirety.
The Togolese information site MO5 [fr] speaks of thousands of protesters and recounts how the protest unfolded up until the end of meeting [fr]:
La marche des Organisations de défense des droits de l’Homme (ODDH) a mobilisé plusieurs milliers de personnes à travers les rues de Lomé ce samedi. Parti de Bè aux cris de « ça suffit ! Sauvons le Togo », le cortège des manifestants à la tête duquel se trouvaient les défenseurs des droits de l’Homme a sillonné trois heures durant plusieurs artères de la capitale avant de chuter à la plage de Lomé en face du palais de la présidence de la République…
Frome the outset, Zeus Ajavon, lawyer and president of the CACIT, welcomed the protesters on behalf of the coordinators. He thanked them for their active participation because, as he put it, “all together united the Togolese people will be able to save Togo.”
Togolese journalists protesting via M-Togo.com (with permission)
Miss Fabbi Kouassi of “SOS journaliste en danger” (SOS Journalist in Danger)  read the ODDH declaration [fr] for her own part. The declaration testifies to the silence with which the country's authorities have responded to the first ODDH march last January 12:
Les ODDH soussignées estiment que la recrudescence de ces traitements vils et rétrogrades, consistant à infliger à des personnes des souffrances particulièrement aiguës pour leur faire extorquer des aveux, conjuguée avec l’impunité, constituent une entrave grave à l’enracinement de l’Etat de droit, au développement et par conséquent à l’épanouissement normal de la personne humaine en général et du citoyen togolais en particulier.
Jil-Bénoit Afangbédji once again reminded her interlocuters of the ODDH demands.
Ferdinand Ayité, the president of “SOS Journaliste en danger” related how he witnessed the attempted kidnapping of journalist Marx-Savi Carmel [fr] of Tribune d’Afrique (the African Tribune) while he was investigating a sex scandal that implicated the president of the National Assembly, El Hadj Abass Bonfoh”.
Two Togolese blogs, Pa-lunion, and the “unofficial site of the Togolese republic”  reported that political parties called on their supporters to take part in the demonstration, following the many others that had already taken place:
La Convention Démocratique des Peuples Africains (CDPA, opposition) de Léopold Gnininvi et l’Organisation pour Bâtir dans l’Union un Togo Solidaire (OBUTS, opposition) de l’ancien Premier ministre Agbéyomé Kodjo ont appelé jeudi, leurs militants à sortir massivement samedi prochain pour la « marche pacifique » des Organisations de défense des droits de l’homme (ODDH) prévue à Lomé pour « dire non aux violations récurrentes des droits de l’Homme ».

author: Sylvio Combey


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Ukraine: Eurovision, Gaitana, and Racism · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Odessablog writes about the Ukrainian far right's reaction to this year's Eurovision nomination – Gaitana, a Ukrainian singer and songwriter of Ukrainian and Congolese descent: “It doesn’t matter that she was born in Kyiv, has lived there all her life, is a Ukrainian citizen, or that her mother is a Ukrainian. It matters that she is not white and therefore not representative of Ukraine it seems. At least that is the opinion of Yuri Sirotyuk who happens to be highly placed within the [Svoboda party]. In fact he stated she would get ‘Nul points’ because of the colour of her skin.”


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Uzbekistan: Government’s Media Friend in Seoul  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nathan Hamm says the Seoul-based publication Korea Times has had a long history of praiseful coverage of Uzbekistan, and wonders why.


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Angola: Violence Against Protest for Fair Elections · Global Voices
Clara Onofre

[All links lead to Portuguese language pages except when otherwise noted.]
With the slogan: “Against Fraud in the Next Elections”, the city of Luanda was again the stage for a protest on the morning of March 10, 2012. And again, according to some reports [en], the State made its strong arm felt, repressing violently a right of all citizens.
The demonstration was supposed to protest against the ways in which the 2012 elections are being prepared. According to a note that accompanied the call to protest, the nomination by MPLA (the party in power) of its member, Suzana Inglês, to preside over the National Electoral Commission (CNE), violates Article 143 of the Law of the Elections approved in December unanimously.
Quoting the note, “The opposition has resorted to a boycott, abandoning in a block the negotiation table, in protest of the ignorant impositions of the absolute majority.”
Poster for the March 10 protest
Discontentment with the government of President José Eduardo dos Santos [en], in power since 1979, brought Angolan people to the streets again, to demand the criteria of impartiality of the Election Law, the formation of an independent National Electoral Commission, but also a more generic call to action: “Angolans United Against Corruption. Zé Du out!”
They were received with a strong police response, according to reports [en] from various people on the spot, on Facebook, Twitter and blogs.
At the end of the day, Nelson Pestana, jurist, political scientist and university researcher, summarized in a note on Facebook republished by the blog Círculo Angola Intelectual, what awaited protestors on the morning of March 10, when they met up in the neighborhood of Cazenga, in Luanda:
O bando do mal já lá estava. A Polícia Nacional estava espalha pelo percurso anunciado, colocada como se estivesse emboscada. O lumpenato nacional contava pois com o apoio e a cumplicidade da Polícia Nacional que era suposto estar ali para manter a ordem pública, garantir a segurança dos manifestantes e fazer com que a Constituição da República fosse respeitada e não fosse pisoteada por um bando de mal-feitores. O que aconteceu não foi nada disto, como teria sido, num país civilizado. Os homens do mal começaram a agredir os manifestantes, de forma inusitadamente violenta, sem mais, nem menos. Traziam barras de ferro e armas de guerra.
The blog Universal disseminated a series of updates made on location:
Luaty [Beirão, rapper conhecido como Brigadeiro Mata Frakuxz] tem a cabeça partida jorrando sangue e ainda se encontra em parte incerta; Luamba foi igualmente raptado; Explosivo Mental e Adolfo estão em situação complicada no local. Luaty Beirão foi ferido na cabeça e Mário Domingos foi levado pelos polícias. (…) Fernando Tomás, Amarildo Will Bento Tonet, Mário Domingos, organizador da manifestação voltou a desaparecer, um dos seus colegas está gravemente ferido. Segundo informações de jornalistas no local há disparos feitos pela polícia.
On the day before, allegedly, the government had put its plan into action. Rapper Carbono Casimiro was target of a surprise visit in his house – by a dozen individuals dressed in black, ready to attack, as its reported in the blog Central, which also published photos of the aggressors and of the victims:
"Wanted: Attackers of protesters". Image by Central 7311
A casa tinha acabado de ser invadida por uma dezena de homens trajados de preto, armados com ferros e soqueiras metálicas, que arrombaram porta, janela do quarto e que deram início a um festim de pancadaria a todos os presentes: Sampaio Liberdade, Cavera C, Santeiro, Nelito e o próprio Carbono. Chegaram numa carrinha e colocaram-se dois matulões no portão de entrada que dá acesso às três outras residências para além da do Carbono, impedindo que alguém entrasse ou saísse. Estando o único acesso à casa fechado, os jovens viram-se encurralados e foram mais uma vez castigados por pensar diferente. (…) É incrível o nível de confiança que estes homens revelam, pois em plena luz do dia e mascarados apenas com chapéus e óculos escuros, fazem tudo aos olhos de todos. Os habitantes da rua do Carbono estavam todos aglomerados lá fora assistindo, um após outro, saírem lesionados e ensanguentados os agredidos. A polícia ainda recalcitrou, resistindo, tal como acontecera com o Mário Domingos, registar a queixa. Mas os jovens não arredaram pé e essa formalidade ficou cumprida.
The city of Benguela was also included on the route for freedom of speech scheduled for March 10, but police forces foiled the initiative, as one can read on Club-K:
A manifestação era organizada por um grupo de jovens da cidade capital da província de Benguela e estava marcada para acontecer no principio da tarde deste sábado, e tinha o seu ponto de partida marcado para o jardim defronte a Escola 10 de Fevereiro, com culmino no jardim defronte ao mercado municipal ” mais conhecido como jardim milionário”; mas o executivo de Benguela proibiu o evento a pretexto de não obedecer a lei. Segundo alegava na nota entregue quinta-feira aos organizadores o percurso escolhido encontravam-se duas sedes de partidos políticos, “no caso o MPLA” .
A number of members of the Angolan association of human rights defenders OMUNGA were imprisoned as a result of police intervention in Benguela, as is explained on their blog Quintas de Debate where photos of victims were also published. The organization announced another protest for March 17, to “demand the substitution of Suzana Inglês as President of the National Electoral Commission but also in solidarity with all of our countrymen repressed, humiliated, tortured, kidnapped, discredited and insulted for wanting to construct a democratic country and to demand the end of repression, prohibition, restriction of the right to protest”.

author: Clara Onofre


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Bahrain: Massive Rally Against the Regime  · Global Voices
Mona Kareem

This post is part of our special coverage Bahrain Protests 2011.
“Down down with Hamad” chanted tens of thousands of people against Bahrain's King Hamad, as they occupied one of the main highways in Bahrain, nearby the Pearl Roundabout, the symbol of Bahrain's revolution.
This massive march on the Budaiya Highway on Friday 9 March, 2012, came to renew public demands against the tyranny of the Bahraini regime which has been implicated in the killings, arrests, corruption, oppression and discrimination of citizens, according to a fact-finding mission, called the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, commissioned by the Bahraini king to look into what happened during the first two months of the protests in Bahrain [PDF report].
Last March 2011, the Peninsula Shield Force troops entered Bahrain, led by Saudi Arabia, to repress protests and enact martial laws that led to the arrest of prominent opposition figures. Most of them were put on military trial and sentenced to life imprisonment, including human rights defender Abdulhadi Khawaja, In absentia, blogger Ali Abdulimam was also sentenced to 15 years in jail.
So far, there have been more than 70 people killed since the uprising – shot, tortured to death, run over by cars, or suffocated by the excessive use of tear gas. The way the regime keeps ignoring protestors’ demands and international calls to release prisoners and start reform, has spurred protesters to keep on demonstrating and speaking up through social media.
Bahraini activist Maryam Al-Khawaja posts a picture of the Friday rally:
Image by @MARYAMALKHAWAJA
Twitter user @DominicKavakeb posted this photograph of two Bahraini elderly men taking part in the rally:
Imaged posted by @DominicKavakeb
And YouTube user bilad14feb posted this video of the rally commenting “Bahraini opposition march (Here we are Bahrain) 9 march 2012.” The video shows the large number of protesters:
Mohammed Ashoor comments on the number of people who attended the rally saying:
@MohmdAshoor: I never liked the numbers game, all I know is that it was the biggest march I've been to
While Al Dawar tweeted this photograph showing protesters carrying a huge banner against dialogue with the King. The banner, at the centre of the photograph reads [ar]: No to Dialogue with Murderers.
Image posted by @al_dawar14
Another picture tweeted by lawyer @reemashallan shows a slogan against sectarianism “We are Brothers, Shia and Sunni, we won't sell out this country”:
Image posted by @reemashallan
The National Democratic Action Society (Waad) posted this photo from the rally demanding the freedom of Waad's imprisoned general secretary Ibrahim Shareef, who was among the opposition leaders sentenced by a military court:
Image posted by @Waad_bh
As the rally was happening, news of yet another protester's death was spread through Twitter. Human rights activist Said Yousif tweeted:
@SAIDYOUSIF: #Bahrain Fadhel merza the young man from Duraz who was shot in the head with a gas canister when he was peacfuly protesting just passed away
The following day, on Saturday, crowds went to the funeral of the 21-year-old protester:
Zainab Al Khawajah, who tweets as Angry Arabiya, was at the funeral procession and tweeted her observations.
@angryarabiya: Fadels body being carried by the martyrs as they shout “down down Hamad!!”
Image posted by @angryarabiya
Other Twitter users like Mohammed Ashoor were also there. Ashoor shares the following image from the funeral:
@MohmdAshoor: funeral in Duraz right now for 21 year old #fadhel who was shot directly in the head with a gas canister
Image posted by @MohmdAshoor
This post is part of our special coverage Bahrain Protests 2011.

author: Mona Kareem


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Egypt: Mixed Reactions to Porn Ban Proposal  · Global Voices
Ahmed Awadalla

Debate and controversy are rocking the newly elected Egyptian parliament, just a month after its members were sworn in. Both the Egyptian blogosphere and Twitterverse have been watching the new parliament, tweeting their demands, concerns and sarcasm under the hashtag #EgyParliament. A recent parliament session stirred much discussion, but this time it was about pornography!
A request for a briefing calling for blocking pornographic websites was filed by a member of the parliament who belongs to Al-Nour Party. Al Nour Salafist party is known for its ultraconservative interpretation of Islam. The request was immediately met with various reactions on social media websites. Alyaa Gad, a Swiss-based Egyptian liberal and secular doctor proposed the hashtag #EgyPornBan to discuss the matter [ar].
@AlyaaGad:  #EgyPornBan اقترح الهاشتاج دا لتقترحوا على المجلس الموقر افكار في الموضوع المهم دا في حياة شعب قرب يموت من الجوع
Many of the comments the proposal to ban porn gathered were humorous and sarcastic. Here is a selection from Twitter.
Galal Amr suggests:
@GalalAmrG: #EgyPornBan? Let the downloading begin!
Ahmed Essam adds:
@ahmedessam125: #egypornban  انا مع القرار ده جدا, أن الاوان ننزل الحياة العملية وننطبق اللى درسناه سنين
And Gauchiste threatens [ar]:
@gauchiste88: #EgyPornBan   والله لو قفلتوا المواقع هطبع صور بورن كبيرة وهعلقها فى الشوارع
While Mohammed Gohary jokes [ar]:
@MohammedGohary: #EgyPornBan دة كنا خلاص قربنا يا ظلمة من التربع على عرش البلدان الاكثر مشاهدة للسكس.كنا هنوصل للعالمية حقا هناك من لايريد التطور لهذا البلد
Other tweets tried to offer a reasonable perspective and explain why they oppose such a move. Among them, Ahmed El Saeed reasons [ar]:
@am_s3ed: قبل ما تمنع المواقع الإباحية خلي الشباب مايحتاجهاش، علموهم ووظفوهم وجوزوهم وساعدوهم يشغلوا وقتهم بحاجة مفيدة #EgyPornBan
Wael Eskandar offers:
@weskandar: The #Egypornban is symptomatic of hypocrisy. These are people who can't think straight. How can they be charged with a country? #egypt
And Rasha warns [ar]:
@neversaydiee: #EgyPornBan  النهارده نسمح بقفل مواقع البورن …بكرة تبقى مواقع التواصل و بعده مواقع الاخبار
Despite the near-universal condemnation of the ban on Twitter, the picture was different on Facebook, as a group was titled A Campaign to Ban Porn Websites in Egypt and has attracted more than 15,000 members. Another page called “We want to ban porn websites in Egypt” was established in February 2011 and was liked by more than 43,000 users.
No to Pornography!
A few blogs also weighed in on the porn debate, as blogger Mina Naguib wrote a post entitled “Porn, Freedom, and Social Equality” in  a sarcastic allusion to “Bread, Freedom, and Social Equality”, one of the prominent chants during #Jan25 revolution. Mina wondered [ar]:
يا ترى هل يعلم سيادة العضو بكم الفساد و القتل و التعذيب و القمع و الترهيب و الفقر و الجوع و غياب الأمن و الرعاية الصحية لتأتى الأفلام الإباحية على أولوياته؟ هل يعلم سيادة العضو أن نسبة من يشاهدون الأفلام الإباحية فى مصر لن يتعدى بكل الأحوال نسبة من هم يعيشون تحت خط الفقر؟ هل يعلم كم المليارات التى تصرف سنويا فى الصين و السعودية و إيران و الإمارات لغلق المواقع التى تنشر معلومات “غير مرغوب فيها” من الأنظمة الحاكمة؟
Does the member of the parliament know the extent of corruption, murder, torture, oppression, intimidation, poverty, hunger, insecurity and lack of healthcare to make porn as one of his priorities? Does the member of the parliament know that the percent of those who watch porn would never exceed those who live under the poverty line? Does he know the billions of money is spent yearly in China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and UAE to shut down websites that spread “undesirable” information by ruling regimes?
The porn debate is just one of many at the new Egyptian parliament. More parliamentary drama is likely to follow!

author: Ahmed Awadalla


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Kuwait: Art Exhibition Shut Down for “Controversial” Content  · Global Voices
Mona Kareem

Kuwaiti artist Shurooq Amin is in shock after her exhibition of paintings was shut down without an explanation. Reports say that men walked into the show, three hours after its opening, and took the paintings down, saying they had received a complaint over the content of the paintings.
The artist tweeted in shock on the 5th of March when the incident happened saying:
@shurooqamin: They want to take down the #paintings! #art #censorship #kuwait
Over the past few days, an influx of tweets poured in, in support of the painter using the hashtag #painttofreedom. In comment on the allegations against the paintings being ‘immoral and pornographic’, a Kuwaiti Twitter user wrote:
@AladdinsWife: If you don't know the definition of pornography it's not our problem! look it up in a damn dictionary!
Artwork by Kuwaiti Mohammed Sharaf against censorship
Shahd Alshammari added:
@ShahdAlshammari: This is so disappointing, when art is sentenced to death.
In an interview with Al-Qabas newspaper, Amin attacked censorship in Kuwait saying the men who closed down her show interpreted the paintings the way they wanted, saying they were disrespectful of the society's tradition and took them down. Al-Qabas indicated that this might be the first incident of its kind in the history of Kuwait. Also, the Kuwaiti leftist movement published a statement online to express their rejection to what they called ‘governmental guardianship over art.’
Meanwhile, columnist and Kuwait university professor Suad Al Mojel (@suadalmojel) tweeted [ar]:
Also, blogger Abrar AlShammari wrote a post entitled “Paint to Freedom”:
We can’t find proper books in our own country anymore, now with Virgin being shut down and all the good writers banned in the other bookstores. Our movies are censored, and instead we’re fed a bunch of media advertisements to turn us into consumerist robots during those 15 minutes that the cinema had cut out. Our writings are censored, it’s inappropriate to write about love and inappropriate to address the endless issues our society is facing. How does denial help anyone? Why is it believed that if we pretend a problem doesn’t exist, it’ll go away? It only gets worse the more it’s ignored
AlShammari added:
The intellectuals of the Arab society need to unite to fight censorship and ignorance and regression.
The paintings seemed controversial for some people as they tackle the sex taboo. The exhibition was entitled “It's a  man's world” and this was one of the painting deemed as controversial. It was posted on Twitter:
One of Shurooq Amin's paintings, posted by May Al Najjar on Twitter
In reaction to shutting down her exhibition, Amin posted her paintings on her website here.


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Lebanon: Is Social Media Useful? · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“I always ask myself whether the Lebanese online community is actually making things better by raising awareness or is just trying to reach out to more people?” writes Najib questioning  the usefulness of social media in inciting action rather than just being concerned with tweeting and blogging. His post was in reaction to a video in which a man is shown abusing a foreign worker in front of the embassy of her country.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lebanon: Proposed Law to Regulate the Internet · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“I’ve previously called bullshit on the claims that the government wants to protect us. Oops, I just wrote “bullshit” and broke clause #1 of the proposed law,” blogs Mustapha in his post  lambasting the Lebanese Ministry of  Information's plan to discuss a draft law which aims at “regulating websites and protecting their owners”.


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Pakistan: The Rise of a Union of Religious Radicals · Global Voices
Kumail Ahmed

A religious union by the name of Difa-e-Pakistan Council  (Defence of Pakistan Council, DPC) has emerged as the representative of Pakistan's extreme right-wing parties. DPC is an umbrella term for 40 religious parties of different denominations. This group is a union of radical ideologies which is promoting radicalism in the Pakistani society.
According to DPC its primary aims are to prevent the Pakistan government from giving MFN (Most Favourite Nation) status to India, and secondly, a continuation on the ban of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) trucks from passing through Pakistan's soil to Afghanistan. Its Facebook page says:
“Difa-e-Pakistan” is a single point cause to defend Pakistan by all threats it faces internally and externally.
Local leaders of the DPC address the gathered religious groups protesting American foreign policy. Image by Majid Hussain. Copyright Demotix (12/2/2012)
The aforementioned primary goals go into delusion because the council contains banned groups such as LeT (Lasker-e-Taiba – The Army of Pure), JuD (Jamaaat-ud-Dawa – The party of Islamic Call) and SSP (Sipha-e-Sahaba – The army of Companions). These groups have an history of sectarian violence in Pakistan and are banned by law.
The very name of the council has also been criticised. For many, ‘Defence of Pakistan’ is a vague term which has little meaning whatsoever. Muhammed Rizwan plays with words by renaming Difa-e-Pakistan to “Defy Pakistan”. Hasan Nisar – a prominent newspaper columnist – questions in his column [ur]:
جغراقیائی دفاع؟ نظریاتی دفاع؟ روحانی دفاع؟ اقتصادی دفاع؟ سماجی دفاع؟
[What are they defending? Are they defending] Geography? Ideology? Spirituality? Economics? Society?
The blogger community criticised the role of DPC in Pakistan's Realpolitik. Criticising DPC's remark of besieging the parliment, Tazeen Javed writes that the overall effect of DPC would be chaos, anarchy and increase in suicide bombing. She writes that giving MFN status to India would reduce cross-border smuggling and foster better relations between the two countries. Isolating relationship with United States is nothing more than a Utopia as the country cannot survive with “this ultimate isolation”.
The DW's Blogwatch distils the the debate on Pak-US relationship by calling Pakistan “a nation in self-denial”. It can be implied that DPC has no knowledge of the current world order.
The orthodoxy show of power had zero percent presence of women in their rally. Women make up more than 50% of the country's population. S T Hussian writes:
It is interesting to note that women, who make up half the country’s population, are completely missing from these rallies. And the reason for that is that those who are part of the DPC would not consider women as equal members of society. Quite clearly, the views of those who make up the DPC are similar to those of the Taliban.
There are clues that DPC might not even believe in democratic principles. Rhetoric against democracy might lead to a political turmoil in Pakistan. Yaqub Javed of JuD commented:
We do not believe the current political system is Islamic and that is why we are not going to contest.
The next rally being organized by DPC is in the city of Peshawar. Formerly, they have conducted popular rallies in Karachi, Islamabad and Multan.
The civil society has criticised this growing trend. Mass protest was organized in Peshawar demanding a ban on the activities of Difa-e-Pakistan.  It was appreciated across twitter:
@akbaralishah: Finally some people with courage have spoken !! All the banned outfits now come under one umbrella.
@Rubabaz: Sane voices, should be echoed from all over Pak.#Peshawar civil society demands ban on #Difa-e-#Pakistan
@AroojZahra: Peshawar rocks: Civil society in Peshawar took to the streets and demands ban on Difa-e-Pakistan
@HassamKD: I stand corrected. We Rock – Peshawar civil society demands ban on Difa-e-Pakistan
With a proactive civil society which severely opposes extremism, the chances of Pakistan becoming a radical state are quite low. Abdul Majeed Abid writes:
It is the responsibility of the moderate elements of civil society to coalesce and try to control these elements [added: such as DPC] from going out of control by raising awareness and educating people. People should be educated about their role in a democracy. Efforts such as being done by Centre for Civic Education,  PILDAT, Pakistan Youth Alliance, Teach for Pakistan and Youth Parliaments should be highlighted.

author: Kumail Ahmed


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UAE: Use of VPN to Fight Censorship  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

On Twitter, UAE commentator Sultan Al Qassemi writes: ‘The UAE is in the top ten VPN users of @golden_frog, company president says to me “You guys like the Internet but you don't like censorship”‘

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Barbados: The Internet & Global Dialogue  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

All a Roo's says of the Kony campaign: “It has pushed the world into a global dialogue about an international issue. Tell me that's not cool?”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bermuda: Corporate Use of Social Media  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

After successfully tweeting for help with a service issue, Breezeblog says that it's “nice to see local companies finally starting to use social media effectively.”


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Brazil: Mihoko Satou, a Bridge-Blogger After the Japan Earthquake · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

This post is part of our special coverage  Japan Earthquake 2011
“I’m just like any other person who likes to keep a note of the small details of every day life”, modestly states Mihoko Satou, a Japanese blogger who was born and raised in Brazil, when describing herself. That said, a year ago, following the devastating earthquake in Japan, she demonstrated a level of dedication and persistence which was clearly out of the ordinary.
In March 2011, Mihoko was working as a freelance translator and interpreter of Portuguese and Japanese in Ibaraki, Japan, the birthplace of her parents, which she visited 20 years ago and where she has lived ever since.
It is estimated that there are currently more than 300,000 Brazilians of Japanese descent, or dekasegis, living in Japan. Meanwhile Brazil is home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan, with more than 1.5 million nikkeis – as the Japanese and their descendants are called.
Mihoko Satou. Image used with permission.
Deeply troubled with the events unfolding around her, including the radioactivity scare and aftershocks which followed in the wake of the disaster, Mihoko decided to reactivate her blog, started in 2009, called Maracujá do Mato [pt]. Here, she tirelessly posted information about the earthquake in Portuguese and was able to dispel inaccurate rumors about what was happening in Japan.
Her blog represented a genuine bridge between Japan and the Portuguese-speaking world, particularly Brazil, as Mihoko explains in an interview with Global Voices:
Resolvi reativar o blog que estava abandonado, com a intenção de passar as informações aos amigos nikkeis (descendentes de japoneses) residentes na região e para tranquilizar os familiares e amigos no Brasil. Pois foi muito grande o susto do mega-terremoto e os tsunamis que assolou a região nordeste no Japão na costa do pacífico, e depois o veio o pânico por causa do acidente nuclear e os rumores que correram mundo afora, com a mídia ocidental alarmado com a situação, pricipalmente por que as informações estavam obscuras sem muitos esclarecimentos. Pela gravidade do acidente, e a usina que ainda não estava estabilizada no momento, achei que seria importante ficar atenta às informações, e procurar esclarecimentos principalmente sobre os riscos da radiação, além de procurar saber o que poderia ser feito dentro do alcance de cada um. No meu caso, pesquisei bastante sobre o assunto para estar ciente do que estava acontecendo.
Concerning the criteria Mihoko used to select which news to translate, she adds:
Eu simplesmente via as notícias que eram do meu próprio interesse para adquirir informações e as traduzia para repassar a quem interessasse. Eram notícias que passavam na TV japonesa, fazia as buscas na internet em jornais on-line e no twitter acompanhava os gorjeio dos especialistas sobre os assuntos que giravam em torno do acidente da usina nuclear de Fukushima. Buscava as notícias e dava uma rápida checada se já não haveria o mesmo assunto circulando no noticiário internacional em português e se tivesse o mesmo assunto, procurava por outra.
"I had initially created my blog with the intention of taking note of the of the small details of every day life, because I like taking photos of flowers". Japan – In Memoriam. Photo by Jônatas Cunha from São Paulo, Brazil, on Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
By sharing the results of her research and publishing the translations on her blog, Mihoko's actions ended up “relieving the distress” of the Portuguese language speakers who were living the consequences of the disaster:
Pois os [brasileiros] que estão aqui no Japão temiam pelo que podia vir a acontecer e apesar de muitos falarem o japonês, a grande maioria não lê o japonês e ficam alheios às notícias locais, se limitando às notícias que são divuldados nos jornais e canais de TV brasileira com algumas horas de atraso. E o objetivo era passar as informações para tentar amenizar a aflição, o medo que a maioria sentia e que eu mesma sentia, sobre o acidente nuclear. Como citei algumas vezes no blog, já que estava aqui mesmo (sem ter para onde correr), procurava as informações e esclarecimentos para tentar me acalmar e simplesmente as dividia com os amigos e conterrâneos.
Currently Mihoko continues to “take note of the details of everyday life”, while establishing links between the two languages and countries, but mostly through Twitter (@ maracujadomato).
Despite the fact that her blogging activity has ceased, Maracujá do Mato remains as a testament to the humanitarian contribution of a blogger who, through her selection of news and its subsequent translation, undoubtably helped to break down language barriers and promote greater dialogue and transnational solidarity by sharing the experiences of, and responses to, a devastating earthquake.
This post is part of our special coverage  Japan Earthquake 2011

author: Sara Moreira


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Brazil: What Happens If There’s Another Oil Crisis? · Global Voices
Richard de Araújo

The rise in oil prices caused by the impasse between Western powers and Iran due to the latter's nuclear programme has been a cause for concern not just for the European and North American markets, but also for economies that are currently less vulnerable, such as the Brazilian economy, for which the two oil crises of the 1970s had catastrophic consequences.
Photo by Fábio Pinheiro on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Four decades of oil flow
The first oil crisis, in 1973 – a result of US support for the Israelis in the Yom Kippur War – and the second crisis, in 1979 – a consequence of the Iranian Revolution – bring back bad memories for the countries that import the commodity. In Brazil, the consequences of those crises were an inflationary spiral and an increase in foreign debt to stratospheric levels.
Similar stories have recently been dominating the news and discussions in the blogosphere. For example, during the last week of February the price per barrel rose beyond US $120 with the announcement from the Israeli authorities that an attack on the Iranian nuclear complex was imminent, in addition to the embargo on Iranian trade imposed by the EU, to commence on the 1st July. In response, Iran made its move by freezing the sale of oil to France and the United Kingdom, promising to extend its retaliation to other European countries.
Oil rig at Angra dos Reis. Photo from Programa de aceleração do crescimento (Growth acceleration programme) on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Another more radical development is Iran's threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost half of all oil used throughout the world passes. There are therefore real reasons to fear another crisis, especially considering the current events in the context of what already happened in the region decades earlier. Iran, as the world's fifth largest producer of oil, showed in 1979 that it has enough power to affect even the healthiest of economies if it freezes – or even slows – its oil exports.
The dependency that modern societies have on the energy matrix goes far beyond use in motor vehicles. To have some idea, just read a few of the examples [pt] mentioned by Massimo De Maria in his “Informação Incorrecta” (“Incorrect Information”) blog.
Uma camisa de poliéster, um dentífrico, um fertilizante, uma lata de tinta, uma caneta, um rimmel, um amaciador para roupa, um creme para as mãos secas, uma embalagem de cola, um par de sapatos, um móvel para a cozinha, um computador, um jogo para crianças, o adoçante para os bolos, a insulina, um frigorífico, um antibiótico: o que têm em comum todas estas coisas? O petróleo.
It is therefore clear that another oil crisis would immediately affect not only the economies of importer nations, but also those countries, such as Brazil, that export to the affected countries. First of all, it would result in sharp inflation, followed by a recession. It is, in reality, a vicious circle, as even if a product is not made of oil, it will certainly be transported to its consumer via forms of transport that use petrol, kerosene or diesel.
Solutions for Brazil
For central banks such as Brazil's, there remains the difficult choice of combating inflation with a squeeze on monetary policy or through stimulating economic activity. On this subject, the “Sensor Econômico Brasil” (“Brazilian Economic Sensor”) Blog, by Economics professor José Álvaro de Lima Cardoso, published an article [pt] on the effect of fossil fuels on inflationary pressure in Brazil.
Em um ano de choque de preços dos alimentos –principalmente no primeiro semestre–, disparada de serviços em decorrência da renda em alta e aumento de combustíveis e transportes, a inflação não suportou os focos de pressão e o IPCA [Índice Nacional de Preços ao Consumidor Amplo] fechou 2011 no teto da meta do governo, de 6,5% –mais do que os 5,91% de 2010–, informou o IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) nesta sexta-feira. Esta é a maior taxa desde 2004, quando o indicador ficou em 7,6%.
The Brazilian national oil company – Petrobrás – has been publicising the positive aspects of its most recent achievements – that is, the exploration of the pre-salt layer (an undersea strip that stretches between the Brazilian states of Espírito Santo and Santa Catarina, which looks promising for oil drilling). However, oil extraction is still in the very early stages, and so Brazil is forced to import oil from the Middle East due to the increase in domestic consumption and the fact that although the country already produces crude oil, it is not self-sufficient in the end-products. Furthermore, the hurry to no longer depend on imported oil products contributed to the leak at the Chevron rig last year, as Global Voices reported in December 2011.
Consequently, in order to maintain current price levels in foreign markets, Petrobrás will no longer be able to subsidise prices for Brazilians, and a rise in the price of fossil fuels will be inevitable. On the other hand, the current events “bring the possibility of the commencement of a new and special industrialization cycle that promises to be the most important in our economic history” claims [pt] Petrobrás Distribution engineer and ex-Managing Director, Rodolfo Landim.
Sugar cane. Photo by Cacero Omena on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Since the rise in consumption is inversely proportional to the available reserves and, consequently, wars and disputes tend to spread as a result of the exhaustion of those reserves, Brazil is protecting itself from international price fluctuations by starting up new refineries and moving forward with biofuels, in which Brazil is the world leader with the project having been strengthened precisely because of the 1973 crisis. Robson Cadoch Valdez, a PhD student of International Strategy Studies said [pt] in his Cenário Externo (Outside Scenario) blog that:
Talvez, para o Brasil, esta seja uma oportunidade para promover o etanol brasileiro. Da mesma forma que na década de setenta o país desenvolveu seu programa alternativo de combustível em um período de crise do petróleo, agora pode ser a oportunidade de intensificar a promoção do nosso etanol como alternativa brasileira a um provável aumento no preço do petróleo no mercado mundial.
In a world where “oil crises” will get more and more frequent, possessing reserves such as the pre-salt layer and alternative energy sources such as biofuels involves taking on greater responsibilities, such as preserving this heritage and the sustainable exploration of areas where sugar cane culture has been threatening the survival of indigenous communities and small farmers (as was seen in an article published by Global Voices on 20th July 2011). It would be bad business to exchange peace for war, as is the case in Iran today.

author: Richard de Araújo


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China: Citizens Call for Public Monitoring of Organ Transplantation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China's Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed [zh] the open secret that most of the organs used in transplant surgeries are harvested from death row inmates in China, in a group meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held on March 7, 2012.
Since 2006, the Chinese authority has denied the fact that transplanted organs are harvested from executed criminals, insisting that such accusations are slander from western media.
Now, however, the deputy director of MOH has finally admitted that given the lack of donated organs, executed criminals have become the main source of organs used in transplant operations in China. According to statistics uncovered by local magazine Caijing in February 2012, an average of 10,000 organ transplant surgeries are performed in China each year, and currently a total of 1.5 million Chinese people are awaiting for the surgery. As a result of the huge demand and profit, illegal organ transplant operations have now entered the market.
According to Caijing's report:
Low supply and high demand has allowed a select few to reap high profits: “donors” generally only receive about 20,000 yuan for their kidneys while recipients must often pay more than 200,000 yuan for transplants. The difference is divided among doctors, hospitals and brokers. High profits have attracted a large number of brokers who not only cater to domestic market demand, but also organize foreigners to travel to China for illegal transplant surgery.
Such illegal organ transplant network accounts for stories such as a teenage kid selling his kidney for an iPad2 last year, or a man in Shenzhen who last month sold one of his and then tried to cover it up.
Shortly after the news that criminals’ organs are harvested was confirmed, many netizens raised questions about the procedure of securing agreement from inmates. Weibo user Xue Chuan, for one, is stunned [zh] by the connection between the death penalty and organ transplants:
1、利益是明摆着的，多杀多赚？2、收入归谁？——太可怕了。
Xie Youping from Shanghai wonders [zh]:
思考：1、器官移植是否经过了死囚家属同意；2、没有家属的死囚遗体，其器官移植由哪个机构决定；3、死囚遗体无家属认领时，谁享受了其器官移植所产生的收益。
Human rights lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan questions [zh] whether criminals really had a choice in the matter, given their circumstances:
我认为被判处死刑的罪犯完全处于弱势地位，为了防止司法机关强迫罪犯捐献器官，为了让家属相信是罪犯自愿捐献器官，在与死刑犯签订捐献器官协议时，应当通知其家属到场见证
Menglixunmeng was looking toward [zh] more systematic monitoring of organ transplant in China:
公开承认使用死囚器官，增加透明度，尊重公众的知情权，尊重死囚的自主选择，制定更加严密和科学的器官使用法律规范和程序，切断非法器官移植的利益链条
According to MOH, no transparent system to match patients with organ donors exists in China, but authorities will develop a mechanism in collaboration with the Red Cross China in the near future.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Proposal of Issuing Large Denomination RMB Bills · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

China Hush translated the local report and netizens’ response to the proposal of issuing 500 yuan or 1000 yuan denomination bills in China.


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Colombia: Protests Against TransMilenio Bus System in Bogotá · Global Voices
Lully

On March 9 a peaceful protest against the Bogotá bus transportation system TransMilenio ended with clashes and looting at several stations, causing property damage, injuries and arrests. The National Student Board [es] (MANE) issued a statement [es], which added to statements by Mayor Gustavo Petro [es] generated the Twitter hashtags #parotransmilenio [es], ESMAD [es] (Mobile Anti-Disturbances Squadron) and Bogotá [es], among others.

author: Lully


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Cuba: Kept Away from Church  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Pedazos de la Isla says that the closer the Pope's visit to Cuba gets, the more the authorities appear to be clamping down on citizens.


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Ecuador: ‘March for Life’ Protests Mining  · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

The March for Life, Water and Dignity started on March 8 from El Pangui, in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and plans to reach the capital, Quito, on March 22, World Water Day. The march, organized by the Indigenous Confederation, is a protest against President Correa's decision to boost mining and oil exploration. Further information can be found on the site March for Life [es] or on their Twitter account @marchavida [es].

author: Juan Arellano


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Egypt: Full List of Presidential Candidates  · Global Voices
محمد الجوهري

Egyptian blogger Bassem Sabry posts a full list of Egyptian presidential candidates.

author: محمد الجوهري


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Egypt: Tips for a Presidential Candidate · Global Voices
محمد الجوهري

Egyptian blogger Mohamed ElDahshan writes a post entitled: 10 tips for Khaled Ali. Khaled Ali is an activist and lawyer who is running for the presidency elections.

author: محمد الجوهري


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Ethiopia: Outrage Over Abuse of Ethiopian Domestic Worker in Lebanon · Global Voices
Endalkachew Chala

Mobile phone video footage that shows an Ethiopian domestic worker being beaten and dragged by force into a car under the gaze of bystanders outside the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut, Lebanon has caused angry reactions amongst Ethiopian netizens.
The video shows her laying on her back on the side of the road surrounded by the perpetrators who are speaking in Arabic. One of them is seen dragging her by the arms and hair. She was resisting while saying in Amharic “I will not go. I will not go.”
Instantly, Ethiopian netizens left hundreds of comments on YouTube. Many netizens shared the controversial video on their Facebook pages, the most frequented social media platform in Ethiopia, which in turn produced hundreds of comments. The silence of the Lebanese onlookers on the side of the road and most importantly the inability of members of the Ethiopian consulate in Lebanon to keep the girl away from her perpetrators has angered many Ethiopians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aJeoGYG2Nfc
Most netizens expressed anger at the perpetrators by stereotyping them as Arabs and Muslims.
One of the comments on YouTube from fisu2011 reads:
I want you to watch the video footage of “Barbarism in Lebanon” against defenseless Ethiopian woman. Someone has to be held accountable for this crime sooner or later. Shame on you barbaric Lebanese and Arabs. I hope once Syria is cleansed from Bashar Al Assad Lebanon might be expunged by the Israelites. Ethiopians who watched this video will never forget this brutality and will revenge soon or later.
The exchange of comments even became hostile towards Arabic culture and Muslims. One particular remark reads:
This is nothing compared to what many Arabs do to most emigrant workers…I have personally seen and witnessed some gruesome accounts of abuse and even death that happened to a number of Ethiopian woman, but as an EthiopianI feel for my sisters and as a human being I just can’t help but detest the Arabs and their barbaric culture…call it being racist or ignorant but this is the fact…..they are evil…
Yet, the conversation also included more moderate views from Ethiopians who insisted that Ethiopians must not stereotype people and must start to stand for themselves. For example, mamelo4us says:
I am not an Arab I am Ethiopian like you & I am proud to be a Muslim, if you had a brain you shouldn't give a comment like that blaming all Arabs for what happen to our sister. Cruel, insane & criminals have no faith, race or color they are all over the world & we should fight them as a person not as race, faith or as a society. I know your comment will not reflect as all Ethiopians because we Ethiopians know the difference between one person & a society. They brought the criminal to justice
Ali Mahfouz – the man seen in the video abusing the Ethiopian domestic worker. Photo courtesy of http://www.lbcgroup.tv/.
Mahlet Solomon, a prominent opinion leader, wrote on her Facebook:
I don't want to share the video of the Ethiopian domestic worker being kidnapped in front of the Ethiopian embassy in Lebanon. I don't want to share it because I am TIRED of the trivial question – why do Ethiopians suffer in every part of the world? And because there is nothing I can do about it or I have tried to do where as father(a white American) with the aspiration of giving a better world to his son wages a war on Uganda in the name of bring Joseph Kony to justice with the determination of stopping at nothing.
Being confined by our limitation must stop, it must stop. Our expectation shouldn't also be limited, they should not. And even if they are, we should exceed them yes we should exceed our limitation. We just have to start thinking, THINK!!!”
De Birahan blog contextualized the wide-ranging human right abuse in the country by giving a detailed perspective:
Maids in Ethiopia are mostly women who come to Addis Abeba from the rural to work in urban houses. They live with the people sheltered and fed, and paid a meagre monthly salary for their services. They often do the cooking, cleaning, washing, all houses chores; guard the house at times and also as nannies. Although there exists a symbiotic relationship between the employer and the maid; the intricacies of it shows that it is more of feudalistic and elitist. Some could argue that Ethiopian maids who export themselves to Arab countries face even the worst type of abuse there, so better that they be anyway here. No “Injustice anywhere, is injustice everywhere”, in most middle eastern countries and Ethiopia maids work long hours, seven days a week and month, no or sporadic vacations, no legal recourse in the case of disagreement with their employer. Maids most often maids eat leftovers or she cooks special food poor in quality and content from the rest of the household members for herself, sleeps in a separate building and room from the family (service bet). In most cases teenage maids that come from rural areas to help themselves and poor families are made to go to evening class (if ever allowed). They are forced to sex or raped by the men in the household (husband, son or relatives).
While many Ethiopian domestic workers flock to the Middle East, the Ethiopian government has not taken a leading role in protecting Ethiopian citizens enduring horrendous human right abuse in the region. Social media platforms continue to be a media outlet for Ethiopians to express their views and opinions about human rights abuse of domestic workers.
LBCI identified the man seen in the video, Ali Mahfouz, through his plate number.
Ethiopians organised a social media campaign for justice last year after a CNN journalist, Dan Rivers, revealed the horrifying abuse of Shweya Mullah who was brutally injured after the wife of Gaddafi’s son poured boiling water on her whole body for allegedly failing to keep a crying child quiet.

author: Endalkachew Chala


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Germany: Email Monitoring #Bomb(e) Drops · Global Voices
Katrin Zinoun

On Saturday morning, February 25, 2012, the story [de] broke that in 2010, German intelligence had heavily monitored email communication in the country. More than 37 million emails containing particular search terms related to terrorism, smuggling and proliferation were reported to have been filtered out and examined.
Of the approximately 2,000 search terms, there was one singled out by media and Internet users that prompted not only outrage, but also many a creative word play: “bomb.”
Journalist Richard Gutjahr argues that the intelligence agencies concerned went too far and points out the results of the surveillance of email communication in his blog [de]:
Respekt: Unter den 37 Millionen abgefangenen Mails 2010 waren immerhin 213 Personen, die bei ihrer Steuererklärung gemogelt, Marihuana geraucht oder ihre Strafzettel nicht bezahlt haben. Soll noch einer sagen, Rasterfahndung liefere keine Ergebnisse.
Markus Beckedahl of the blog Netzpolitik marvels [de] at so many users’ surprise:
Geschockt und überrascht? Verschlüsselte Kommunikation via Mail und Jabber sichern die eigene Privatsphäre besser.
The hashtag #bombe was trending in Germany by Saturday afternoon. Following are a few reactions by Twitter users shortly after the story broke.
@ploechinger writes [de]:
@cjakubetz @videopunk @heiko Das ist ja heute Morgen schon eine #Bombe-nstimmung!
@HausOhneFenster jokes [de]:
Manchmal schreibe ich in meine Emails absichtlich Wörter wie Bombe, Rakete und Terror, damit wenigstens der Verfassungsschutz sie liest.
@irm_tw comments [de]:
#bombe trendet auf Platz 1. BND und MAD ratlos. Beantragen Budget für neue Technik, um auch noch sämliche tweets durchsuchen zu können.
Wingdings Bomb (Picture by Twitter user @Olaf_HB on Twitpic)
Twitterer @Olaf_HB posts [de] a photo:
die tägliche #BOMBE ! / the daily #BOMB ! *hehehe* ;-) @lieselm twitpic.com/8pcndw
@linksgruen asks [de]:
@netzpolitik Hui, da darf man wohl das Wort Sex-Bombe nicht mehr benutzen?
@PatrickLobacher doubts [de] the usefulness of this approach:
Sehr schön Herr Geheimdienst: Denke auch, dass Gangster über das schreiben, was sie konkret vorhaben – bestimmt! http://bit.ly/ySZ5dj #bombe
@kischtrine is amazed [de] at the amount of resources put into this initiative:
Wieviele Geheimdienstler wohl wie lange damit verbracht haben diese Mails zu lesen? Wie bei der Stasi damals für nix. Was das kostet #Bombe

author: Katrin Zinoun


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Greece: Folk Musician and Researcher, Domna Samiou, Dies at 84 · Global Voices
Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni

Grief and sorrow has been expressed by people in Greece and all over the world over the news of the death [el] of musician Domna Samiou, one of the most important and distinguished representatives of traditional Greek folk music. She died from leukemia on Sunday morning, March 11, 2012.
From her website we can read a personal narration of her childhood:
I was born in Kaisariani [neighborhood founded by Asia Minor refugees in Athens] in 1928. My parents were from Asia Minor. My mother came to Greece in 1922 with the refugees, alone. She left her village of Bayindir, and went to Smyrna. […] My father remained in Asia Minor as a prisoner, and arrived in Greece a year later, with the exchange of populations. In the beginning my mother, just as all the other refugees, lived in storehouses and schools. Later on they were given tents in Kaisariani. […] My memories from a very young age are of living in a shack. Each family got a shack, irrespective of how many members it had. One single room. […] You can imagine how much poverty there was. I remember that many times at home there was nothing to eat for dinner. Clothes? I remember that we would get shoes once a year, when we could afford it.
Domna Samiou. Image from her Facebook profile.
At age of 13, Domna had her first contact with Byzantine and folk music with musicologist and singer Simon Karas. During the 1970s, she started appearing in public along with Dionysis Savvopoulos, singing traditional Greek folk songs in their original form, as opposed to the more common commercialised style.
She became widely known to the Greek diaspora, as her songs were released in many European countries, in the USA and in Australia.
In 1981, she founded the Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association, a non-profit organization, whose main aim is the preservation and dissemination of Greek traditional music. Its archive consists of various recordings of folk songs from every part of Greece made systematically by Domna Samiou for 40 years (1963-2000).
Ιn 2005, the then President of Greece Konstantinos Stefanopoulos awarded her a medal of honour.
Οn her Facebook page, hundreds of people have expressed their sadness and love for her music presence and contribution to traditional Greek folk music.
Αρτεμης Καξηρης (Artemis Kaxiris) [el]:
H ελλαδα ακομα φτωχοτερη.καλο ταξιδι
Vasw Karasmanoglou [el]:
ΜΟΛΙΣ ΔΙΑΒΑΣΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΙΔΗΣΗ….ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΙΚΑ ΠΟΛΥ ΟΔΥΝΗΡΟ,ΕΦΥΓΕ Η ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΑ ΣΗΜΑΝΤΙΚΟΤΕΡΗ ΕΡΜΗΝΕΥΤΡΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜΟΥΣΙΚΗΣ ΜΑΣ ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΗΣ..ΚΑΛΟ ΤΑΞΙΔΙ…
Numerous feelings and thoughts were also shared via Twitter:
@GregPappas: RIP Domna Samiou. Thank you for helping to preserve an important part of our Greek musical heritage – at least for one more generation.
@eilerua75: @nikosofficiel RIP Domna Samiou, grande figure de la musique démotique. Je la découvre cette nuit à l'occasion de cette triste nouvelle…
@alexiakovou: “Εφυγε” η προστατιδα της Ελληνικης παραδοσης, η μεγαλη Δομνα Σαμιου…αξιοσεβαστη και καλοψυχη,γεματη μουσικες απο ολη την Ελλαδα…
Some Twitter users stressed the fact that such an important figure of Greek culture had not become a pompous “celebrity” and younger generations may not have been aware of her music:
@PGS_ATH: Αυτοί που πραγματικά αγαπούν τον τόπο μας, μεγαλουργούν χωρίς φανφάρες, χωρίς προβολείς, χωρίς χωρίς χωρίς Καληνύχτα ΔΟΜΝΑ ΣΑΜΙΟΥ
@Zoe_fion: Πέθανε η Δομνα Σαμιου.Γι αυτο δεν λέτε τίποτα – λες κ όλοι γεννηθήκαμε με Etta James.Κρίμα..
Here is a video from her YouTube channel, showing her singing at Sydney in 1984. This traditional Greek song comes from East Thrace and Istanbul refugees and is entitled “Eche Geia, Panagia” (Farewell, Virgin Mary):

author: Veroniki Bacharidi-Krikoni


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Haiti: A Constitutional Issue  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haiti Chery comments on the amended Haitian Constitution, which “Martelly’s own commission has declared…to be a “fake.””


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India: UP Elections – A Political Drama! · Global Voices
Amit Gupta

India recently saw conclusion of elections in five states – Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur. It can be said that there was a major upheaval in the elections and the results showed that clearly. While the voters showed the door to United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in Goa, Shiromani Akali Dal & Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance managed to win another five year term in Punjab though BJP failed to get leverage in Uttarakhand as the fight was neck to neck with UPA. However, the highlight of these elections or rather, major focus, was Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh is the largest state in India and the elections here have always had the drama of a good Bollywood flick and even those not much politically inclined tend to take interest, however slight it maybe. While many knew that Mayawati led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would be hard-pressed to retain office, the results were a shocker nonetheless, as the post election analysis by blog Retributions suggests.
Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party  speaking to reporters as it became clear that the Samajwadi Party was poised to take power. Photo by AIP Images. Copyright Demotix (6/3/2012)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) lost but it was not just another loss, the Samajwadi Party (SP) campaign commandeered by Akhilesh Yadav dessimated BSP. In a state assembly of 403 seats, 202 seats are required to have a majority and form the government. Compared to last time's 97 seats, SP won 224 seats & it achieved that without allying itself with any other political party. The ruling BSP which had 206 seats last time, managed to get only 80 seats this time around. UPA, which rules in the centre, had high hopes given that the Gandhi-Nehru family scion Rahul Gandhi campaigned for them in UP but their performace was dismal as well. As Greatbong opines:
The Congress has many problems, perhaps none more than the fact that its focus has almost entirely been on creating a stage-managed success for Rahul Gandhi, a task that is even more difficult than getting Abhishek Bacchan to deliver a hit. This time they rolled out the entire royal family, making UP a whirring circus of helicopters, plastic smiles and photo-ops. Digvijay Singh tried his best to rile up the Muslim vote-base by blubbering Batla-Batla-Batla  but it is difficult to quite drive home the point of Muslim victimization when it was your government at the center that was responsible for what happened there.
The surprise package for Congress here was that they lost at both Amethi and Rae Bareli, seats which have always been considered safe for Congress. And while we talk about safe seats, BJP lost in Ayodhya, the city which witnessed riots in 1992 following Babri Mosque and the issue which has been exploited till date endless times by every politician who could. BJP has had Ayodhya issue as a main point in their election manifesto over the years but it does seem like that people are fed up now. Greatbong further writes:
Talking about losing safe constituencies, the BJP lost Ayodhya. If this does not convince the BJP honchos that the Mandir is no longer an issue, then I don’t know what will.
Indian officials count votes at a counting station in Amritsar. Image by Sanjeev Syal. Copyright Demotix (6/3/2012)
Anand Pradhan at Teesra Raasta writes [hi]:
यह नहीं भूलना चाहिए कि ये चुनाव २०११ के भ्रष्टाचार विरोधी आन्दोलन की पृष्ठभूमि में हो रहे थे. इस आंदोलन में जिस तरह से बड़े पैमाने पर लोगों की भागीदारी हुई और लोगों में बेचैनी दिखाई पड़ी, उसके निशाने पर मुख्य रूप से यू.पी.ए और खासकर कांग्रेस थी.
बिला शक, कांग्रेस को उसकी कीमत चुकानी पड़ी है. वह न सिर्फ राजनीतिक रूप से बहुत महत्वपूर्ण उत्तर प्रदेश में नकार दी गई, गोवा में सत्ता गंवानी पड़ी बल्कि पंजाब और उत्तराखंड में भ्रष्टाचार के गंभीर आरोपों से घिरी भाजपा सरकारों के खिलाफ माहौल होने के बावजूद कांग्रेस उसे भुनाने में नाकाम रही.
Without doubt, Congress paid the price for that. Not only were they rejected in the politically important Uttar Pradesh, they lost office in Goa and were unable to get leverage in Punjab and Uttarakhand where BJP has been facing opposition on corruption charges.
He further writes that a change is coming about in UP which showed in nearly 60% voter turnout this time which is 10-15% more than last time.
After their landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's son Akhilesh Yadav's name has been announced as the next Chief Minister. While Chief-Minister-to-be Akhilesh Yadav has said that maintaining law & order will the priority of the new SP government in Uttar Pradesh, things were slightly not so in order right on the day when the poll results were announced. @ANI_news providing updates via Twitter reported:
@ANI_news: ANI cameras broken in Jhansi by SP workers. Violence reported in Ferozabad, Moradabad (all violence over recount demand)
@ANI_news: Journalists still trapped in Jhansi. SP workers have surrounded BKD college. Police not able to do anything
@ANI_news: SP workers want their candidate to be declared winner or else journos will be harmed in BKD college in Jhansi
@ANI_news: ANI cameraman escapes from BKD college (Jhansi) in the darkness. 15-20 journos still trapped inside
@ANI_news: After 6PM, SP workers have turned violent in Agra, Meerut, Ferozabad and Jhansi. 1 killed in Sambhal due to celebratory fire
Whether Akhilesh Yadav led SP government will be able to provide a clean government is yet to be seen.

author: Amit Gupta


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Iran: Pro-regime websites protest against filtering  · Global Voices
Hadi Nili

Some Iranian pro-regime cyber activists have objected recent blockage of their websites and weblogs like teribon.ir, due to ‘criticizing some political figures’. “The movement of demanding cyber activists’ rights” believes [fa] such restrictions for pro-regime web activists would ‘trouble the holy cyber war’.

author: Hadi Nili


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Italy Condemned for Violations of African Refugee Rights  · Global Voices
Abdoulaye Bah

This post is part of our special coverage on Refugees.
On February 23, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has come to a historic judgment, that Italy violated the European Convention on Human Rights by intercepting and sending back Eritrean and Somali migrants to Libya.
African Refugees by Vito Manzari on Flickr (CC BY 2.0).
Unione Diritti Umani Blog explains [it] the events:
Il caso Hirsi e altri contro Italia riguarda la prima operazione di respingimento effettuata il 6 maggio 2009, a 35 miglia a sud di Lampedusa, in acque internazionali. Le autorità italiane hanno intercettato una barca con a bordo circa 200 somali ed eritrei, tra cui bambini e donne in stato di gravidanza. Questi migranti sono stati presi a bordo da una imbarcazione italiana, respinti a Tripoli e riconsegnati, contro la loro volontà, alle autorità libiche. Senza essere identificati, ascoltati né preventivamente informati sulla loro reale destinazione. I migranti erano, infatti, convinti di essere diretti verso le coste italiane. 11 cittadini somali e 13 cittadini eritrei, rintracciati e assistiti in Libia dal Consiglio italiano per i rifugiati dopo il loro respingimento, hanno presentato un ricorso contro l’Italia alla Corte Europea, attraverso gli avvocati Anton Giulio Lana e Andrea Saccucci, dell’Unione forense per la tutela dei diritti umani.
GiulioL [it] described the operation upon their arrival in Tripoli [it] on the blog ilmalpaese:
Sul molo di Tripoli li aspettava la polizia libica, con i camion container pronti a caricarli, come carri bestiame, per poi smistarli nelle varie prigioni del paese. A bordo di quelle motovedette c’era un fotogiornalista, Enrico Dagnino, che ha raccontato la violenza di quell’operazione. Poi fu censura.
This action led to the non-implementation of the principles governing the treatment of people fleeing from danger, Henry Oliver explains on the UK Human Rights blog:
The return involved a violation of Article 3 (anti-torture and inhumane treatment), Article 4 of Protocol 4 (collective expulsion of aliens), and  Article 13 (right to an effective remedy). The patrols that returned migrants to Libya were in breach of the non-refoulement principle.
An immigrant's t-shirt saying "I am an immigrant using soap and water" to avoid abuse. By Cristiano Corsini on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
The old Italian government, formed by Silvio Berlusconi's party, Popolo della libertà (People of Freedom), and Umberto Bossi's extreme right party, the Northern League, created a legal arsenal and took steps against immigration in Italy, which have been denounced on several occasions by civil society and the Catholic Church. Italy has also been condemned on various instances for its anti-immigration [it] policy, which is inconsistent with European treaties.
Gabriele Del Grande's blog fortresseurope.blogspot.com [it] publishes information about Fortess Europe's activities for the defense of immigrant rights. The association has produced a great number of reports, first hand accounts and films on refugee treatment in Italy as well as in other European countries.
Here he describes prison life [it] in Libya during the rule of the old regime:
Siamo a Misratah, 210 km a est di Tripoli, in Libia. E i detenuti sono tutti richiedenti asilo politico eritrei, arrestati al largo di Lampedusa o nei quartieri degli immigrati a Tripoli. Vittime collaterali della cooperazione italo libica contro l’immigrazione. Sono più di 600 persone, tra cui 58 donne e diversi bambini e neonati. Sono in carcere da più di due anni, ma nessuno di loro è stato processato. Dormono in camere senza finestre di 4 metri per 5, fino a 20 persone, buttati per terra su stuoini e materassini di gommapiuma. Di giorno si riuniscono nel cortile di 20 metri per 20 su cui si affacciano le camere, sotto lo sguardo vigile della polizia. Sono ragazzi tra i 20 e i 30 anni. La loro colpa? Aver tentato di raggiungere l’Europa per chiedere asilo.
The blog observatoirecitoyen.over-blog.org discloses [fr] that:
Le principe de non refoulement, inscrit dans la Convention des Nations unies sur le statut des réfugiés de 1951, interdit de renvoyer une personne vers un pays où sa vie ou sa liberté peut être menacée. …
Quelque 602 migrants ont été interceptés en mer et immédiatement refoulés de mai à juillet 2009, principalement vers la Libye, un pays où “toute personne détenue risque d'être soumise à des mauvais traitements sérieux” ou d'être renvoyée vers un pays où existent de tels risques, note le CPT (Comité de prévention de la torture).
Certes, reconnaît-il, “les Etats ont le droit souverain de protéger leurs frontières et de contrôler l'immigration”, mais l'Italie doit revoir ses procédures pour s'assurer que tous les migrants interceptés reçoivent d'abord des soins et puissent déposer une demande d'asile.
The principle of non-refoulement, enshrined in the 1951 in the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, prohibits sending a person back to a country where his life or freedom may be threatened. …
From May to July 2009, some 602 migrants were intercepted at sea and immediately turned away. They were chiefly sent back to Libya, a country where “every person arrested risks being subjected to serious mistreatment,” or of being sent back to a country where such risks do exist, the CPT remarked (Committee for the Prevention of Torture).
Of course, the CPT admits, “States have the sovereign right to protect their borders and control immigration,” but Italy should review its procedures to ensure that all intercepted migrants first receive care and can apply for asylum.
Unfortunately in Europe, Italy is not the only country to carry out forced mass repatriations. This association reports [it] that:
Dal 1988 sono morte lungo le frontiere dell'Europa almeno 18.058 persone. Di cui 2.251 soltanto dall'inizio del 2011. Il dato è aggiornato al 7 dicembre 2011 e si basa sulle notizie censite negli archivi della stampa internazionale degli ultimi 23 anni. Il dato reale potrebbe essere molto più grande. Nessuno sa quanti siano i naufragi di cui non abbiamo mai avuto notizia. Lo sanno soltanto le famiglie dei dispersi, che dal Marocco allo Sri Lanka, si chiedono da anni che fine abbiano fatto i loro figli partiti un bel giorno per l'Europa e mai più tornati.
Paolo Lambruschi, for his part, wrote [it] on website of the Italian Episcopal Conference's newspaper:
E, cosa che interessa tutta l’Ue, andranno riviste le operazioni Frontex di pattugliamento del Mediterraneo perché per la prima volta viene equiparato il respingimento di gruppi alla frontiera e in alto mare allé espulsioni collettive. A 22 ricorrenti su 24, 11 somali e 13 eritrei, l’Italia dovrà versare un risarcimento di 15 mila euro più le spese processuali. Gli altri due sono morti.
Gabriele Del Grande's blog fortresseurope.blogspot.com concludes [it]:
Un giorno a Lampedusa e a Zuwarah, a Evros e a Samos, a Las Palmas e a Motril saranno eretti dei sacrari con i nomi delle vittime di questi anni di repressione della libertà di movimento. E ai nostri nipoti non potremo neanche dire che non lo sapevamo. Di seguito la rassegna completa e aggiornata delle notizie, dal 1988 a oggi. Per un'analisi delle statistiche, frontiera per frontiera, leggete la scheda Fortezza Europa.
This post is part of our special coverage on Refugees.

author: Abdoulaye Bah


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Jamaica: Book Fair for 50th Independence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Nadine, Unscripted is excited about the week-long book festival in Kingston that will be part of the celebrations for the country's 50th year of independence.


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Latin America: The Civic Media Projects panel at SXSW · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Miguel Paz from Poderopedia announces the Civic Media Projects in Latin America panel at SXSW, which will take place today, March 12, at 3:30 Austin time. Yesica Guerra from Crónicas de Héroes (Hero Reports), Lu Ortiz of Nova Digital Mexico, Jorge Luis Sierra from Mi Panamá Transparente, and Miguel Paz will discuss how they “developed, designed, implemented and applied projects that use social media and digital technologies to attempt social change. “

author: Silvia Viñas


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Pakistan: Ban And Politics · Global Voices
Rezwan

Pakistan Blogzine reports that the Pakistan government has banned the extremist Deobandi Jihadi-sectarian organization Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) which has been condemned by right wing political parties like Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamaat-ud-Dawa.

author: Rezwan


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Rumours of Children Abduction by Mainland Chinese Heighten in Hong Kong  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Recently there are a number of “witness reports” circulated online about the the suspected “abduction” of Hong Kong children by mainland Chinese. Dictionary of Politically Incorrect presents the detail of the rumors.


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Slovakia: Parliamentary Election Update · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Economist's Eastern Approaches blog writes about the situation in Slovakia prior to the March 10 parliamentary election, and about the election's results.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Sri Lanka: Mob Revenge · Global Voices
Rezwan

Serendipity is concerned that the incidents of mob revenge in Sri Lanka are on the rise and wonders whether this has anything to do with the decreasing faith of people in the justice system and Law and Order.


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Taiwan, U.S.A: Taiwanese Pig Farmers Protest American Beef Imports · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Fauna from ChinaSMACK translated mainland Chinese media report on the recent demonstration by Taiwanese pig farmers against the importation of U.S beef and mainland Chinese netizens’ response on the issue.


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With Gaza Under Attack, #TerroristIsrael Trends on Twitter · Global Voices
Ola Anan

On Twitter, Palestinians and Palestine activists have been spreading the news about #GazaUnderAttack nonstop since March 9, 2012, provoked by ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip that have so far killed 23 Palestinians and injured more than 100, some of them seriously. On March 11, busy activists introduced a new hashtag to remind people of previous assaults by the Israeli army against the Palestinian people (not only in the Gaza Strip) called #TerroristIsrael.
The new hashtag went viral on Twitter, became a trending topic around the world, and even became a top story on the Twitter Discover page.
@JalalAK_jojo: #TerroristIsrael number One story on Twitter Discover now
The content of the tweets with this hashtag varied.
Some tweets included information and statistics:
@MadeInNablus: #TerroristIsrael has denied the right of millions of Palestinians to return to their homeland. 1 in 3 refugees worldwide is a Palestinian.
…or mentions of previous attacks:
…while other tweets contained powerful images:
@AnjumKiani: Could be Your sister, my sister ! #TerroristIsrael Take pictures & intimidate students in #Palestine #Gaza
Israeli soldiers posing with a Young Palestinian hostage.
…not to mention a lot of emotional and supportive tweets in different languages:
@Nortencabronado: El mundo encontrara la paz cuando Palestina sea libre y reconocida como un País. Viva palestina Viva Gaza Viva la PAZ!
A lot of Twitter users were convinced that pro-Palestinian topics are always being censored and prevented from trending worldwide, and so were surprised at the success on this occasion.
@WafaFt: Stunned that #TerroristIsrael is actually trending, didn't think twitter would let that happen
However, this wasn't the first time that a Palestinian hashtag trended worldwide. Just a few weeks ago, activists on Twitter were publicising the case of Palestinian detainee Khader Adnan. A daily hashtag was created for his case – different each day – and each day managed to trend worldwide. The same pattern is now being used to advocate for Hana Shalabi, now on her 24th day of hunger strike.

author: Ola Anan


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Angola: Police Confiscates Computers From the Independent Weekly Folha 8 · Global Voices
João Miguel Lima

On March 12, a police raid at the Angolan independent weekly Folha 8 resulted in about 20 computers being confiscated [pt]. Editor William Tonet points a connection with the investigation on the publication of an Internet photo montage of the president and politicians from 2011. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the raid as a “crude act of censorship”, and argues “satire is not an outrage against the state”.

author: João Miguel Lima


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Arab World: Arabisk Best Blog Competition Begins  · Global Voices
محمد عادل

Algerian blogger Maamar Ameur, an organiser of the annual Arabisk competition to select the best Arabic blogs, announced the launch of the competition. This is the third year the event is held. To submit your blog, click here. You can also follow the competition on Twitter and read a full announcement here [Ar].

author: محمد عادل


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Armenia: Homophobic Online Media · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped: Gay Armenia adds another Armenian media outlet to its Homophobia Hall of Fame. This time it's the turn of Internet TV Slaq.am. The blog that reports on LGBT and related issues in the South Caucasus explains why.

author: Onnik Krikorian