Stories about French from July, 2007
Madagascar: Community, Identity and the Malagasy diaspora
As it is sometimes the case for sub-Saharan African nations, the Malagasy diaspora carries a substantial weight of the cultural, political and virtual activities related to Madagascar. In the World Wide Web, the bandwidth limitation is a major encumbrance to a larger participation of bloggers from Madagascar in the global...
Fighting HIV/AIDS in ‘post-Islamist’ Sudan
Despite the challenges of preventing the spread of HIV in what remains a deeply conservative society, a Tunisian blogger working in Sudan's national AIDS prevention program observes a growing openness to once-taboo ideas.
D. R. of Congo: Miracle-peddlars, musical hippos and scary lightbulbs
Probably the most consistently interesting Congolese blog is kept by Cédric Kalonji [Fr], whose photographs and commentary bear humorous but often sorrowful witness to the struggles of ordinary life in Kinshasa, the country's heavily populated, run-down capital. Returning from a recent visit to Europe, Cédric found himself wondering whether the...
Tunisian blogger on AKP victory in Turkey's legislative elections
Of the AKP victory in Turkey tunisiendoctor writes (Fr): “Goodbye to secular military dictatorship in Turkey and best of luck to a democratic, and perhaps even European, Turkey.”
Togolese blogger contemplates self-publishing
In a world where editors balk at taking risks, Reve d'Afrique examines the possibilities and perils of self-publishing (Fr).
Alain Mabanckou on Prostitution in Brazzaville
Alain Mabanckou posts “Night scenes in Brazzaville” (Fr), a sketch on young prostitutes and their European customers. “The atmosphere of the country surely helps. Would they find such an opportunity in their own country? …Money excuses everything…”
Congo-Brazzaville: Point Noire music festival
Congopages on a recent music festival in Point Noire (Fr), Congo Brazzaville. There are photos!
Congo-Brazzaville: Pygmies housed in Brazzaville zoo
Vous reprendrez un peu d'humanisme? continues to question France's commitment to human rights, given its warm relations with Denis Sassou-Nguesso, and cites the shocking revelation that pygmy musicians were being housed in the Brazzaville zoo (Fr).
France: Protest against BNP & Denis Sassou-Nguesso
Congopage announces a demonstration (Fr) set to take place Saturday, July 28 in front of the offices of BNP-PARIBAS, Paris to protest the French oil giant's alleged involvement in Congo-Brazzaville's President, Denis Sassou-Nguesso's theft of millions of dollars of public funds. Sarkozy and Sassou-Nguesso are quite cozy.
Chad: Opposition party on Deby's visit to France
Parti Liberal du Tchad posts their official response (Fr) to Idriss Deby's recent visit to France.
France: Elderly Central African Republic immigrant faces expulsion
The blog of Alliance Pour La Democratie et Le Progres posts an article (Fr) about the impending expulsion of an infirm, 68 year-old illegal immigrant from Central African Republic whose children and grandchildren all reside in France.
Cameroon: Yes your majesty
Parler Camerounais compares (Fr) the leaders of Cameroon, and their “bulimia” of meaningless titles and honors, to the royal family in Eddie Murphy's 1998 hit, Coming to America.
Benin: Debating, feting Voodoo
Benninese blogger Blaise Aplogan writes about the upcoming festival of Voodoo, set to take place in Paris this week, and the ongoing Voodoo debate (Fr): “More and more, prophetic religions, notably Christianity, are investing in a dialogue with traditional African religions…[and] traditional African religious leaders are asking themselves what meaning...
Francophone Morocco: On Faith, On Politics
With Ramadan and the 2007 elections looming on the horizon, religion and politics are popular subjects in the blogoma. What is everyone saying? Find out in this week's Francophone Moroccan blog translations.
Cameroon: Poetry Anthology
Fojrega writes about a new anthology featuring the works of fifteen Cameroonese poets.
Senegal: Do we elect kings now?
Blog politique du Senegal writes of Karim Wade, the President's son, and his intention to run for president (Fr): “In theory, Karim Wade [has the right to] run for president, like any other Senegalese” but “the privileged, not to mention abusive, position that Karim Wade occupies in the state apparatus...
Sudan: Flooding in Khartoum
Zizou from Djerba has photographs of heavy flooding this weekend in Khartoum.
Francophone Morocco: Development, Modernization, and Creation
"Un amour pour ce pays qui sent la pointe de la critique comme une blessure à son inconditionnalité," is how one blogger describes her feelings toward her country, Morocco. Hamza Daoui takes us on a tour of Francophone Moroccan blogs, showing us the country's recent developments.
Benin: Independence celebrations moved to capital of Dahomey
Babilown writes about the decision to move independence celebrations (Fr) to Abomey, capital of the historic kingdom of Dahomey.
France suffers African dictators: Denis Sassou-Nguesso warmly welcomed by Sarkozy
France is famous for getting cozy with the dictators who govern their former colonies, a tradition called Françafrique that newly-elected French president Nicolas Sarkozy appears keen to continue. In March, he received Omar Bongo, President of Gabon since 1967. And last week he played host to Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of...
Rwanda: Foreign aid workers who live like kings
Foreign aid workers in Africa and elsewhere are often criticized for living far removed from the populations they are supposed to serve. How can people who spend their time zipping around in air-conditioned SUVs, tinted windows rolled to the top to shut out the noise and the dust and the people hope to be effective, the argument goes. Les aventures du Civiliste Guillaume wades through Rwanda's alphabet soup, writing about the legion of aid and relief agencies station in the country and finding reasons both to criticize and defend those who have come to help.
