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Caribbean: French Literary Prizes

Fabienne Flessel — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:50:23 +0000

This week, two of the most prestigious French literary prizes were awarded to two French-speaking authors of African descent: The French-speaking Caribbean blogosphere has been buzzing over this double satisfaction, in this post from Haiti, this one from Guadeloupe and this one from Martinique [Fr].

Morocco: Here Comes the Sun

Hisham — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:27:13 +0000

Morocco has announced this week the launch of a solar energy project, with an estimated cost of $9 billion, aiming at raising the share of renewable sources in the country's energy production. Mostly supportive bloggers have been sharing their thoughts.

I See the Light by si David on Flickr

The plan, unveiled in the southern Moroccan city of Ouarzazate during a ceremony attended by king Mohammed VI and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will, according to the local news agency, enable the country to equally divide its renewable energies' national production between solar, wind and hydroelectric sources by the year 2020. By then, renewable energies will account for 38% of the country's overall energy production, according to the source.

Taha Balafrej, blogging on Vue du Maroc [Fr], explains that there might be a viable economic basis for the country's new policy inclination. He writes:

Dans le milieu des affaires, un intérêt grandissant est perceptible. Il faut reconnaître que l’effet Obama n’est pas étranger à cette prise de conscience animée par les opportunités économiques qu’elle engendre. Un pays comme le Maroc qui dépend presque entièrement des importations pour son énergie, et dont les ressources en eau se raréfient, a tout intérêt à rejoindre les pays qui y croient et y investissent.

There is an obvious interest among business people. And one must recognize that the “Obama Effect” has something to do with this, backed by the economic opportunities it creates. A country like Morocco, which depends almost entirely on imports for its energy, and which water resources are scarce, has all interest in joining the countries who believe and invest in clean energy.

The solar project, which is both publicly and privately funded, will benefit from American solar and steam technology, which seems to have won the market over traditional investors–primarily French–which is something thestrategist, blogging on Genesis Morocco, unequivocally endorses:

Seems the Europeans are out on this one. A clean shot for [American investors]. I'm all for it, the Europeans cannot match the Americans expertise in managing large scale programs…

thestrategist, publishing an open letter to the Moroccan king, further explains [Fr] his enthusiasm. He writes:

[Cette technologie pourrait] nous libérer des aléas de la pluviométrie en utilisant l'énergie abondante et renouvelable […], afin de dessaler l'eau de mer et approvisionner outre les besoins de l'industrie et des ménages, un système d'irrigation nationale en appoint, voire en remplacement, de la stratégie des barrages…

[This technology could] free us from dependency on rainfalls, by using the abundant and renewable energy […], to desalinate sea water and provide for the needs of industry and households, and a state-of-the-art national irrigation system in replacement of the dams building strategy…

Whilst the majority seems to be supporting the scheme, not everybody is impressed. Jebli, commenting [Fr] on a post published by online news journal, Hesspress [Ar], finds the cost way too expensive. He writes:

[C]e projet solaire va produire 2000Mega Watt/h, pour un cout de 9 milliards de dollars, ce qui est TROP TROP TROP cher.
Une centrale nucléaire, sa construction de bout en bout coute 1,5 milliard de dollars et produit 1000Mega watt/heure.
Ainsi, avec 9 milliards de dollars le Maroc aurait pu créer 6 centrales nucléaires, et aurait produit 6000Mega watt/heure.
Franchement, je ne comprend pas le choix de nos dirigeants, ils choisissent des téchnologies au hasard, sans réflichir, vraiment ils gaspillent l'argent public.

This solar project will produce 2000 Mega Watt / hour, at a cost of $ 9 billion, which is TOO MUCH expensive. A nuclear power plant construction would have costed 1.5 billion dollars and produced 1000 Mega watt / hour. With 9 billion dollars Morocco could have created 6 nuclear plants and have produced 6000 Mega watt / hour. Frankly, I do not understand the choices of our leaders. They choose technologies at random, without planning. Really, they are wasting public money.

Commenting on the same post, Hay Bin Yaqdan sees in the project [Ar] another stranglehold of foreign powers on local resources. He writes:

نرجو أن لا يخصخص هذا المشروع و نصبح في رحمة شركة ما (في الغالب فرنسية).
لمذا انتظر الملك حتى زيارة كلنتون للإفتتاح صحبتها؟ نظرتي نحو هذا المشروع هو تكريس هيمنة الدول المتقدمة “أمريكا” مثلا

I hope this project will not be overly privatized, so that we don't fall into the mercy of corporations (mostly French). Why has the King waited for the visit of Clinton? My view about this project is that it is devoted to the dominance of developed countries, like America

French Caribbean: “La Toussaint”

Fabienne Flessel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:23:36 +0000

Toussaint 2009, by Fabienne Flessel

In the French-speaking Caribbean, celebrating “La Toussaint”, All Saints' and All Souls' Days, are as much an opportunity for family reunions as the Christmas season is. Here is a review of what the blogosphere says about it this year [all links are in French]:

In Guadeloupe, blogger Mycho has decided to resume her blogging activity for the occasion. Her short post highlights two important aspects of this celebration of the lost ones, which are the tradition and the family dimension:

Comme d'habitude, les Guadeloupéens vont illuminer les tombes. C'est toujours une occasion de se souvenir de ceux qui ne sont plus là, mais aussi de revoir ceux qui sont bien présents, mais que l'on n'a pas l'occasion de croiser bien souvent. Un moment de tristesse et de joie mêlées.

As usual, Guadeloupeans will be lighting up candles on the graves. It is always the opportunity to remember the dead ones but also to meet the living ones, that we don't see that often. It's a moment of mixed pain and joy.

Toussaint 2009 in Le Moule, by Fabienne Flessel

Traditionally, the “Toussaint” season is an opportunity to do some grave maintenance as families clean, repaint and flower their graves. Domactu explains that when a grave presents none of these enhancements, it is a synonym of family disfunction and the issue sounds important enough for the local authorities to devote some money to fill in for missing families:

La collectivité régionale participe à l'opération à hauteur de 20 000 euros.

The region's administration partakes in the project and devotes as much as 20 000 euros.

This is the presentation of the above-mentioned professional integration project:

Depuis samedi [1 novembre 2009], cinquante deux jeunes procèdent au nettoyage des tombes à l'abandon dans le Sud Basse-Terre et en Côte-sous-le-vent.

Since Saturday [November 1st 2009], fifty-two young people have been working on cleaning deserted graves in the Southern part of Basse-Terre and Côte-sous-le-vent.”

Domactu also posted about the traditional celebration of “la Toussaint” in Martinique:

Un moment qui rassemble toutes les générations pour honorer la mémoire de leurs morts.

It is a moment which brings together all the generations, in order to honor the memory of their dead ones.

However, in this post, we also learn that the tradition has changed gradually, since families tend to discharge the maintenance of their graves:

Mais c'est aussi l'occasion pour certains de se faire un peu d'argent. Tous les services sont donc bons à prendre.

Nettoyage de tombe, peinture, embellissement des caveaux sont autant de jobs que se partagent petits et grands…

It is also a chance to make some money. People are therefore ready to accomplish any tasks.

Grave cleaning, painting, burial vault ornamentation are the casual jobs that young and even older handymen share…

For her part, Martinican blogger Imaniyé has decided to honor her ancestors by taking part in “An mémwa, Véyé Kont pour lézansèt” (Creole for “In memory of the ancestors, a storytelling evening”). Here is what she says about this cultural, historical and religious event:

En ces jours de Toussaint et de Fête des morts, pour la première fois, Amérindiens autochtones et Africains déportés sont honorés au cours de la même cérémonie. C’est très important. Pour les Amérindiens exterminés en 1658, comme pour les esclaves dont la dépouille git dans des cimetières inconnus, partout en Martinique. J’y participe. Je vous y invite.

In this season of All Saints' and All Souls' Days, indigenous Native Americans and deported Africans are honored jointly for the first time ever. It is very important for the Native Americans who were wiped out in 1658 and for the slaves, whose remains lie in unknown yards, everywhere around Martinique. I will be there. This is my invitation.

In this very informative and well-documented post, Pyepimanla explores the celebration of “la Toussaint” among the descendants of the Indian immigrants in Guadeloupe as well as the impact of the recent trend of celebrating Halloween in the French West Indies. This last topic is fiercely debated in a post and comments on Bondamanjak.

From French Guiana, blogger Nuguet expresses his surprise at the fact that a guided tour of the cemetery of Cayenne on All Saints' Day is actually a historical account of immigration and politics in French Guiana. He also had a chance to discover the almost festive spirit of this family celebration.

Finally, blogger Espas Ayisyen Toulouse, a Haitian expatriate in France, republishes a post about the dual celebration of “Toussaint” and “the Guédés” in Haiti:

Le premier jour de novembre est consacré à la fête de La Toussaint. Les fidèles catholiques vénèrent en cette occasion leurs saints et entretiennent la mémoire d’un membre cher de leur famille décédé.
[…]
La fête des Guédés, commémorée le 2 novembre, est typique de la religion vaudou en Haïti. Dans la mythologie du vaudou, les Guédés représentent les esprits de la Mort.

The first day of November is devoted to the celebration of “la Toussaint”. It is an opportunity for the Catholic faithful to honor their saints and remember their beloved dead relatives.
[…]
The celebration of the The Guédés on November 2nd, is typical of the voodoo religion in Haiti. In the voodoo mythology, the Guédés symbolize the spirits of the dead.

The bloggers from HN2000 also explain the dual celebration, but emphasize the fact that it is not unanimously accepted in Haiti:

En fait, encore une fois les fidèles catholiques et les vaudouisants vont pouvoir rendre nouvellement un hommage ou une nouvelle visite à leurs proches disparus. D’autre en plus, ils vont glorifier leurs dieux, un comportement sévèrement jugé par les protestants.

Once again, the Catholic faithful and the Voodoo followers will be able to pay homage or visit beloved ones. Furthermore, they will glorify their gods, an act which is severely condemned by the Protestants.

This post was also translated by the author.

GV French Translator Boukary Konate featured in “Le Monde” Blog

Suzanne Lehn — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:46:35 +0000

GVO in French translator and Mali-based Bambara blogger Boukary Konate, who blogs at Fasokan, is featured [Fr] in Africascopie, a blog of the French daily Le Monde. They call him “the unrepentant blogger”, and you can listen to a podcast of a “smashing” interview. In an earlier entry of the “collaborative report”, he talks about new media as a great way out of the crisis and to raise awareness, “if we go to the trouble of translating them into our national languages” and can bring cheaper and more efficient internet access in African countries.

Haiti: National Anthem Singing Contest

Fabienne Flessel — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:51:01 +0000

Sammuel from Thanks for loving Haiti has launched [En/Fr/Fr Cr] a video contest for the best Haitian National Anthem singer. The best video will be chosen by the readers and the winner will probably be announced on January 1st 2010, National Independance day in Haiti.

Martinique: Free your mind, free your hair

Fabienne Flessel — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:48:22 +0000

Blogger Imaniyé from Martinique reports the creation of a Facebook group [Fr] by people who are eager to defend the rights of Martinicans to comb their hair as they want and above all to twist it into dreadlocks, without being discriminated against.

Guadeloupe, Martinique: Soccer & Religion

Fabienne Flessel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:58:34 +0000

A video showing an interview of the famous French soccer player Thierry Henry in which he expresses his affiliation to Islam, has caught the attention of Martinican blogger Bondamanjak [Fr/Fr Cr] and triggered impassioned comments from readers.

Martinique: Debating over the statutory change

Fabienne Flessel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:56:47 +0000

Martinican MontrayKreyol discusses the popular debates [Fr] over the change of institutional status of Martinique as a French overseas department.

Reunion: Creole becomes second official language

Fabienne Flessel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:55:21 +0000

In the midst of the International Creole Month, Guadeloupean blogger CaribCreoleOne discusses [Fr] the now official use of Creole language alongside French in all the administrative procedures and places, in the city of Le Port in Reunion.

Morocco: A Lenient Sentence

Jillian C. York — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:33:38 +0000

Zineb Chtit at the trial (courtesy Oujdacity)

In September, we learned about Zineb Chtit, the young Moroccan girl who was severely beaten while working as a maid. Last week, it was announced that Zineb's attacker Nawal Houmin, the wife of the couple who had hired her, was to be punished for the crime with a sentence of three years imprisonment and a $13,000 fine. Many human rights groups have spoken out about the sentence, calling it too lenient.
Says blogger Crazy Moor:

But several Moroccan rights groups say they would appeal on behalf of the country’s estimated 60 thousand to 80 thousand child labourers.

The chair of the Association, “Don’t Touch My Children”, Najia Adib, says the sentence does not regret the scale of the atrocities committed, because the little girl was locked up in a cellar.

The case occurred in the eastern Moroccan city of Oujda. Popular website Oujdacity.net, which calls itself the “premiere portal for eastern Morocco,” remarked on the incident, saying [ar]:

حكمت المحكمة الابتدائية بوجدة يوم الأثنين 12 أكتوبر 2009 بثلاث سنوات ونصف سجنا نافذا وتعويض مالي قدره 100 ألف درهم على زوجة القاضي مشغلة الطفلة زينب ، الحكم اعتبره عدة محامين بوجدة انه كان قاسيا ، ولم يأخذ بعين الاعتباراي ظرف من ظروف التخفيف … وهو حكم فاجأ الجميع لأنه جاء خلافا لما كان يردده الرأي العام الذي كان يتوقع ان يكون الحكم لا يتجاوز بضعة اشهر

On Monday, October 12, 2009, the Court of First Instance in Oujda, [eastern Morocco,] ruled a three and a half years prison sentence (without probation), plus financial compensation of 100,000 dirhams (13,000 USD) against the wife of the judge who employed the child maid Zaineb. Many lawyers in Oujda considered the ruling harsh, the court having not taken into account any of the mitigating circumstances … The ruling surprised everyone because it was contrary to what the public opinion seemed to be expecting: a penalty that wouldn't exceed a few months in prison.

Solidarité Maroc remarked somewhat sarcastically [fr]:

Malgré les dénonciations concernant les deux époux, seule l'épouse a été inculpée, alors que le juge a été innocenté. Encore une illustration de la justice, au Maroc.

Despite the accusations against the couple, only the wife was charged, while the judge was acquitted. Another illustration of Justice in Morocco.

Blogger Moustapha Mouden of the collective blog SidiSlimane [ar], remarking on a 2M program on child labor, says of the issue:

يجب الآن الانتقال إلى المرحلة الثانية، وهي التحسيس ومواجهة الظاهرةومحاربتها في العمق
أي أن المشكل في فقر الأسر التي تبعث بناتها للاشتغال..
. لكن هناك كذلك مشكل الوعي بخطورة القضية، وبالتالي لا تكفي القوان

We should now be moving to the second phase of campaigning and dealing with this problem [child work] at its roots. That is the state of deprivation that pushes many a poor family to send its child to work.

But there is also the issue of awareness this serious problem, that laws have proved insufficient to deal with.

The blogger also remarks on the issue of awareness, something that the laws cannot change:

يجب التركيز على مسألة الوعي، والتحسيس بمختلف عواقب تشغيل الفتيات… وهو ما يتطلب كذلك إعمال النصوص القانوينة الخاصة بالموضوع، وإشعار السلطات المعنية بضرورة القيام بواجبها، ومن ذلك اتفاقية حقوق الطفل التي صادق عليها المغرب، ومدونة الشغل التي تجرم تشغيل من هو/هي في أقل من 15 سنة، وكذلك قانون إجبارية تدريس الأطفال

We must focus on the question of awareness and information on the various consequences of this phenomenon on girls… This also requires reform of the legislation, and making the authorities rise up to their duties in committing to the Convention on Rights of the Child, ratified by Morocco, and to the Labor Code, which criminalizes child labor, that is the work imposed on children younger than 15 years, as well as to the law itself, making education compulsory for all young children in this country.

Special thanks to Hisham for assistance with this post.

Western Sahara: Hunger Strike in Support for Separatists

Hisham — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:12:29 +0000

Solidarité Maroc [Fr], an online forum regrouping some Moroccan human rights activist, publishes an appeal (video) by French national Jean François Debargue who's on hunger strike in solidarity with Sahrawis whom he says are living in “dire conditions” in Western Sahara - a territory administered by Morocco and contested by the separatist Polisario Front, which is supported by neighbouring Algeria.

Guinea: In the aftermath of a massacre

Abdoulaye Bah — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:07:09 +0000

Amid widespread international condemnation of Guinea's military regime, the United Nations announced Friday it would launch a formal investigation into the September 28th massacre of opposition protestors in Conakry. At least 150 people were killed by soldiers, and many more beaten or raped, for gathering in a football stadium to protest the government of Captain Dadis Camara. Camara seized power in December after the death of Lansana Conte, president of Guinea for nearly 25 years. Meanwhile, Guinean netizens continue trying to process and assess the meaning of the tragedy.

L'Union des forces républicaines, in an official release dated October 1st, 2009, attests to the planned nature of the brutal killings:

Comment peut-on expliquer que les forces de l’ordre aient laissé les gens entrer dans le stade sans aucune résistance, attendre que le stade soit rempli [et] des milliers se disperser tout autour du stade avant de lancer l’assaut …. Cela relève bien de la plus macabre des stratégies militaires.

How to justify that security forces let people enter into the stadium without any resistance, waited until the stadium is full [with] thousands of people [outside], surrounding the stadium before launching the assault…This is the most macabre military stategy.

On October, 15th, Kouyaté, blogging at observers.france24.com, sent a report with photographs to the site, giving evidence of the armed forces' atrocities (warning: graphic content):

Two soldiers remained, along with the guy who was bleeding to death on the ground. One of the soldiers who stayed had a knife. He came up to the guy and stabbed him three times - once in the chest, once in the stomach, and once in the back. A car from the presidential guard was sent to pick up the two soldiers.

Journalists receive death threats

In the wake of the massacre, Guinean journalists have been subject to harrassment and intimidation; many have received death threats. Guineenews.org, a popular blog opened by a Guinean living in Canada, describes the situation of journalists:

…journalistes de Guineenews et d’autres organes de presse de Guinée continuent de recevoir des menaces de la part des autorités militaires. Leur faute c’est de rapporter les évènements minute par minute.

… journalists from Guineenews website and other Guinean media continue to receive threats from military authorities. Their crime was the timely reporting of events.

And cite several recent examples.

Hamidou Sow, one of their correspondents in Conakry describes what happened after he participated in a forum on a local radio station:

Après l’émission je n’ai cessé de recevoir des coups de fil anonyme me menaçant de mort « vous êtes des apatrides parce qu’au lieu de soutenir le CNND, vous soutenez les opposants…..Vous etes contre Dadis, mais toi tu vas partir avant lui, toi le traitre. On vous a dit que c’est lui ou la mort. »

After the radio broadcast, I received anonymous phone calls nonstop threatening me with death “you are without a fatherland because instead of supporting the CNDD, you are supporting the opposition …You are against Dadis, but you'll call it quits before him, you traitor. We told you that it is him or death.”

Sow says that after the press conference held by Blaise Compaoré, the African Union and ECOWAS’ facilitator, a soldier threatened to kill Sow if the met on the road.

In a third case, after he wrote a post for Guineenews website ” En Guinée la vie des journalistes est en danger depuis le 28 Septembre” :

…C’est vous qui salissez l’image de la Guinée. Vous voulez saper les actions du CNDD ? On ne vous laissera pas faire. Sache que je te tiens à l’œil.

You are those who are producing a bad image of Guinea. You want to hinder CNDD actions? We will not let you do so. I'm watching you.

Guineenews website gives names of journalists from various media who were beaten and their work equipment as well as vehicles, mobile phone and their money stolen. The post informs that:

Selon plusieurs sources concordantes, la junte aurait établi une liste de journalistes et de personnalités politiques à abattre.

According to various corroborating sources, the junta may have drawn up a list of journalists and political leaders to be killed.

Rape: “A Weapon of War”

In the weeks since the massacre, it has also emerged that dozens of women were beaten and raped. Kouyaté blogs a photograph of a woman who was raped by soldiers (warning: graphic content). From Guineepresse.info:

Tu as aidé ce malade frustré, qui a déclaré avoir été mis au monde par une femme de plus de 60 ans, à devenir plus fou et ivre de pouvoir. voici comment tes filles, tes femmes, tes sœurs, tes mamans et tantes ont été violées, souillées et tuées en pleine journée et en public par cette bande.

Elle a eu beaucoup de chance : celle d’être “simplement” violée !

Il s'agit là des preuves qui enfonceront Dadis, Pivi, Sékouba, Thieboro, Toumba, Moussa Keita, Korka et leurs nervis et complices (notamment le félon Komara) devant une juridiction internationale.

You have left this frustrated sick man, who declared that he was delivered by a 60 years-old woman, to become madder and deliriously power thirsty. See how your daughters, wives, sisters, mothers and aunts were raped, soiled and killed in open day and publicly by this gang.

She was rather lucky, she was “only” rapedThese are evidence which will crush Dadis, Pivi, Sékouba, Thieboro, Toumba, Moussa Keita, Korka and their henchmen and accomplices in front of an international tribunal (in particular the perfidious Komara).

In his post “Rape, a new weapon of war,” [Fr] Thierno from Guineelibre.com writes:

Des photos prises à l’aide de téléphone portables circulent dans le pays. Terribles, difficiles à démentir, ces images suscitent la colère. Elles montrent que les femmes ont été spécifiquement prises pour cible par les soldats guinéens, qui, il y a deux semaines, ont réprimé une manifestation qui a eu lieu dans un stade de la capitale. Victimes et témoins parlent de viols, de passages à tabac et d’humiliations intentionnelles. « Après ce que j’ai vu, je ne peux plus dormir la nuit » reconnaît une femme d’âge moyen issue d’une famille aisée. » Elle raconte qu’elle a été frappée et violentée. « J’ai peur, j’ai vu beaucoup de femmes violées et beaucoup d’autres tuées. »

Mobile phone pictures circulate around the country. Terrific, hard to deny, these scenes raises anger. They show that women were specially targeted by Guinean soldiers, who, two weeks ago, have repressed a rally which took place in a stadium of the capital city. Victims and eyewitnesses speak about rapes, beating and intentional humiliations. “After what I have seen, I can’t anymore sleep” says a middle aged lady from a well-off family. She says how she was beaten and raped. “I am scared, I have seen so many raped women and many more killed.”

Global protests against the massacre, calls for civilian ministers to resign

Guineans living abroad organized also manifestations around the world, particulary in the main capital cities, including Paris, Berlin, London, Brussells, New-York, Ottawa, Montréal. Videos were produced and are available on Facebook.

After these bloody events, Guinean Diaspora is putting pressure on the civilian ministers in order to resign from the government. They are all highly educated people; with many years of experience in democratic environment and some of them are active members of the Association des victims du Camp Boiro. By remaining in the government they caution its atrocities. So far only 3 civilian ministers and high level officials have resigned.

Abdoulaye Condé, Advisor in Communication and NTIC in the office of the President was among the first to resign. In his resignation letter addressed to Capitaine Camara, published by online radio Radio-Kankan on October,16th, he wrote:

en acceptant ma nomination, j’étais particulièrement heureux de contribuer à vos côtés à la réalisation de certaines valeurs explicitement contenues dans l’acte de prise du pouvoir par le CNDD et souvent réitérées dans vos discours : L’instauration d’un Etat de droit, la promotion et la défense de la démocratie, des libertés et des droits humains, la culture de la bonne gouvernance, la fin de l’impunité, la lutte contre la corruption, l’organisation d’élections transparentes et crédibles…

Hélas, les derniers événements du 28 septembre 2009, constituent, à mon humble avis, au nom du patriotisme, de l’honnêteté et de la sincérité toujours prônées dans vos déclarations, une autre raison de me démettre d’une fonction dont les apparences exposent son occupant aux fâcheuses conséquences des dégâts provoqués par l’improvisation, l’amateurisme et la fuite en avant.

…accepting my appointment, I was particularly pleased to contribute with you to achieve certain values explicitly contained in the act of taking power by the CNDD and often repeated in your speech: The establishment of the rule of law the promotion and defence of democracy, freedoms and human rights, culture of good governance, an end to impunity, the fight against corruption, organizing transparent and credible elections …

Unfortunately, recent events of September 28, 2009, are, in my humble opinion, in the name of patriotism, honesty and sincerity always advocated in your statements, another reason to resign a function whose appearances expose its occupant to adverse consequences of damage caused by improvisation and amateurism headlong.

Expectations were high among Guineans after the bloodless coup that brought Camara and the CNDD to power. Contrary to his predecessors, Camara was educated in Europe, and so had been exposed to concepts of democracy and the respect of human rights abroad. He was heralded all over the country. His promises of change convinced many that after two dictators, living conditions would improve and, in particular, that corruption would end, or at least could be reduced. Even if he was sincere in his willingness to fight corruption and drug trafficking, in his authoritarian ways, he has shown his weakness and inability to rule the country.

Jennifer Brea contributed to this article

Guadeloupe: The Water Days

Fabienne Flessel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:35:16 +0000

In The French-speaking Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, also dubbed “the Island with Beautiful Waters”, water is vital. It is all the more central since it defines the two seasons of the Guadeloupean climate either because it is scarce or because it is plentiful: “Carême” is a 6 month-long dry season and “Hivernage” is a 4 month-long hurricane and rainy season. Unquestionably, Guadeloupeans not only depend on the availability of water resources but also on the quality of this precious liquid.

This is the reason why 46 years ago, the Syndicat Intercommunal de l'Alimentation en Eau et d'Assainissement de la Guadeloupe [Fr] (Intermunicipal Syndicate of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation) appeared among Guadeloupean institutions. At first, it started providing water to three cities and now it offers services to thirteen out of the thirty-six municipalities in Guadeloupe. But today, the syndicate has to face a great number of issues that range from technical difficulties to environmental questions and they have, for the last eight years, organized les Journées de l'Eau en Guadeloupe (Water Days in Guadeloupe) in order to share their thoughts and projects with the professionals and the public. Blogger JarryCafé [Fr] who specializes in the daily life of Jarry, the economic center of Guadeloupe, promotes the 5 day conference:

Du 13 au 17 octobre venez vous informer au WTC de Jarry sur les problématiques environnementales de l’eau et ses enjeux dans les années à venir.

From October 13th to 17th, come to the WTC in Jarry and get information about the environmental issues related to water and about the stakes for the years to come.

Stakes are numerous indeed and Guadeloupean blogger Indiscrétions [Fr] reports on different topics discussed by the president of the syndicate, like the deterioration of the waterways and the water purification plants, the huge waste of water and the possibility to stock water in case of droughts. Besides these concerns, it seems that for years now a great environmental catastrophe has captured the interest of the Guadeloupean population, the Kepone crisis and Indiscrétions reports the president's cautious statement about it [Fr]:

Il y a eu des générations d'agriculteurs qui ont utilisé des produits phytosanitaires qui ont pollué les nappes d'eau, surtout en Basse-Terre. On dit qu'il y a des eaux polluées…

Generations of farmers have used phytosanitary products which have polluted the ground water, mostly in Basse-Terre. Some people say that the waters are contaminated…

GaïaSoleil also explains that the Kepone pollution in Guadeloupean waters, among other topics, will be tackled during the course of the conference [Fr]:

Le problème de la pollution de rivières à la chlordécone est certes dans toutes les têtes lors de ces journées. Cette catastrophe écologique n’est qu’un aspect de la pollution générale des milieux aquatiques : d’autres produits phytosanitaires et d’autres pollutions, dont celles pouvant être occasionnés par les déchets ou les vidanges sauvages sont en cause.

The problem of Kepone pollution in rivers is certainly in everyone's mind during these conference days. However, this environmental catastrophe is only a part of the overall water pollution: other phytosanitary products and other types of pollution are at stake, as the one caused by waste and evacuation.

Domactu has also mentioned the event and highlighted the regional cooperation implied by the theme of the conference [Fr]: “eaux: nécessité, vérités et solidarités dans la Caraïbe” (water, necessity, truths and solidarities in the Caribbean). GaïaSoleil also insists on this feature as it presents the foreign guests and their collaboration to this conference [Fr]:

…les intervenants de Cuba, de République Dominicaine, d’Haïti ont eu l’occasion d’exposer les problématiques de l’eau sur leurs territoires et les solutions qu’ils ont choisies.

…the participants from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti had a chance to introduce the water issues in their countries and the solutions they have chosen to implement.

This last quote from Indiscretion is all the more central since it goes beyond the Guadeloupean concern for its waters and echoes a widespread feeling among Caribbean people: isolation and lack of regional cooperation [Fr]:

…Je vous parlais de l'eau de la Dominique pour irriguer Marie-Galante. J'ai vu, à Santo Domingo, une station d'épuration qui fonctionne parfaitement, qui coûte moins cher à la construction que tout ce que nous avons. Il faut regarder ce qui se fait autour de nous. Nous avons beaucoup à donner, beaucoup à apprendre.

…I was telling you about water coming from Dominica to irrigate crops in Marie-Galante. In the Dominican Republic, I have seen a water purification plant which works perfectly well and is less expensive to build than all we have. We have to look around us. We have a lot to give and a lot to learn.

The image used in this post, “The World of Water”, is by Snap®, used under a Creative Commons License. Visit Snap®'s flickr photostream.

Tunisia: Watching Arab Media on HIV/AIDS

Ayesha Saldanha — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:25:08 +0000

Zied Mhirsi is a Tunisian doctor, blogger and activist, currently based in the United States, who is dedicated to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Middle East and North Africa. In September 2008 he started a blog called HIV in the Arab World [Ar], which monitors Arab media coverage of HIV/AIDS.

A wide range of subjects are covered in the blog, such as an awareness-raising campaign [Ar] in Tunisia, reasons for the spread of AIDS in Iraq [Ar], and a Saudi religious scholar's opinion [Ar] on the permissibility of marrying a person with HIV/AIDS.

In this post, Zied tells Global Voices Online about his work, and how it all began.

AIDS Awareness Ribbon, by Auntie P (used under Creative Commons License)

What prompted your interest in working in the field of HIV/AIDS?

A family member died of HIV/AIDS when I was 11. This was in the 80s and at that time there was nothing we can do. This event shaped my life and made HIV/AIDS become part of the issues that are dear to me. During my medical school, I joined the Tunisian Association Against AIDS (Association Tunisienne de Lutte Contre le Sida) and never left the HIV field ever since. I worked in Tunisia, Lebanon and Sudan so far and I’m looking forward to help my colleagues and friends in more countries.

What are the greatest challenges for people living with HIV in the Arab world?

Stigma and discrimination is definitely on the top of the list. Stigma is partially due in my opinion to the fear-creating approach that our governments and activists adopted as a main prevention message. Fear is often paired with ignorance and stigma is a consequence of this mix. Stigma makes it more difficult to convince people to get tested, and hence to get treated. It also contributes in denying basic rights to those who are infected and does not allow them to have security regarding their future (work, family…).

When did you start the HIV in the Arab World blog, and who are you aiming at?

I believe in the power of media in changing behaviours and bringing awareness. For many years Arab media has been neglecting the issue of HIV/AIDS and during the last years I observed some changes in the way they framed HIV/AIDS. I created this to better follow the way Arab media reports about AIDS and to offer to those interested a webpage that collects all the articles that talk about this epidemic in the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] region. It is also a way for me to keep connected with the MENA HIV news.

You also have a Facebook group associated with the HIV in the Arab World blog – who is it for?

I left the region in 2007 and moved to the United States where I work for the department of Global Health at the University of Washington. This move made it difficult for me to keep in touch with my friends and colleagues from the region. I created this Facebook group to reconnect with my friends and to offer an opportunity for activists and HIV/AIDS professionals to meet and discuss about the issues that are important to them. It is a primarily a networking tool and also a forum where news and emerging issues are discussed. The group is open only to those who are working in the field and has already more than 42 members from all over the Arab world.

How many HIV-positive people are there in Tunisia? Can you describe the work of the Tunisian Association Against AIDS [fr]?

Tunisia’s HIV epidemic is relatively small (3000 estimated cases/10,000,000 inhabitants). We estimate the prevalence to be one of the lowest in the world. This is due to male circumcision, a good healthcare system, conservative sexual behaviours and the government/civil society’s work. There is however a lot that needs to be done in order to prevent the disease from spreading larger. These actions include a need to target vulnerable groups with better designed prevention interventions and more work on the policy and epidemiology level.

I joined the Tunisian HIV association in 1997. This NGO is the largest and one of the most popular ones in Tunisia. We work in the areas of HIV prevention, care and support, and advocacy. We cover the Tunisian territory with more than 5 local offices and we participate in many international activities and networks that represent to us a source of funding and partnerships.

Morocco: Praise for Islamic Finance

Anas Alaoui — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:48:40 +0000

In a recent blog post, Paris-based Moroccan blogger Larbi (Fr) takes a closer look at Islamic finance. He writes: “While global finance has collapsed and the world was plunged into a financial crisis like no other, a little village still resists to this wave. It is called: “Islamic Finance”. Crisis? Do not Know! Consider that in 2008, the assets of the 100 largest Islamic banks have increased by over 66% reaching a figure of $580 billion.”