· March, 2011

Stories about Development from March, 2011

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Towards Partition

  31 March 2011

At OpenDemocracy.net, Bedrudin Brljavac writes about the situation in Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Fifteen years since the end of the war, ethno-nationalist leaders continue to pursue political agendas leading to the partitioning of Bosnia rather than membership of a united Europe. And yet, without the prospect of the EU, it is...

Haiti: Not Like Japan

  29 March 2011

Toussaint on Haiti has been avoiding news of the Japan earthquake for fear of “triggering sad memories”, noting that stories of recovery there “really b[ring] home…the dysfunction that exists in Haiti.”

Bermuda: Development vs. Conservation

  28 March 2011

“Can we please stop pretending that that the Tucker’s Point SDO is about saving tourism? It’s about developing real estate”: Vexed Bermoothes says that “there has been a drought of information to justify abandoning the various conservation protections on the land.”

Puerto Rico: 2010 Census figures

  26 March 2011

Doctoral student and blogger Deepak Lamba-Nieves is starting to analyze the latest release of 2010 Census figures for Puerto Rico:  “Although the main story has been the population loss registered from 2000 to 2010 in the island as a whole (- 2.2%), the municipal-level figures provide a more complex landscape...

Ecuador: Investigation Around Newborn Deaths Continues

  24 March 2011

According to Ecuador's latest census, more than 14 million people live in the country, but there is still no consensus on the national infant mortality rate. Recent incidents have called attention to health care practices in neonatal units in Ecuadorian hospitals, triggering an investigation around newborn deaths in the country.

Should Indonesia Abandon its Nuclear Plans?

  24 March 2011

Indonesia’s plan to build its first nuclear plant in the next decade has been shelved indefinitely because of the nuclear disaster in Japan. Bloggers are joining the debate on whether Indonesia should pursue its nuclear dreams.

Haiti: Developing Aid

  23 March 2011

“The agenda of development aid should not be set by people so far removed from the uncertainty of life that has dominated human existence for the majority of time”: Throwing Down the Water wants to get everyone speaking the same language.

Barbados, Bermuda: Cost of Development

  22 March 2011

“As Barbados citizens question the government’s decision to allow development at Cove Bay, our friends to the north in Bermuda are rising against a similar decision by their government to kill green space in pursuit of the almighty dollar”: Barbados Free Press reports.

Morocco: The Winds of Change

For the past month, Moroccans have taken to the streets to call for a reform of the constitution and for the establishment of a democratic parliamentary system. On March 20, 2011, the peaceful protests, which took place in cities both large and small, continued, inspiring bloggers in Morocco and the Diaspora to share their thoughts.

Ecuador: New Developments and Cyber-Activism in Chevron Case

  20 March 2011

On February 14, 2011, an Ecuadorian judge ruled that oil company Chevron had to pay US$9.5 million in environmental damages. Almost a month later, Chevron has appealed the sentence; citizens and activists are sharing information and taking part in online campaigns for this case.

Tanzania: Getting honest about rural water supply

  18 March 2011

Tanzanians must get honest about rural water supply: “It's Maji [Water] Week, so a good time for some more analysis of key water supply issues. Several times this blog has presented arguments that the main challenges in rural water supply are political rather than technical or even administrative.”

El Salvador: Investing in Agriculture

  18 March 2011

Locavore del Mundo reports that El Salvador is investing “on developing productive and profitable agriculture in the northern parts of the country” through funding from the Milllennium Challenge Corporation.

Saudi Arabia: King Promises Saudis More Money

More money was promised to Saudis today, following an address by King Abdulla to the nation. In a short address, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques thanked clerics, writers and the Ministry of Interior for their efforts in defending the kingdom. Announcements and decrees then followed that billions would be dished out on Saudis.

Bangladeshi Workers Evacuated From Libya Faces Uncertain Future

  17 March 2011

Tasfiyah Jalil at BRAC Blog reports about the plights of the Bangladeshi workers evacuated from Libya, who had supposedly escaped death and endured weeks of near-starvation and now find themselves in native soil empty handed and people owing them money they borrowed to go abroad.

Brazil: Great Fishing Against Belo Monte Dam

  17 March 2011

Traditional populations of the Brazilian Amazon forest ran the “Great Fishing Action” from March 11 to March 14. The campaign, which urged against the Belo Monte Dam while calling for the protection of the Xingu river, gathered around 600 fishermen in the city of Altamira . The Xingu Vivo Committee...