· October, 2011

Stories about Politics from October, 2011

D. R. of Congo: DRC Elections Watch 2011

  31 October 2011

DRC Elections Watch 2011: “In the afternoon of Sunday, October 30, with his wife Olive Lembe by his side, Joseph Kabila formally launched his electoral campaign in Kindu, in the Maniema Province, with a long speech in Swahili in front of thousands of his supporters.”

Tunisia: Elections Usher in a New Dawn

  31 October 2011

Tunisians have freely elected representatives who will form a national constituent assembly, which will draft the country's constitution for the first time in their history. While Sidi Bouzid rose in objection to the results in their town, many were happy with the outcome saying it ushered a new dawn for their country.

Cuba: Off-Colour Remark in Red Light District

  31 October 2011

babalu is appalled by a remark that Mariela Castro (director of Cuba's National Center for Sexual Education) makes in an interview with Radio Netherlands during a visit to the red light district in Amsterdam, saying: “[She] enjoys a hearty laugh at the expense of Cuban women who are forced to...

Cuba: Members of “Las Damas” Detained

  31 October 2011

Uncommon Sense learns that “ten members of the Laura Pollan Damas De Blanco…were among severa dissidents arrested in Santiago de Cuba as they tried to gather for Mass” yesterday morning.

Russia: Alternative Voting Portal Launched

RuNet Echo  31 October 2011

Habrahabr-user uhaby writes [ru] about otdamgolos.ru, a web-portal that offers users to propose alternative parliamentary and presidential candidates as well as to vote for them. The author claims that within 10 days his website attended 137,500+ visitors. In the virtual parliamentary election three parties received most votes: 1. The Pirate Party,...

Iran: Virtual U.S Embassy

  30 October 2011

America decided to establish a virtual U.S embassy for Iran. In Khodnevis a cartoon says “Imam [Khomeyni]how can we climb up this embassy's wall”. The cartoon refers to Iran hostage crisis where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981.

Brazil: Mobilization Against Racism Towards Indigenous Peoples

  30 October 2011

Following the occupation of the Belo Monte construction site, socio-environmental student Robson Fernando, from the blog Consciência, denounces [pt] racist comments left ​​by readers of Folha de São Paulo on the newspaper's website against the Brazilian indigenous population. On another post, Fernando calls those who propagate prejudice and hatred to...

Yemen: VP Hadi Leaves to the US for Treatment!

  29 October 2011

Today's main headline in Yemen was the sudden departure of Vice President Abdu Rabbu Mansoor Hadi to the US for medical treatment. Hadi's absence adds a new snag to the signing of the unpopular GCC deal, which Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh has been putting off for months. Noon Arabia has more.

D.R. of Congo/U.S.A: Conflict-Free: A Growing Movement

  29 October 2011

Alex Hellmuth and Tracy Fehr looks the growing conflict-free minerals movement in the US: “The progress made by Congo activists earlier this month in the state of California, the city of St. Petersburg, FL, and most recently at the University of Colorado-Boulder, is part of a dynamic conflict-free movement that...

Africa: On Cutting Aid to Countries Violating LGBTI Rights

  29 October 2011

Statement of African social justice activists on the decision of the British government to “cut aid” to African countries that violate the rights of LGBTI people in Africa: “We, the undersigned African social justice activists, working to advance societies that affirm peoples’ differences, choice and agency throughout Africa, express the...

Ukraine: “We Are Europeans”

  29 October 2011

Ordinary Ukrainians are using citizen media and social networks to voice their commitment to European values and organize rallies in support of Ukraine's European orientation. Veronica Khokhlova reports.