Global Voices » Photos

Haiti: Haitian Flag Day

Fabienne Flessel — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:36:55 +0000

Haitians all over the world recently celebrated the 209th Haitian Flag Day along with the country's educational system. Martinican blogger at Bel Balawou publishes a stream of pictures [Fr], taken during the event in Haiti, while Haitian Alterpresse explains and comments [Fr] on the main speeches of the day.

Turkey: Poetic Commemoration of Uludere Airstrike Victims

Stratos Moraitis — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:59:33 +0000

On December 29, 2011 in southeastern Turkey several Turkish Airforce F-16s bombed a convoy of Turkish Kurds on mules who were engaged in border trade, apparently mistaking them for Kurdish rebels. Thirty-four were killed; the average age of the victims was twenty.

While the Uludere (Roboski) bombing is still in the news headlines today, interest has been focused on the government's silence and the ongoing investigation, and the human side of the tragedy has been neglected.

However, last week poet and author Bejan Matur visited the region and posted her impressions on her Twitter account [tr], in both her poetic prose and photos.

A mother at her son's grave.

@bejanmatur: bugün geldim roboskiye ve gidemedim. yaslı kızkardeşlerin sesleri bırakmadı beni…

I arrived at Roboski today and couldn't leave. The voices of mourning sisters didn't let me.

@bejanmatur: roboskide gece;sınıra düşen top sesleri, F-16 ucusşları ve bütün gün mezarlıkta ağıt yakan kadınların anlattığı ölü oğullar. ahh yeter mi?

Night in Roboski: shelling on the border, the sounds of F-16 flights, and fallen sons about whom mothers ululate all day long at the cemetery. Ah, is that enough?

At her brother's grave.

@bejanmatur: o kadar uzaktık birbirimizden. o kadar yalnız kendimizle…

We were so far away from each other… However in solitude with ourselves…

@bejanmatur: Tum bunlar olurken butun gece ve gun roboskide top sesleri dinmedi. helikopterler, karsi tepelerden yukselen dumanlar arasinda yasanan hayat

As these events were happening, all day and all night shelling sounds never ceased at Roboski. A life between ever-flying helicopters and smoke from the shells on the mountain across.

His look…

@bejanmatur: 'Aile ici siddet nasil korkuncsa bizim cocuklarimiz da bu seslerle buyuyor' diyor biri roboskideki top seslerini kastederek.

Someone said, “These sounds have the same effect on children as an abusive family.” He meant the sound of heavy artillery.

@bejanmatur: Olumden duyduklari aciyi azaltacak tek sey sorumlularin cezalandirilmasi cunku!

The only thing that would ease their pain would be the conviction of those responsible!

To live and to die at Roboski.

As one of Bejan's poems says:

Beklemeyi bilen kan,
Taş olmayı da bilir.
Dünyada olmak acıdır. Öğrendim.

Blood that knows how to wait
Knows how to be a stone.
Being on earth is pain itself. I've learned.

Bejan Matur was born in 1968 in an Alevi Kurdish family in the city of Marash in southeast Turkey. As well as being a poet she is a newspaper columnist and runs a cultural foundation in Diyarbakır.

All photos courtesy of Bejan Matur.

Israel: Increase in Racism Against African Asylum Seekers

Elizabeth Tsurkov — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:07:28 +0000

In the past few weeks two cases of rape of Jewish women by Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers have been reported in the Israeli media, prompting a new wave of racism against asylum seekers in Israel.

Israel is currently home to about 45,000 asylum seekers; over 80% of them are from Eritrea and Sudan, who are barred from gaining refugee status in Israel. Instead, the refugees receive a conditional temporary release, until their deportation is possible. Currently, since such deportation would endanger the lives of the asylum seekers, it is illegal according to both international law and Israeli law.

The Israeli government insists that the asylum seekers are in fact illegal economic migrants and refuses to grant them any rights. Top Israeli officials, including the Minister of Interior Eli Yishai and Prime Minister Netanyahu have consistently claimed that the refugees pose a demographic threat as well as a threat to Israel's national security.

Following the two incidents of rape, Yishai said in an interview that “most African infiltrators are are involved in crime” and stated that the solution would be to lock up all refugees and deport them. However, police statistics show that the general crime rate in Israel is more than double that of Africans in Israel.

Racist graffiti in Hativa neighborhood, southern Tel Aviv. The graffiti reads "Sudanese go home" and "Price tag". Photo courtesy of Alon Sherf.

Blogger Shooky Galili has written [he] about the government's policy of sending the refugees to the poorest neighborhoods of Tel Aviv the moment they get out of detention (which they enter after crossing the border with Egypt):

מבחינת המדינה הם היו שקופים מאז ומתמיד. לא ספרו אותם. אז זה לא מפתיע שדווקא במקום הזה מכל המקומות בחרה המדינה להשליך, כמו כלבים, מאות אפריקאים בכל שבוע. אלפי פליטים שאיש לא דאג להם ללבוש, מקלט, עבודה או שירותים רפואיים. ביניהם עריקים מצבאות אכזריים, אסירים נמלטים, מתנגדי ממשל, אנשים שיקיריהם נרצחו, עונו ו/או נאנסו לנגד עיניהם וסתם אנשים שברחו מרעב, אלימות ופחד, למקום שחשבו שהוא אנושי יותר.

As far as the state is concerned, it has always ignored them [residents of the poor neighborhoods in Tel Aviv]. It's not surprising that in this place of all other places the state chose to dump, like dogs, hundreds of Africans every week. Thousands of refugees who no one provided with clothing, shelter, food or medical services. Among them are defectors from cruel armies [Eritrean refugees], escaped [political] prisoners, dissidents, people whose dear ones were murdered, tortured and/or raped before their eyes, or just people who escaped hunger, violence and fear, to a place they thought would be more humane.

Sigal Rozen, a prominent refugee rights activist from the Hotline for Migrant Workers (whose employees last week received death threats for assisting refugees), described the consequences of this incitement:

For the residents of southern Tel Aviv, where most of the refugees are concentrated, official crime rates undoubtedly do not matter. Their subjective feelings of fear are understandable. The irresponsible statements of senior police chiefs, together with the media coverage of actual incidents and the speeches of ministers and MKs, lead the residents to believe that almost all Africans walking the streets are criminals. This belief, and the fact that the streets of their neighborhoods are indeed filled with African newcomers, leads residents of the neighborhoods to the painful conclusion that the authorities are abandoning them. But this discourse has dangerous implications. In the last month, the number of hate crimes carried out by Israelis against Africans has risen tremendously. Multiple Molotov cocktails were thrown into houses of Africans in southern Tel Aviv on two separate occasions, a week apart.

Professor Moshe Negbi wrote on the 7th Eye blog about the role of the Israeli media [he]:

חיוני להזכיר למנסחי הכותרות ולכתבי הפלילים כי סעיף 14 לתקנון האתיקה של מועצת העיתונות – שכותרתו “אפליה וגזענות” – אוסר לאזכר את שיוכו של עבריין או חשוד למגזר כלשהו, אלא אם יש לשיוך האמור קשר מובהק וברור לעבריינותו. […] ברור שהכותרות “אריתריאים חשודים בתקיפה בדרום תל-אביב” ו”אפריקאי חשוד בשוד” אף הן עבירות קשות על הסעיף האמור, משום שבאזכור מוצאו האתני של העבריין יש כדי להטביע אות קין במצחם של כל בני עמו או גזעו.

כאשר הדבר נעשה בהקשר לתקיפות מיניות, העבירה חמורה ומסוכנת שבעתיים, משום שהפחד מ”הזר האפל”, המאיים כביכול על תומתן של בנותינו, הוא חומר הבעירה הגזעני הקטלני ביותר. מקומם שעורכים וכתבים מזינים בניסוחיהם את חומר הבעירה הזה. לא למותר לציין כי 85% מהתקיפות המיניות לא רק שאינן מבוצעות על-ידי “זר אפל”, אלא אחראים להן מכרים, קרובים או מעסיקים של הנאנסות.

It is crucial to remind editors in charge of phrasing headlines and crime reporters that Article 14 of the Ethics Regulations of the Israeli Press Council - entitled “Discrimination and Racism” - forbids mentioning the association of a criminal or a suspect with any sector of society, unless the affiliation to this group has a direct and clear connection to his crime. […] It is clear that the headlines “Eritreans suspected of an assault in southern Tel Aviv” and “African suspected of robbery” are grave violations of the aforementioned article, because the mentioning of the criminal's ethnicity implicates the criminal's entire people or race.

When it comes to sexual assaults, the violation [of the Ethics Regulations] is much more severe, since the fear of the “dark stranger”, who supposedly threatens the innocence of our daughters, is the most deadly racist combustive material. It is outrageous that editors and reporters feed the fire of this combustive material with their reports. Needless to say, 85% of sexual assaults [in Israel] not only do not involve a “dark stranger”, but happen at the hands of acquaintances, relatives or employers of the rape victims.

Injury of Eritrean man attacked by two Israelis holding broken bottles and a knife. Photo by Sigal Rozen on Facebook.

Yossi Gurvitz, leading Israeli leftist blogger, commented:

When the Israeli media reports a rape by “foreigners,” it engages in dog-whistling. It informs its readership that something much worse than rape took place: the defilement of the blood and honor of the Jewish people, the defiling of the honor of a daughter of Israel.

On his blog Room 404, Ido Kenan reported on the racist comments [he] posted by some Israelis in response to police requests for help in locating a five-year-old Eritrean girl who went missing (and was later found) in southern Tel Aviv:

הסטטוס זכה ל-300 שיתופים ולתגובות אמפתיות, אבל גם לכאלו של שנאה, גזענות וחוסר רגישות.
Avishay Vas: “תבדקו בחניונים…אולי סודני תקף אותה…”

The status [by the police, notifying that the girl went missing] received 300 shares and sympathetic reactions, but also comments filled with hatred, racism and insensitivity.
[For example] Avishay Vas: Check in the parking lots…Maybe a Sudanese man assaulted her…

Quick to joke about anything, Israelis on Twitter also commented on the growing wave of racism toward Africans:

Ayelet quipped:

זה בדיוק מה שישראל היתה צריכה עכשיו, גזענות נגד שחורים.

@a_Daydreamer: This is exactly what Israel needs right now, racism against black people.

Erez Raviv joked:

למה פאניקה ? קצת גזענות, קסנופוביה, פערים וריקבון חברתי לא הרגו אף אחד. בייחוד יהודים

@Erez_Raviv: Why all the panic? A little racism, xenophobia, inequality and social decay never killed anyone. Especially Jews

Thailand: Red Shirts Back in the Streets

Mong Palatino — Mon, 21 May 2012 01:02:38 +0000

On May 19, 2012, tens of thousands of Red Shirt protesters commemorated the second anniversary of the army and police crackdown on anti-government protesters in central Bangkok, Thailand. The May 2010 street violence resulted in the deaths of more than 90 people. Many Red Shirt members are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted by a coup in 2006.

The violent dispersal of the Red Shirt protest contributed to the unpopularity of the government in 2010 which was at that time headed by Abhisit Vejjajiva. Abhisit’s party lost in the elections last year. Thailand’s incumbent Prime Minister is the younger sister of Thaksin.

Photos of the event last Saturday are available on Facebook and Flickr. Here are some photos:

Thousands attended Red Shirt rally in Bangkok. Photo from @RichardBarrow

Red Shirts rally. Photo from Facebook page of Richard Barrow

Red Shirts demand justice. Photo from Facebook page of Richard Barrow

Red Shirts program in the evening. Photo from @aleursic

A video clip of Robert Amsterdam’s speech during the rally. Amsterdam is the lawyer of Thaksin. Some netizens are critical to the activities of the Red Shirts:

@Rom Senakant: sad group of people… They thought they are fighting for just cause but actually they are the being used by a crony ex PM Thaksin or Thug-Sin

@ric_lawes: Reds calling for Justice http://bit.ly/Jv8Ien - simple fact - reds lay siege to the city and 91 people died. No reds no deaths.

@Agam_T: Today, I'm celebrating 2nd anniversary of the END of #RedShirts arson and violence. May19th was the day we got our city back.

Thaksin’s appeal for unity is interpreted by some people as betrayal to the cause of the Red Shirts who are still demanding justice for those who were killed in 2010:

@freakingcat: Are the Red shirts in Ratchprasong so brainwashed and cheered to Thaksin's betrayal speech. 93 died for the greed of the billionaire

@steviegell: Both Thaksin & his sister turned their backs on the red movement. Robert Amsterdam is trying to hide that fact from the reds. Bad form.

Tammy attended the rally and commented about the lack of change in Thailand’s politics:

I just got back from the 2 year anniversary of the crack-down on the Red Shirts protest at Rajprasong, that 2 years ago caused bout 100 civilian death

The new constitution is poised to disappoint those who are looking for democracy, the lese majeste law, the root cause, of many injustices in Thailand, will likely be the same. The death and imprisonment of political prisoners, looks like it will be un-accounted for and not re-solved.

Meanwhile, a government investigation body concluded that state forces are responsible for the deaths of 25 people in the 2010 crackdown.

Spain: 12M, a Ray of Sun in the Midst of the Crisis

Greg Ahlswede — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:11:50 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

On the 12th of May (12M), the Indignado movement demonstrated not only that it is alive and well, but that in fact it continues to have strong social support. A little less than a year after its birth, the 15m (the movement's name after the date it began May 15, 2011) has once again brought together tens of thousands of people unhappy and angry with the government's actions and handling of the European crisis.

Although the demonstrations took place on a global level, Madrid and Barcelona once again took the leading roles of the Indignado movement. A mass protest was carried out around 8 in the evening on May 12th in the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) in Madrid, an emblem of this social revolution. The four marches coming from the four cardinal points of the capital culminated at the central plaza in a peaceful and festive atmosphere. At 10pm, the time that the government had specified as the end of the demonstration's legality, Kilometer Zero (Sol) continued to be full of people and the police did not try to break up the gathering. Just as was planned, at midnight the crowd let out a silent cry after which they took up again the cries of demands, the drum circles, and the cheers. They also sang “Happy Birthday” to celebrate one year of the Indignado movement. Next, the demonstrators spoke directly to the officers through repeated cries of: “Police, join us!”

"The key is in the Sun (Sol)" a poster says in the Madrid plaza. Photo by Elena Arrontes.

Nevertheless, in the early morning hours the authorities intervened to keep around 300 remaining demonstrators from camping in the center. They have taken action in several Spanish cities. The previous year, the movement was uninterrupted and the “Indignados” were able to stay in the streets where they had organized meetings and other activities. This time, those present responded with cries of “No violence,” but all were forced to leave and there were 18 arrested. In the following days, the “Indignados” returned to the plazas. On the Internet, they are denouncing the police actions, the attempt to create fear and to silence their voices.

The blog #AcampadaSol (#CampSol)[es] for its part posted a release from the Sol Legal Commission regarding the events. It came to the following conclusion:

Una vez más, los derechos se conquistan ejerciéndolos. Porque el espacio público es patrimonio de la ciudadanía, un ágora de intercambio de ideas sobre aquello que nos afecta para la contrucción colectiva de un futuro común. Esta es una de las premisas sobre las que ha de asentarse un estado que aspire a considerarse democrático.

Once again, rights are won through their exercise. Because public space is a partimony of the citizens, an agora where there is an exchange of ideas about that which affects our collective construction of a common future. This is one of the premises on which a state that aspires to consider itself democratic must establish itself.

In his post The removal from Sol and the biggest humiliation of my life [es] the blogger Principia Marsupia, after experiencing the forced removal, shared his observations which are now circulating on social networks:

En mi opinión, el gobierno debería sentirse muy satisfecho de que la desesperación generada por la crisis se canalice en un movimiento como el 15M, mayoritariamente pacífico. Basta recordar episodios pasados de sufrimiento social (cierre de astilleros en Galicia o de explotaciones mineras en Asturias) para comprender que cuando manda la desesperanza, la violencia estalla. En el pasado, los ingredientes habituales de una protesta eran las barricadas de neumáticos ardiendo y los cócteles molotov. El símbolo 15M son las tiendas de campaña.

In my opinion, the government should feel very happy that the desperation created by the crisis has been channeled into a movement like 15M, which is mainly peaceful. One only has to remember past episodes of social suffering (the closure of shipyards in Galicia or mining operations in Asturias) to realize that when despair is in control, violence breaks out. In the past, the regular ingredients of a protest were barricades of burning tires and Molotov cocktails. The symbol of 15M is camping tents.

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

Palestine: PalFest Literature Festival in Gaza for First Time

Ola Anan — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:19:29 +0000

This year for the first time the Palestinian Festival of Literature, or PalFest, was held in Gaza. Since it was founded in 2008, the festival's aim has been to bring together Palestinian and international authors, and it organises public events in the evenings and creative writing workshops for Palestinian students during the day.

According to the festival's founder, Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif, having the festival in Gaza has been the ultimate goal of the event since it began, but it has always faced tremendous difficulties in getting permits for the participating authors to come through the Rafah Crossing. This year they were successful at last, and a group of about forty Egyptian, Tunisian, Sudanese and Palestinian authors, artists and activists were granted permission to visit Gaza and participate in PalFest 2012 from May 5 to 10.

Books donated to PalFest Gaza. Image by PalFest on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Workshops

The first day of the event, May 6, was dedicated to workshops at three universities: Al Aqsa University, Al Azhar University and the Islamic Univeristy. As blogger Nader ElKhuzundar described:

The events kicked off by holding two workshops at both Al Azhar and the Islamic University of Gaza on writing and blogging in both Arabic and English. PalFest 2012 authors were astonished by the fact that many students attended the workshops. They were more astonished by the fact that most of the attendees were females.

Palestinian bloggers and tweeps attending PalFest. Image by @tamer_ps and posted by @olanan.

Music and poetry

The next day, May 7, was for a lot of the Palestinians the highlight of the PalFest activities. A four-hour concert took place at Rashad Al Shawa Cultural Theatre, with three Palestinian groups and the Egyptian group Eskenderella.

Palestinian Roba Salibi wrote:

@RobaSalibi: فرقة اسكندريلا اشي خيالي وفوق الوصف. كتير انبسطت باغانيهم وكل اشي فيهم في غزة اليوم . نفسي اروح احضنهم كلهم

Eskenderella is amazing and beyond description. I've enjoyed all of their songs and everything they've done in Gaza today. I just want to hug them all.

In the following video uploaded by PalFest, Egyptian poet Amin Haddad recites a poem, and Eskenderella performs “Ya Falisteeniya” (O Palestinian):

Egypt and Palestine together

Throughout PalFest there was a strong sense of solidarity between the Palestinians and Egyptians. Palestinian Tamer Hamam commented:

@tamer_ps: نفس الأشخاص .. نفس الحناجر .. نفس الأصوات .. نفس القوة .. نفس الإيمان .. هتفت غزة مبارح .. يسقط حكم العسكر .. يسقط الإحتلال

The same people, the same throats, the same voices, the same power, the same conviction. Gaza chanted yesterday, “Down with military rule, down with the occupation”

Nour Abed wrote:

@NourGaza: الحماس مش راضي يهدى! ومع الهتاف لمصر وفلسطين الواحد وكأنو احنا بميدان التحرير!

The enthusiasm is not calming down! And with us chanting for Egypt and Palestine, you feel as if you're in Tahrir Square!

#PalHunger

A mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners was not forgotten by the participants. Egyptian Samia Jaheen tweeted:

@samjaheen: رحنا اعتصام أهالي الأسرى المضربين عن الطعام. واحدة منهم حكيتلنا انها متبنية أسير مصري في سجون الصهاينة. غزة رمز العزة فعلا

We visited the prisoners families' sit-in. One of them told us that she is sponsoring an Egyptian prisoner in a Zionist [Israeli] jail. Gaza is truly the symbol of dignity.

Palestinian blogger Matar wrote:

“زار غزة قبل أيام وفد بالفست تحت عنوان “احتفالية فلسطين للأدب”، كنتُ مشغولاً ومنهمكاً بقضية الأسرى، وعندما قالت ليّ صديقتي أنهم آتون، قلتُ لها: ربما الوقت ليس مناسباً، قضية الأسرى هي أولويتنا. اليوم حين ودّعناهم أدركتُ كم كنتُ مخطئاً ، كيف كنتُ أفكر بهذه الطريقة؟”

A few days ago, the PalFest delegation visited Gaza for the Palestinian Festival of Literature. I was busy with the prisoners' cause, and when a friend of mine told me about their visit, I said, “Maybe this is not an appropriate time; our priority now is the prisoners' cause. Today, as we were exchanging goodbyes, I realized how mistaken I was. What was I thinking?

Palestinian Mahmoud Omar echoed the sentiment:

@_Mahmoud: NOTE: #PalfestGaza is totally consistent with #PalHunger , don't think otherwise.

Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif at the #PalHunger sit-in. Image by PalFest on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Shutdown

Despite having permission for its events, PalFest attracted the attention of members of the Hamas government. Nader ElKhuzundar described what happened:

In the last day of PalFest, a session was held in Qasr Al-Basha in the old part of Gaza City. The session included a goodbye performance by Eskenderella as well as speeches, presentations and readings by PalFest authors. The event drifted into [a discussion of] politics and suddenly, the electricity was cut. Everybody thought it was the electricity schedule under which Gaza has been living for years now so they continued the event. Five minutes later, a suspicious movement was noticed by the hall’s entrance then suddenly, the police stormed the hall, confiscated a woman’s camera as she was filming the event and called the event off claiming that there’s no official permit. […] Three hours later, the Chief of Police, his deputy and a colonel in the Interior Ministry visited the hotel. They officially apologized, stating it was an “individual error” and that they have opened an investigation into what happened. They stated that PalFest would always be welcome in Gaza.

However, a member of Hamas security admitted that the authorities had been reading the PalFest delegation's tweets and press statements, and were angered by the accusations that Hamas suppresses freedom of speech in Gaza.

Palestinian Saif Al Yazori wrote:

@SaifYazori: رغم اسفي من الي حصل في دار الباشا ولكني سعيد لان الوفد المصري ﻻمس الامر على حقيقته ولربما تكون بذرة تغيير ‎‪

Although I am sorry for what happened in Dar El Basha, I'm glad that the Egyptian delegation has experienced things as they really are. Maybe this will be a seed for change.

Blogger Nalan Sarraj wrote:

I want to apologize to the Palfest crew, but it's not my fault my government authority [Hamas] forgot how to love Palestine.

Dr Haidar Eid introducing the closing night of PalFest. Image by PalFest on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).

Goodbyes

Palestinian Ebaa Rezeq was sad to see PalFest end:

@Gazanism: مش مستوعبة إني ودّعت الوفد من شوي!!! يا ريت في كلمة أحسن وأبلغ من كلمة شكراً تنحكى إلهم..شكراً من القلب.

I can't believe that I've just said goodbye to the delegation! I wish there were a better word than “thank you”… Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Egyptian Nariman wrote:

@nariology: بعد شهور من الاحساس بالعجز، يوم واحد في غزة أعاد لي ضرورة الإيمان بالمستحيل..

After months of feeling helpless, one day in Gaza has given me back the sense of needing to believe in the impossible.

Armenia: Homophobic Firebombing Controversy Continues as Officials, MPs Promote Hate Crime

Onnik Krikorian — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:29:09 +0000

Controversy continues to surround the 8 May firebombing of D.I.Y., a gay friendly bar in Yerevan. At the beginning of the week, two MPs of the nationalist-leaning Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) not only surprised many by bailing the two suspected arsonists out of jail, but also by justifying the attack in what some consider to be little more than incitement to further violence against members of Armenia's LGBT community.

The move has been criticized widely, and not least among other members of the ARF-D, most notably in or countries outside Armenia, who believe the MPs contradict the socialist nature of the party. Some ARF-D supporters on Facebook, for example, even created and changed their profile pictures in support of those targeted.

Another voiced their opinion as a Facebook status update.

[…] the statements made by our Parliament member are unfortunate, and the acts of those two idiots are deplorable. […] I hope [the MP] will be removed from the party, simply because he clearly does not uphold the values of the ARF and therefore should not represent us in a position that should be held for our highest standard of leaders.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/05/16/armenia-concerns-and-fears-after-nationalist-firebombers-released/

Several articles and editorials in Armenian-American newspapers affiliated with the ARF-D agreed. Unzipped: Gay Armenia, for example, re-posts a comment left under one such opinion piece criticizing the actions of the two ARF-D MPs.

There are won’t be any marches in Yerevan. No candle lights, no straight folks walking hand in hand with gays or bi’s in the streets of Yerevan claiming the governments disapproval of such hate crime.

What are they waiting for? Do they need some dead bodies? A sensational crime scene decorated by bloodshed … what the hell the Armenian people are waiting for? Go out! Shout out, people! Say “we don’t want bigotery in this country! We had enough of it!

What? This issue doesn’t concern you? What if you will be the next target and nobody will come out to stand up for you?

Think about it!

Even so, in its latest post, Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on a video interview with two self-proclaimed fascists who say it was the ARF-D's own television channel that encouraged them to target sexual minorities in the country.

In an interview with ARF Dashnaktsutyun affiliated Yerkir Media TV station, these underage “fascists” mentioned that they started targeting DIY after the report by Yerkir Media on DIY owner Tsomak participation in Istanbul Gay Pride. Interestingly, Yerkir Media didn't air this interview tonight.

Nevertheless, while one small opposition party leader has come out in support of D.I.Y., senior government officials have now shocked liberal Armenians by also speaking out in support of those responsible for the firebombing.

@unzippedblog: Exposed: Chief of staff of Public Council of #Armenia supports neo-nazi firebombers http://goo.gl/HbbYr #neonazi #hatecrime #scandal

@unzippedblog: Disgusting! #Armenia ruling Republican party spokesman MP explicitly supports anti #gay #neonazi firebombers

@HimaKaren: The spokesman of the rulling regime of #Armenia and the vice-speaker of the parliament Eduard Sharmazanov has spreaded a statement encouraging the individuals who has attacked the gay friendly DIY club, and blaming the people who condemn the #homophobic attacks. This means that the current regime is officially encouraging and supports the homophobic attacks and Armenia in-spite of the official #humanrights conventions it has sign[ed]

Indeed, reports Unzipped: Gay Armenia, one government official even set up a homophobic Facebook page, now deleted, praising the arsonists.

Hakob Barkhudaryan, chief of staff of Public Council of Republic of Armenia, a consultative body at Armenia president, created a Facebook page in praise of neo-nazi attackers on DIY bar: “In support of firebombers of DIY club”, calling for attackers to be freed of persecution.

[…]

This is truly Scandal of the Day. We all know that this council is pretty much a formality, and there are quite a few openly homophobic members there. But support for terrorists? Unbelievable.

What is the position of the president of Public Council re this matter? What is the position of Armenia president?

We need urgent answers as the consequences of this could be enormously damaging for the reputation of Armenia, suggesting support for neo-nazi and firebombers in the very heart of state structures.

Meanwhile, Le Retour in 3 Parts says that officials should instead be condemning the attack and not supporting it.

If there was ever a time for state officials and public figures to speak out, it is now. And again, I say, you may consider us mentally ill (despite the fact that homosexuality is no longer considered a mental disorder […]), you may despise us, you may wish we never existed, but you must stand up and condemn such acts. I believe the authorities are obliged to respond — not by creating a page on Facebook praising the neo-nazi attackers on DIY bar, as one state official did, but by publicly stating that it is acceptable neither to take the law into your hands nor to terrorize, intimidate, vilify or otherwise harass another person or group for ANY reason. Period.

Nevertheless, while some officials and politicians condone the attack, a discussion about the rights of the LGBT community in Armenia has at least started. And with the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) this week ranking Armenia as one of the most homophobic countries in Europe, that discussion is needed more than ever.

Georgia: No Sex and the City

Onnik Krikorian — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:37:51 +0000

No Sex and the City — Georgian Liberal (an oxymoron) blog comments on the physical confrontation between priests accompanying religious parents and LGBT activists marching in Tbilisi, Georgia. The blog details events as they happened, including the alleged inaction of the Georgian police when they were asked to intervene to defuse tensions.

Georgia: LGBT Activists Attacked by Orthodox Religious Group

Mirian Jugheli — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:21:40 +0000

In the first ever event of its kind in the country to mark the 17 May International Day Against Homophobia, Georgian LGBT activists were blocked by a group of Orthodox Christians as they marched in downtown Tbilisi, the Georgian capital.

Priests leading the Union of Orthodox Parents (UOP) demanded the march stopped, alleging that it would lead to moral depravity among the younger generation in the predominantly Christian country.

LGBT activists responded by asking them to clear the way so that the march could continue, but when attempts by the priests and UOP to convince nearby police to to stop the march failed, a physical altercation ensued.

Photo by TSpress.ge

@gabo_ge: პოლიციამ იდენტობის სამი აქტივისტი დააკავა მათ შორის ლევან გერიანიძე

@gabo_ge: Police arrested three activists of Identoba, an organization working on LGBT issues.

@temuchin22: მმკ ხალხს სცემს და ნაცემი ხალხი მიჰყავთ განყოფილებაში. მიმიფურთხებია ასეთი სამართალდამცავი ორგანოსთვის! მოვითხოვ მმკელების დაპატიმრებას!

@temuchin22: UOP (Union of Orthodox Parents) beats people and those who got beaten are taken into custody, screw such law enforcement, I demand UOPs to be arrested.

@lishtotah: LGBT activism limited to “holding the very first pride” will only fuel #homophobia in #Tbilisi :queer here:

@JohnHesslewood: If your main argument is ‘how can you promote something like that in the street' then I would ask the same thing of you, christians #tbilisi

Photo by TSpress.ge

Photo by TSpress.ge

Follow this link to view more photos.

The confrontation was denounced by many on Facebook who changed their profile pictures in support of the activists.

'International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia'

Incidentally, this is not the first time the UOP has disrupted a peaceful gathering. In 2008, for example, several young Georgians were attacked for organizing an open air Halloween party.

Greece: TEDxThessaloniki 2012, the Courage to Create

Asteris Masouras — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:21:09 +0000

Twelve hours long, with more than 20 speakers and performers, over 700 attendees and 5.000 livestream viewers from 57 countries; on Saturday May 12, 2012, TEDx Thessaloniki 2012 provided an inspiring intermission from the agonizing climax of the financial crisis embroiling Greece.

The theme of this year's event was encapsulated in this short but evocative promo video, which “attempts to depict the sense and feeling of suffocation, anguish the crisis has inflicted upon people as well as the ingenuity to transform obstacles into tools of creation”.

Among the speakers that inspired the audience:

Athens-based Albanian journalist and author Gazmend Kapllani talked about the challenges of creativity and identity faced by immigrants;
Stand-up comedian Katerina Vrana performed in English and Greek on the interaction of the two cultures;
Greek-American startup CEO Eric Parks drew parallels between entrepreneurship in Greece and Homer's Odyssey;
American expat Marcie Mayer presented a sustainable agricultural cooperative project utilizing crowdfunding in the island of Kea, and teacher Aggelos Patsias his innovative elementary school at a remote village in Crete;
Czech “rogue economist” Tomas Sedlacek offered an iconoclastic, philosophical view of the financial crisis;
Albanian politician Edi Rama outlined his audacious project to transform his country's capital Tirana into a vibrant and safer metropolis, and to reinvigorate politics.

The entire event was eminently quotable, with several of the speakers providing insights pertinent to the crisis, avidly tweeted by the audience:

@fayko: Να λεμε εγω και μόνο εγω είμαι υπεύθυνος για τις πράξεις μου. Η θυματοποιηση είναι η εύκολη λύση. @gazikap #TEDxThess

@fayko: We should say: I and only I am responsible for my actions. Victimization is the easy way out. @gazikap #TEDxThess

@apas: Καταπληκτικός @erictparks - see the long term vision (Ιθάκη) and do fail and do fail fast. #TEDxThess

@apas: Amazing @erictparks - see the long term vision (Ithaca) and do fail and do fail fast. #TEDxThess

@vickyele: ‘Be present, have access. Listen. Learn. Voice. Have the courage to imagine' #TEDxThess #Rouka

@TEDxThess: Compromise in colors is gray and we already have enough of that.@ediramaal, ex-mayor of Tirana at #TEDxThess

@DimitrisTzouris: . @atomsedlacek says too much growth is causing the economic crisis, not the lack of it. It is a systemic problem. #TEDxThess

@fayko: If we dismantle the euro, this will mean the beginning of the crisis not the end of it. @atomsedlacek #TEDxThess

Several attendees blogged their impressions of the event. Athens-based fashionista Thalia Geladaki wrote about her favorite presentations:

Imagine a young person that abandons urban life to live in a small village named Fourfoura in Crete. Why? Because he chose to become a teacher and director of a primary school located in Fourfoura with only 4 teachers to cover the needs of six classes. What impressed me about Angelos [Patsias] was his modesty and his determination. It takes a lot of courage to persuade a small community that children can actually learn through different activities and interactions and not just through books. Children are learing via singing, dancing as well as by doing the garden or cooking. This to me is an example of how the educational system should be. Learn not only through books but through experience. You can follow Angelos and the “School of Nature and Colors” here.

Edi Rama on stage at TEDx Thessaloniki. Photo by Duncan Davidson, licensed CC BY-NC

Journalist Michalis Goudis compared Rama's political example to the dismal Greek reality [el]:

Η ομιλία του Edi Rama στο TEDx Thessaloniki κατέδειξε ακόμη περισσότερο τη γύμνια και την ανικανότητα του ελληνικού πολιτικού προσωπικού τόσο σε εθνικό όσο και σε τοπικό επίπεδο. [..] Το παράδειγμα του Rama αποδεικνύει πως η πολιτική είναι καθαρά και μόνο θέμα βούλησης και προθέσεων. Αρκεί να είναι κανείς διατεθειμένος να συγκρουστεί με μικροσυμφέροντα για να διαμορφώσει μία καλύτερη ευρεία εικόνα. Ο Edi Rama με τα μέτρια αγγλικά, αλλά το καθαρό βλέμμα και τις ακόμη πιο καθαρές ιδέες ενέπνευσε τους ακροατές του. Δυστυχώς, έχει ήδη επιστρέψει στην πατρίδα του κι εμείς απομείναμε με τη φαιδρότητα της ακυβερνησίας…

Edi Rama's speech at TEDx Thessaloniki showed even more how destitute and incapable Greek political personnel are, nationally as well as locally. [..] Rama's example proves that politics is clearly a matter of willpower and intentions; as long as one is willing to take on petty interests in order to better form the big picture. Edi Rama, in his mediocre English, clear look and even clearer ideas inspired his audience. Sadly, he's back home and we're left with the hilarity of the lack of government…

Local entrepreneur Nick Papanotas shared an insight gleaned from spending time with two accomplished speakers:

Geniuses have long ago killed their egos and that’s exactly the way to make breakthroughs. Get over your self and focus on your passion. Sounds like a cool way to make the world a better place, don’t you think?

At TEDx Thessaloniki, looking out on a rainy day. Photo by Maria Mouzakiti on Instagram, used by permission

Journalist Theodoris Georgakopoulos liveblogged TEDx Thessaloniki on Facebook. Charis Tasioulis summarized the event's sessions, and Petros Amiridis shared yet another insight:

My favorite part: We grownups have made mistakes, we do not know all the answers and we are just rebuilding a mistake. It doesn't matter who made the mistake, it doesn't matter why the mistake was made… we are here to fix it

Renowned TED photographer Duncan Davidson gave TEDx Thessaloniki 2012 a ringing endorsement:

Watching the TEDxThessaloniki team pull together their event has been much like watching any of the other talented teams I’ve seen pull together other events. Long hours. Late nights. Much coffee. It all came together magnificently on May 12th at the Olympion Theater into a world class TEDx event that was everything a TED-like event should be: inspiring, motivating, and thought provoking. Attendees were brimming with excitement and passion all the way through the day to the final performance. [..] Exhilarating. Wonderful. Tiring. A great day, no matter how one looks at it. More than anything, it’s wonderful to see people implement the spreading of ideas in their own communities and spheres of influence. It’s something that the world can definitely use more of.

And, with the crisis raging outside the venue, multimedia director Marineta Kritikou expressed the misgivings that many attendees must have been feeling about facing the day after:

@makemanet: Και μετα απο αυτή την ανάταση ψυχής @TEDxThess πρέπει να βγούμε έξω κ να αντιμετωπίσουμε την άλλη πλευρά της χώρας μας.COURAGE to ALL Of Us

@makemanet: And after this uplifting of the soul @TEDxThess, we have to go out and face the other side of our country.COURAGE to ALL Of Us

More on TEDxThessaloniki: Official site, blog, @TEDxThess on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. Photos were also posted by Tom Tziros and Asteris Masouras on Flickr.

India: Crackdown on Tamil Nadu Anti-Nuclear Plant Protests

Rezwan — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:49:02 +0000

Concerns have been sparked that the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) currently under construction in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, India, may have similar vulnerabilities to the ill-fated Fukushima nuclear power plant of Japan. Activists fear that in the case of an earthquake followed by a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, there could be an accident similar to the radiation leak at the Japanese coastal nuclear plant last year.

Construction started more than a decade ago and KKNPP is expected to be in operation soon. S. P. Udayakumar of the voluntary organisation ‘People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy' (PMANE) lists 13 reasons why the activists and locals do not want the power plant to start. He stress that:

More than 1 million people live within the 30 km radius of the KKNPP which far exceeds the AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) stipulations. It is quite impossible to evacuate this many people quickly and efficiently in case of a nuclear disaster at Koodankulam.

Protest campaign against Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Image courtesy Kracktivist, used with permission.

Protest and arrests

Shedding a light onto the government crackdown on the protesters, Kracktivist cites:

Between 10.9.2011 and 23.12.2011, police had filed 107 FIRs (field investigation reports) against 55795 people and “others,” among whom 6800 have been charged with “sedition” and/ or “waging war against the State.”

In March 2012, police arrested approximately 200 anti-nuclear protesters objecting the resumption of work on one of the two 1 GW (gigawatt=1000 megawatt) reactors, a day after the local government restarted work on the project. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed against KKNPP at India's Supreme Court. Amnesty International has written a letter to the Prime Minister expressing their dismay on the detainment of the protesters. However, there were also rallies and protests in favor of commissioning the nuclear power plant.

The protests continued as the ‘People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy' (PMANE) recently launched three campaigns against the Kudankulam Nuclear power Plant, reports Kracktivist:

Collection of signatures by villagers who oppose the nuclear plant and surrender of voter identity cards will be observed in 60 villages belonging to three neighboring districts while [a] ‘respect India’ campaign will be observed throughout the country.

On May 9, around 23,000 people belonging to nine villages in Tamil Nadu surrendered their voter identity cards to draw attention to the continuing ignorance of the peaceful protest against the KNPP. The government did not take it lightly; Kracktivist also reported that thousands of police personnel were deployed near Idinthakarai village and a crackdown seemed likely.

According to a press release, “The People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) called off the planned event at Idinthakarai on May 10, 2012 as the District authorities have clamped down prohibitory orders such as 144 in and around Kudankulam area”.

Protesters on hunger strike. Image courtesy DiaNuke/Aaam Janata, used with permission.

However, some 9,000 people still participated in a sit in, with several hundred on an indefinite fast. The hunger strike has been going on since last month. DiaNuke/Aam Janata has posted some pictures from Kudankulam which depicts women on hunger strike and villagers living under constant fear.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Ms. Jayalalithaa, has vowed that the plant will start to function soon. Anuj Wankhede at DiaNuke invited a debate with Dr. M R Srinivasan, the former chief of India’s Atomic Energy Commission on whether the Kudankulam reactors are really the “safest in the world”, as claimed by the authorities.

The anti-Kudankulam activists are willing to end their protest if the government meets their demands.

Bangladesh: Bloggers March for Murdered Journalist Couple

Aparna Ray — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:06:03 +0000

Three months have passed since the murder of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and his wife Meherun Runi. Till date, the police have been unsuccessful in discovering any clues or leads that would help them to solve the case. In the early hours of 11 February, 2012, the couple was found brutally murdered in their West Rajabajar apartment in Dhaka.

The Bangladesh High Court has expressed dissatisfaction with the progress (or lack of it) of the Detective Branch (DB) of police investigating the murder. The case has since then been transferred to the anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit - Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The bodies have already been exhumed for a repeat postmortem. However, till date, there has been little progress in the investigation.

Bloggers have once again taken to the street, demanding justice for the murdered couple. On 11 May, they organized a protest in front of the public library in Shahbagh, Dhaka. This was their fourth protest gathering. In the video below, bloggers can be seen singing a protest song:

Another video shows bloggers holding a candle light protest, demanding justice in the Sagar-Runi murder case:

In the beginning, the police tried to prevent the protest rally by bloggers by parking their vehicles at the protest site and not giving permission for electricity connection at the venue. Later the bloggers conducted the protest by singing without the use of microphones. Sohel Mahmood informs us [bn] about the day's programme:

নানা বাধা ডিঙিয়ে হয়ে গেলো বাংলাভাষার ব্লগারদের প্রতিবাদী সংগীতের আয়োজন। পুলিশের “কমিশনারের অনুমতি লাগবে” টাইপের বক্তব্য, বিদ্যুতের লাইন টানায় বাধা আর সন্ধ্যার কিছু ভাগে “হঠাৎ বৃষ্টি”। তবে, সব বাধা ডিঙিয়ে প্রতিবাদী এই সংগীতে যোগ দেন ব্লগার, সাংবাদিক, ছাত্র-ছাত্রী আর সাধারণ মানুষ।

Crossing various hurdles, the Bangla bloggers conducted their programme of singing protest songs in public. Comments by the police commissioner that “permissions will be required”, not allowing the required temporary electricity connection at the protest venue, and even sudden rains during part of the evening, nothing could stop the bloggers, journalists, students and ordinary citizens from showing solidarity and participating in singing the protest songs

: Police using barricades to prevent journalists from entering the Home Ministry premises. Image by Firoz Ahmed. Copyright Demotix (15/05/2012)

Demanding the immediate arrest of the murderers of Sagar and Runi, journalist associations announced a gherao program to be held at the Home Ministry premises on 15th May. Bloggers too joined this protest programme. The police cracked down on the protesters. Quite a few photographs of police preventing the protesters from approaching the Home Ministry premises have been uploaded on the We Demand Justice for Sagar-Runi Facebook Page. At the end of the day's event, the next steps and upcoming protest programmes were announced. Among the future protests being planned by journalists and bloggers are the following:

১. ২০ মে থেকে ১৫ জুন পর্যন্ত সবগুলো মিডিয়া হাউসে সভা-সমাবেশ।

২. ৫ জুন জাতীয় সংসদে গিয়ে স্পিকারের কাছে সাগর-রুনি হত্যাকারীদের গ্রেফতার ও বিচার দাবিতে স্মারকলিপি প্রদান।

৩. ২৬ জুন প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কার্যালয় অভিমুখে পদযাত্রা।

৪. এরপরও সাগর-রুনির হত্যাকারীদের গ্রেফতার ও বিচার না করা হলেও দেশের সব সাংবাদিক কর্মবিরতি কর্মসূচি পালন।

1. 20th May to 15th June - Public meetings at all the media houses
2. 5th June - March to the Parliament and submit a memorandum to the Speaker of the House, demanding arrest and trial of the killers of Sagar-Runi
3. 26th June - Protest march towards the Prime Minister's Office.
4. If the administration still fails to deliver justice, all journalists across the country will stop work and undertake a ‘pen down' programme.

Spain: The “Indignados” of the 15M

Elizabeth — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:17:56 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

The date for the first citizen protest in Barcelona to celebrate the first anniversary of 15M (May 15th) was on Saturday 12M (May 12th) at 6pm in Catalunya Plaza. Sixty-one year-old Mari Ángeles left her place in El Prat, a neighborhood close to the airport within the city limits. With a group of neighbors, she took the banners they had prepared and rode the bus to Spain Plaza. There they met other members of the “southern column” which had already marched for a couple of hours starting at Cornellà near mid-day.

Miguel Ángel, 44 years old, joined the protest when it was passing by Esplugues. Sixty-nine year old Josep Maria did the same when it arrived to the Les Corts neighborhood. Karlos, also 44, stepped in carrying a backpack with all the necessary items to camp at the plaza until 15M.

Miguel Ángel. Photo by Lali Sandiumenge.

All except Karlos, who lived in Mexico some years and supported the Zapatista movement, had never been involved in any social or political activity before 15M. Since May 15th, 2011, they haven't stopped. Mari Ángeles is a member of the platform El Prat against cuts [ca] that denounces the austerity measures with which the Catalan government is amputating the welfare state; Miguel Ángel belongs to Aturem Eurovegas [ca] (Stop Eurovegas) to prevent the multimillionaire American mogul Sheldon Adelson to transform Llobregat river delta into a huge and complex casino and entertainment compound. Josep Maria has signed in recently to Iaioflautas, a group of retired workers hardened by the anti-Franco, left-wing, union struggle.

Karlos has found an escape valve. “I'm living this wake up with a lot of hope,” he said. “We, the restless people, were in a helpless situation and with 15M we found each other.”

Josep Maria. Picture by Lali Sandiumenge.

There are many reasons why people have taken action, but the main one is - and everybody agrees - that the situation has to change. “The prospect is raw, more than ever with so many cuts in Catalunya, we'll see how this ends,” said Miguel Ángel. “I have neighbors that are agonizing. If we keep going this way, there's going to be a civil revolution.”

There's no need to ask Josep Maria what he's thinking: the banners that cover his body are very eloquent. “We denounce is that in our society nobody cares about inequality and that the 1% and 99% is not about entelechy,” he commented to sum it up explaining that has researched and asked about the income levels of Spanish people - without success - to elaborate his own Lorenz curve. The outrage is so high, he added, that he doesn't rule out camping and spending the night at the plaza even though he is not young enough to be sleeping out in the open on top of anything.

There are also personal reasons. Miguel Ángel, a creative, lost his job at the Spanish auto-maker Seat four years ago and he hasn't been able to find another one. His strike subsidy is over and he's been struggling to live with what is left from his compensation.

Mari Ángeles. Photo by Lali Sandiumenge.

Mari Ángeles was forced to take an early retirement a year ago from a private health company. Her pension doesn't even reach 500 Euros free of taxes and it is not enough to live with her son, a grown man, so now they share his home. “My son is at the strike. He's studying English like crazy so he can look for a job outside in England or Canada,” she explained, although she interrupts herself often to join the chants her companions make to the cars that get impatient with the protest: “Don't look at us, join us!” Josep Maria, on the contrary, has a good pension. “If the distribution of wealth was more just, I would end up losing,” he declared while walking to Catalunya Plaza without hurrying, but also without pausing.

Desi (left) and Raquel collecting signatures for ILP. Photo taken by Lali Sandiumenge.

When it arrived to Catalunya Plaza, at the end of Grace Roadway, the protest converged with other columns that arrived from other parts of the city and beyond. At that spot, Desi and Raquel, 33 and 31 years-old respectively, installed a portable table to collect signatures to support the Popular Legislation Initiative (ILP) promoted by the Plataform of Mortgage Victims (PAH) [es] that is fighting for the approval of a law that rules a retroactive payment.

Both are dressed up in the green t-shirts that distinguish this group with the name of one of their main campaigns: Stop Evictions. Raquel also voluntarily participates in PAH since she took part of an action to prevent a family from her hometown to be evicted. Desi is one of the victims: it's been six months since she cannot pay the mortgage and there's no way to reach an agreement with the bank to hand in the apartment in exchange of the debt that adds up to almost 250,000 Euros.

Yo no encuentro trabajo y mi marido, tras estar en el paro, cobra ahora 1.200 euros al mes, y tenemos que pagar casi mil de la hipoteca. Tenemos dos hijas y tenemos que tirar adelante. Gracias a la PAH vamos haciendo, la unión hace la fuerza.

I can't find a job nor my husband, who after being on strike now receives 1,200 Euros monthly and we have to pay almost a thousand for the mortgage. We have two daughters and we need to keep at it. Thanks to PAH we are succeeding, together we strive.

Just in front of us a women is performing an act of protest. She has photocopied one of the movement's flyers (”If you pay your debt, let them pay your mortgage”) and has placed herself in front of a wall that protects a building under construction that says “The drums of rebellion are sounding.” Maria, that's her name, is 56 years-old and has been there for a couple of hours standing without moving, silent and with her face covered with the paper. The protesters pass by and stare at her, clap, and leave her alone. Photographers and tourists stop, take pictures and walk away. She holds on. She works at a nearby office and joined the protest after work. “I've photocopied the flyer and I now I'm with them, we are all part of the same package”, explains.

Voy a casi todas las protestas, no por mí, sino por mis hijos. Hemos luchado mucho por lo que tenemos y ahora se lo están cargando. Ya no reconozco a esta España.

I attend almost all the protests, not for me, but for my children. We have fought for what we have and now they are taking it away. I don't recognize this Spain.

Picture by Lali Sandiumenge.

This post is part of our special coverage Europe in Crisis.

Armenia: Fears After Nationalist Firebombers Released on Bail

Onnik Krikorian — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:08:56 +0000

Following the 8 May firebombing of D.I.Y., a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, events have taken an unexpected turn with the release of the suspected arsonists, Iranian-Armenian brothers Hampig and Mgrdich (Arame) Khapazyan. Believed part of a local Neo-Nazi group and caught on camera, one was released on bail of 1 million Armenian Drams (less than $2,600) and the other on guarantee that he will not leave the country.

Of concern to some observers, however, was that bail was posted by Artsvik Minasyan and Hrayr Karapetyan, two MPs from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D). Moreover, fuelling worries about the rise of nationalism in the country, Minasyan was quoted by the local media as saying that the two brothers were “normal people,” had acted “in the right way in the context of societal & national ideology,” and that one of the bar owners, Tsomak Oganesova, “destroys Armenian society.”

@unzippedblog: One of the arsonists in #neonazi attack towards DIY bar was bailed out by… Dashnak MPs… #Yerevan #Armenia #hatecrime

@unzippedblog: Re bailing out #neonazi attacker on DIY bar: #Armenia Dashnak party must explain what's going on or else I conclude they support terrorism

@Lara_Aha: Tashnak MP Ardzvik Minasyan who just bailed out the 2 suspects in #hate crime and said”people like tsomak(gay) destroying #Armenia” #armLGBT

@KevorkO: A ‘national ideology' that deems thuggery and terrorism more ‘normal' than homosexuality is nothing less than degenerate. #Armenia #DIY

Unzipped: Gay Armenia was shocked:

Basically, Armenian MP of ARF Dashnaktsutyun party Artsvik Minasyan supports and encourages terrorism in Armenia. With such statement, he acted as a pure criminal. ARF Dashnaktsutyun party must explain what's going on or else I'll conclude they support terrorism too.

[…]

If ARF Dashnaktsutyun won't make clear statements distancing itself from its own MP, then truly this is a death of ARF Dashnaktsutyun as a political party and its transformation into a neo-nazi group that supports and encourages terrorism in Armenia. Needless to say, utterly homophobic too.

[…]

If ARF-affiliated groups and party members worldwide care about the reputation of their party, and - more importantly - the future of Armenia, they should speak up against homophobia. They should demand that ARF makes statement clearly disassociated from their MP’s statement. They should demand that disgraced MP Artsvik Minasyan resign.

The blog also notes that a second attack occurred on 15 May and quotes one of its Facebook contacts.

Hate crime, no public condemnation by authorities, more encouragement by an MP and now repetition of hate crime, do you see the cycle?

Nazi swastika graffiti over D.I.Y. anarchy symbol, from gayarmenia.blogspot.com

Le Retour in 3 Parts is also concerned.

For the first time since moving to Armenia, I am afraid. Queer women are in the spotlight — an unfamiliar and not at all good place to be in. We perhaps have become used to being invisible here: we can hold hands in public and generally be more affectionate than men without experiencing stares and suspicious glances from passers-by. But now more than ever, it seems, we elicit the same contempt that has traditionally been reserved for gay men.

[…]

And, I hate myself for thinking this, but at times like these I can’t help but wonder why some of the more outspoken LGBT activists and queer allies had to raise their voices, draw attention to themselves/ourselves, wishing now that they lay low and not provoke other possible acts of violence. And I know I’m not the only one thinking this. Because now we’re in the spotlight and the wayward glances I get every day any way have taken on a whole new meaning.

Ianyan updates its readers, examining motives:

DIY, which bills itself as a bar for alternative thinkers, was frequented by many in Armenia’s gay community, a place considered a safe haven, free of judgment or discrimination. The violent act, which caused around $4,000 of damage according to well-informed sources, is being said to have been motivated by nationalistic and fascist ideology – the bar’s gay-friendly atmosphere as well as owner Tsomak Oganesova’s attendance at Istanbul’s Gay Pride Parade in neighboring Turkey have been cited as two key factors that have categorized the attack as a hate crime.

[…]

Nationalistic sentiments are common in the South Caucasus country, which is almost mono-ethnic and still reeling from the psychological effects of genocide and war. Its isolation, where borders with both Turkey and Azerbaijan are closed and distrust of much of what falls outside the realm of the status quo have been discussed as underlying reasons as to the rise of hate groups whose violent actions have left many fearful.

Following the attack on D.I.Y. as well as on a local activist engaged in peace building initiatives in the region, others are disturbed by recent events as well. Some NGOs, for example, have released a statement [en, ar].

Meanwhile, in response to the firebombing, online civil society news site Civil.Net posts an open discussion on nationalism, xenophobia and human rights violations in Armenia. In Armenian with English subtitles, Ianyan summarized and quoted parts:

Fascism has reached our door and is now saying I’m here,” [Lala] Aslikyan said in Armenian. She regretfully emphasized that the stifling of freedom of expression in the country is growing, while [Karen] Hakobyan pointed out that the groups, mostly consisting of young men in their late teens and early 20s define their “Armenian-ness” by spreading hate towards groups that perceive as threats to national interest. […].

Taiwan: Could the Future Be Nuclear-Free?

I-fan Lin — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:26:41 +0000

Since the nuclear disaster at Fukushima in March 2011, 53 out of the 54 nuclear power plants in Japan have been shut down for security checks. On May 5, 2012, the proportion of Japan's energy supplied by nuclear power reached zero for the first time in 42 years, following the shut down of Tomari’s Unit 3 in Hokkaido. Although the Japanese government is currently seeking to restart some nuclear power plants, local representatives still have serious concerns regarding their safety.

In Taiwan, many people have also started talking about the possibility of moving towards a nuclear-free future. The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union [zh] is optimistic about the nuclear-free movement in Japan, as quoted in Coolloud.org:

日本從去年311之後，國內核電廠陸續關閉，至今尚未發生缺電問題，如果可以熬過今年夏天不需核電，日本將真正進入無核國家。

After the earthquake of March 11, 2011, the nuclear power plants in Japan have been shut down one by one. So far they have not had any problems with electricity shortages. If they can survive this summer without nuclear energy, Japan could really become a nuclear-free nation.

Anti-nuclear energy protest in Taipei, March 11, 2012. Photo contributed to this post by James Yang under CC: BY-NC-SA

Su Huan-Chi, a candidate for chairperson with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), also stated [zh] in Plurk, a popular social media website in Taiwan, that:

如果我當黨主席，一定先推動核四北北基宜四縣市地方公投廢核四！

If I were elected as the Party chairperson, I would campaign for a referendum to stop the four nuclear power plants in Taipei city, New Taipei city, Keelung and Yilan.

Nevertheless, not everyone is so optimistic about the nuclear-free development in Japan. bluesystem [zh] is worried how far Japan can go after shutting down all their nuclear power plants:

廢核絕對可以推! 只要不影響經濟下滑. 不過這真的會很拼…

Of course we can campaign for a nuclear-free Taiwan - as long as this move does not make the economy worse. However, this will be difficult.

核能的問題不只是使用其它能源來替代, 而是「能源自主性」的問題. 一旦重要的能源來源被別國控制, 那這個國家等於廢掉一樣! 這問題要怎麼解決? 除非能源自主率能提高吧~…那大家都廢核, 請問天然資源是不是大家一起搶? 假設台灣也搞廢核的話,能源來源方面搶得贏中國跟日本嗎?

The issue at stake regarding the use of nuclear power is not only about finding alternative energy. It is a matter of ‘energy autonomy’. If the major energy source is controlled by other countries, this country is doomed! How can we solve this problem? Only if we can increase our energy supply can we campaign for nuclear-free living. Are we ready to compete for natural energy resources? If Taiwan shuts down all our nuclear power plants, can we outbid China and Japan in the competition of energy resources?

Anti-nuclear energy protest in Taipei, April 30, 2011. Photo contributed to this post by James Yang under CC: BY-NC-SA

Despite the aforementioned worries, thousands of Taiwanese people protested against nuclear power on March 11, 2012, the first anniversary of the earthquake in Japan. Shuchuan, an independent environmental reporter, explained [zh] why she thinks Taiwan can and should give up nuclear energy:

福島核災打破核能安全神話，只要一次災害就足以毀掉所有。…我們還有選擇時，沒有理由不去思考任何不必使用核能發電的可能性。

The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident destroyed the myth of nuclear safety. We see that one accident can destroy all we have…We have no reason not to think about the possibility of giving up nuclear energy when we still have a choice.

以台灣目前核電佔總發電量不到兩成，但備載容量卻超過25%的情況下，廢不廢核並不是「能不能」的問題，而是「決心」。

In Taiwan, the proportion of electricity supplied by nuclear power is less than 20%, but our spare capacity is more than 25%. Under this condition, nuclear-free is not an issue of ‘can or cannot’, it is an issue of determination.

台灣政府還預估未來用電要再成長38%，只要不歸零思考、不檢討自己的浪費行為、不思索更聰明的用電方式，發再多電都不夠用。

The Taiwanese government estimates that we will need 38% more electricity in the future. If we do not go back to to the fundamental problem and review our energy consumption pattern and use electricity in a smarter way, there will never be enough for us even if we manage to generate more.

過去一年台灣政府已有改變，馬總統宣布核一、二、三使用年限到期不再延役，這是一個進展。然而對於核四依然繼續投入經費不願放手，核廢料無能力處理，卻一再強調核安的可以控制。然而，福島核災近在眼前，繼續說「核能安全」也已經沒有意義、且完全沒有說服力，終歸而言，台灣政府對核災還是沒有覺悟。

In the past year, the Taiwanese government has changed. President Ma claimed that our first, second, and third nuclear power plants would not extend their operations after reaching their shelf life. We have made some progress. However, the government is not willing to give up the fourth nuclear power plant and is throwing more money into it. The government does not know how to deal with the nuclear waste, but they keep claiming that they can promise the safety of nuclear power plants. Nevertheless, when we think of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, we can see that this is nonsense and it is not convincing to talk of the ‘safety of nuclear power plants’. In the end, the Taiwanese government does not seem aware of the possibility of nuclear disasters.

而這個歸零思考，理應是站在「廢除核電」的基礎上，重新去思考其他的能源方式，而如果其他的能源暫時無法完全取代，我們應該如何節能，以因應發電不足的情況。也就是說，思考自己的侷限，然後做出改變。

We should support the fundamental standpoint of a ‘nuclear-free Taiwan’ and explore the use of alternative energy. If we do not have enough alternative energy to replace all the nuclear-derived electricity we are using now and in the near future, we need to reduce our usage of electricity to avoid shortages. In other words, we need to think about our limits and make the change.

This post was sub-edited by Jane Ellis.