Global Voices » Bahrain

Video: Sociology Cinema Gathers Videoclips for Lecture Topics

Juliana Rincón Parra — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:50:59 +0000

Online video is being used by sociology instructors at the University of Maryland to teach basic concepts and accompany lectures. In The Sociological Cinema Valerie Chepp, Paul Dean, and Lester Andrist edit and publish posts where video clips are tagged and referenced so that other sociology instructors can use videos to make their classes more interesting without having to spend the extra time finding the right video for a specific content.

In their Facebook page they explain:

The idea of The Sociological Cinema came to us over the course of several conversations in which we repeatedly found ourselves discussing our use of video clips in the classroom. Our experiences in the classroom taught us that videos were highly effective at illustrating course concepts and theories, supplementing analyses found in course texts, and keeping students more engaged. With our experiences confirmed by scholarship on teaching and learning, the pedagogical case for using video in the classroom was overwhelming.

Videoclips or videos do not necessarily have to be short: this 50 minute Al Jazeera documentary on the Bahraini Uprising is suggested as an introduction to the study social movements and “exploring the evolution and consequences of state tactics aimed at quelling the protests - both violent and non-violent.”

When studying globalization, inequality and communities, this next short videoclip titled The Miniature Earth is suggested:

Given that large numbers can be difficult to put into perspective (and thus important information about the world runs the risk of becoming meaningless or unremarkable), this video illustrates for students how the global community fares on such indicators as hunger, religious affiliation, literacy, wealth, education, government expenditures, among many others. The clip is not only useful for helping students understand global inequality and differences, but it also reminds students of the enormity of their own social privilege relative to the majority of the world.

Movies are also sources for videoclips, like this minute long example from Up In the Air, starring George Clooney, which serves to illustrate stereotyping. The Sociological Cinema also provides additional suggestions for reading material to accompany the lessons.

This clip shows comedian Anita Renfroe condensing the phrases a typical mother says to her children in the course of a day to the duration of the William Tell Overture. In the classroom, sociology students can first list role expectations of mothers, and then discuss the roles mothers have and also focus on gender role expectations of fathers.

Beyond being a repository for videos, the site is also a source for teaching advice and shared experiences when teaching sociology. In An Online Video Assignment (that is Fun to Grade!) instructors suggest turning the tables on the students, and asking them to look for videos which they will categorize and tag as a way for them to apply their knowledge:

In the process, students do the same analytical exercise that we do in the classroom with clips found elsewhere on this site. The learning outcomes are for students to 1) become familiar with using and applying sociological concepts; 2) use their sociological imagination to engage familiar content; 3) teach each other through the course blog; and 4) become more critical media consumers. The upside for me is that I have interesting and engaging assignments with which I can evaluate them (of course, the videos must be short to make this a time effective exercise to grade).

Image used to illustrate post is Amo el Cine by Flickr user Román Soto (CC BY 2.0).

Bahrain: Celebration and Criticism Greet “Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012″

Ayesha Saldanha — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:24:19 +0000

On February 2, “Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012” (@ManamaCulture12) was officially launched. But as the celebration was taking place, opposition protests were broken up elsewhere in the capital.

The Capital of Arab Culture is an initiative of the Arab League under UNESCO's Cultural Capitals Programme. Many have criticised the awarding of the title to Manama this year, and have called for a boycott, because of the government's “repressive practices” against pro-democracy demonstrators, with writers and artists amongst them (some of whom have been forced into exile). Other Bahrainis have welcomed the beginning of the year of cultural events, and see it as a way to present a more positive image of Bahrain to the world.

As she watched the televised opening of Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012, Twitter user Rasha Yousif (@RshRsho) announced:

@RshRsho: Proud to be Bahraini ! #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012

Twitter user Fawaz Al Muhandis (@Fawazu) was impressed by the work of the Ministry of Culture:

@Fawazu: I think @MOC_BH is working towards the right direction into representing a good image of Bahrain #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 thank you!

In a reference to the one-year anniversary of the start of the February 14 uprising, and the tension expected to accompany it, Twitter user @JulesALK said:

@JulesALK: #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 Happy to see the beautiful celebrations today. We must enjoy feb. Good start #Bahrain

Khalid Al-Rowaie (@kalrowaie), a writer and theatre director who works for Bahrain's Ministry Of Culture, was at the opening ceremony, which included a musical performance called “The Path of Pearls” about Bahrain's traditional pearling industry. He posted this photo:

Musical performance during opening ceremony of Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012, called "The Path of Pearls". Image posted by Twitter user @kalrowaie.

A criticism often made of cultural events in Bahrain is that many of the artists involved are not Bahraini. Not all of those who watched the Capital of Arab Culture ceremony were impressed, feeling it wasn't representative of Bahraini culture. Twitter user @_MKAlKhalifa wrote:

@_MKAlKhalifa: Egyptian Bahraini Dance? :/ #Fail #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 #Bahrain

@_MKAlKhalifa: #Bahrain has a very unique and a beautiful culture, yet the opening of #ManamaCapitalofArabCulture2012 doesn't represent it!

Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Alkhalifa (@khalidalkhalifa) also attended the opening ceremony, and posted an image of the performance, writing [ar]:

@khalidalkhalifa: طريق اللؤلؤ ، ينطلق بالدانة .. معشوقة الغواص

The Path of Pearls starts with the Dana, the diver's beloved pearl

Musical performance during opening ceremony of Manama, Capital of Arab Culture 2012, called "The Path of Pearls". Image posted by Twitter user @khalidalkhalifa.

Journalist Hussain Mansoor (@Hu4mansoor) responded to the Foreign Minister's tweet with a reference to the destroyed Pearl Roundabout, focal point of pro-democracy protests, saying [ar]:

@Hu4mansoor: ليس طريقا للؤلؤ ذاك الذي لا يمر على دوار اللؤلؤة. #bahrain #14feb

It is not a Path of Pearls if it doesn't lead to the Pearl Roundabout.

Journalist Reem Khalifa (@Reem_Khalifa) commented [ar]:

@Reem_Khalifa:في عاصمة الثقافة العربية لا مكان لحرية الرأي والاستقلالية في القضاء وشفافية المعلومة بل قمع ثقافة الآخر واحتقار الإنسان الحر

In the Capital of Arab Culture there is no room for freedom of opinion, independence of the judiciary, and transparency of information, only for the suppression of others' culture and contempt for free humans

As the opening ceremony took place at the National Museum, protestors gathered in central Manama for a weekly rally known as the Manama March, which was broken up by riot police using tear gas (the heavy use of which in Bahrain has been condemned by human rights organisations).

Clouds of tear gas in central Manama as opposition march broken up. Image posted by Twitter user @sorr0w.

Twitter user @Intelligensia1 wrote [ar]:

@Intelligensia1:المنامة الآن تجمع النقيضين تماماً.. مثقفي السلطة في المتحف الوطني.. وشعب مثقف في أزقتها مخنوق بثقافة السلطة #Bahrain #14feb #Alwefaq

In Manama right now there are two complete opposites… The regime's intellectuals in the National Museum, and the educated people in the alleys suffocating from the regime's culture

Israel: The Lie, the Truth and the Meme (of the Soldier and the Girl)

Carmel L. Vaisman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:52:05 +0000

The photograph below, of a soldier stepping on a little girl, has been circulating on the social web for the past few days, claimed to be of an IDF soldier and a Palestinian girl. Wesley Muhammad who posted it claimed to have seen it on someone else's news feed with that caption, and wonders why it went viral from his page. Within two days the photo (now discarded) received over 500 comments, including some claims the photo is fake.

Yossi Gavni reposted the photo highlighting the main claims that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) doesn't carry that kind of weapon and has no such uniforms, and that photo circulated mainly among Israelis. Apparently, the photo was tweeted last year in French, claiming this is actually from Syria's demonstrations and asking for it to spread. However, Arab blogger Omar Dakhane found the original photo (below), which is neither from Syria nor Israel but a street theater performance in Bahrain.

This story could have ended here with a lesson not to believe everything that circulates out there in the age of media manipulation and virality, but apparently some Israelis have decided the best response to a viral lie is a humorous meme. In the last 24 hours many photos replacing the soldier with different characters have been circulating on Facebook, initiated by 10Gag, the Israeli answer to 9Gag humor and memes generator.

For example, a photo where the soldier was replaced by a dog wearing real IDF uniform, probably also responding humorously to earlier allegations that IDF trains dogs to attack Palestinians. Other entities stepping on that girl included an empire soldier from Star Wars, the Angry Birds, the Android, the Avatar N'aavi, Chuck Norris and more.

By turning the photo into a meme, Israelis are saying in “social media language” that such a situation is ridiculous and fictional, although Wesley Muhammad who started the viral spread concludes: ”I took the photo down (even though that type of thing DOES happen in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)”. In response, Shani Yaakov posted a collage of pictures titled “this is the true picture of the IDF” (below) in which soldiers are seen in positive and friendly interactions with Palestinians. As for the truth, as always, it's probably somewhere in the middle.

MENA: Amnesty International's Forecast for 2012

Asteris Masouras — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:09:14 +0000

“Repression and state violence is likely to continue to plague the Middle East and North Africa in 2012,” forecasts Amnesty International in an 80-page report. It documents the extreme violence deployed by MENA regimes when resisting the unprecedented calls for fundamental reform heard in the region in 2011, as well as the amazing resilience of the protest movements. The report adds, “The refusal of ordinary people across the region to be deterred from their struggle for dignity and justice is what gives us hope for 2012.”

MENA: 2011, a Year of Struggle and Triumphs for Bloggers

Jillian C. York — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:46:56 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

With all of the social media successes throughout the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, it would be all too easy to overlook the struggles faced by bloggers and netizens throughout the region. And yet, 2011 was an extraordinary difficult year for free expression, from Egypt's shutdown of the Internet to the numerous harassed, arrested, and detained bloggers from the Maghreb to the Gulf.

Iran: No room for free expression

Less than a week into 2012, Reporters Without Borders puts the number of jailed netizens globally at 126. Within the list, Iran stands out, as my colleague Fred Petrossian writes:

In 2011, the Iranian regime was faithful to its reputation as an enemy of internet as it continued to repress bloggers and even threaten their lives. Blogger Sakhi Rigi got a record breaking 20-year jail sentence. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, who is serving 15 years in prison, struggled for his health and for a period was deprived of contact with his family and lawyer. RSF talked about the plight of seven netizens in Iran in July 2011. These cases are just the tip of the iceberg. While a few bloggers likeShiva Nazar Ahari andHossein Derakhshanwere released on bail, others like Mohammad Reza Pour Shajari may face charges of ‘Waging War Against God' (moharebeh), for which a death sentence can be pronounced. As Omid Reza Mirsayafi's tragic death shows, the more a blogger is isolated and deprived of a network, the more he is in danger.

Egypt, Syria, Bahrain among the region's worst

But while Iran may rank worst in terms of the number of bloggers detained, life for bloggers in much of the rest of the region has been no picnic. In Syria, where the uprising that started last spring shows few signs of abating, several prominent bloggers were arrested in 2011, threatening countless more into silence. Razan Ghazzawi, a former Global Voices contributor, spent fifteen days in prison in December until being released on bail, but still faces trial for “weakening the national sentiment,” among other charges. Hussein Ghrer, released in early December, also faces trial. Meanwhile, Tal Al-Mallohi, the teenaged blogger imprisoned in 2009, is serving a five year sentence.

Egyptian blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah poses with his wife and fellow blogger Manal Hassan in Tunis just one month before his arrest

Egypt–where social media had arguably the largest impact in 2011–has also seen numerous bloggers struggle for their freedom. Blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad, who was arrested in March, was recently sentenced to two years in prison for criticizing the interim military regime on his blog. Sanad has spent much of his incarceration on hunger strike. Alaa Abd El Fattah, who was released on December 25 after nearly two months in prison, still faces trial on a number of trumped-up charges, a clear indication of his being a target for his outspokenness against the military.

Another blogger, Ayman Youssef Mansour, was sentenced in October by a civilian court to three years in prison for insulting religion on his Facebook page. Several other netizens have faced military questioning for online postings. The Egyptian campaign to end military trials for civilians has been instrumental in highlighting such cases.

A third country in the region ranks among the worst in 2011, though one wouldn't know it from following mainstream media coverage. Bahrain, where a nascent uprising was all but quashed early in the year, levied harsh punishments on several bloggers in 2011, including Global Voices Advocacy contributor Ali Abdulemam, who was sentenced in absentia to fifteen years in prison and is currently in hiding.

Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam at the 2009 Arabloggers Workshop in Beirut

Similarly, Abduljalil Al-Singace was given the same sentence. Earlier in the year, authorities briefly detained prominent bloggers Mahmood Al-Youif and Mohamed El-Maskati, while closer to the end of 2011, Zainab Al-Khawaja was briefly imprisoned, her brutal arrest caught on video. And most tragically, Zakariya Rashid Hassan Al-Ashiri became the second blogger ever to die in prison in March.

Elsewhere in the region, the struggle continues

Though perhaps less systematically, other countries in the region targeted bloggers as well in 2011. Prior to the fall of Ben Ali, Tunisian bloggers Slim Amamou (a Global Voices Advocacy contributor) and Azyz Amami were briefly imprisoned. Amami was then arrested again and beaten by police in September. Though the arrest was not for his blogging but for a joke told near a police station, it demonstrated the tenuous state of free expression in the country.

In Morocco, a blogger and several activists were arrested in September, while Saudi Arabia went after video bloggers who had been documenting poverty in the oil-rich country. And in the UAE, a female blogger was summoned for interrogation over a tweet.

Fighting for a better 2012

Though this represents only a fraction of those intimidated, harassed, and imprisoned in 2011, it is illustrative of the continued struggle faced by bloggers, activists, and other netizens in the region. And as 2012 kicks off with such a large number of bloggers in prison, it is apparent that there is more work to be done to ensure that the right to free expression is guaranteed for everyone. And fortunately, a growing number of grassroots organizations in the region are taking up the fight for digital rights. But nevertheless, bloggers must be ever vigilant, and consider the risks they face as they take their activism online. Global Voices salutes these brave bloggers and will continue to make sure their voices are heard throughout the world.

This post is part of our special coverage 2011 on Global Voices.

Photo credits: Jillian C. York.

Global Voices Most Read Posts in 2011

Solana Larsen — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:46:50 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices in 2011.

Our top 20 list of most read posts on Global Voices for 2011 includes four from Japan, three from Egypt, and two from the Philippines. But only one story is about a giant crocodile!

It's been an incredible year for the reach and recognition of citizen media around the world, and that means Global Voices is no longer as lonely a media voice when it comes to reporting tweets and blog posts. Still, where mainstream media interest wanes, we're the ones who strive to continue documenting what local bloggers everywhere need the world to know.

Self Defence Forces arrive at the scene of the tsunami in Japan. Image by cosmobot, copyright Demotix (13/03/11).

Some of our proudest moments of 2011 will never be reflected on a top 20 list like the one below. This year we exceeded 500 active volunteer authors and translators of countless languages and countries, and we've published more than 2,600 long posts and 6,300 short ones in English alone.

Inevitably, many of the stories that don't get as wide a readership as they deserve are from countries that tend to be overlooked in international media. Unique coverage from across Africa, the Caucasus, Macedonia, the Russian language Internet, Latin America and indigenous rights are among some of the highlights. See the 2011 regional reviews by our editors and authors for a glance of what you may have missed.

Our Middle East and North Africa team deserves special mention this year. Throughout protests, blackouts, threats, they have managed to pull though and keep writing. The bloody images still proliferate, but our authors seek out constructive voices and angles for dialogue. So often, they've shared local humor and context that is difficult to appreciate from abroad without a guide.

Perhaps for the first time ever, China doesn't figure on our top 20 list of the year. These are particularly chilling times to blog about controversial subjects - something Global Voices authors in many other countries unfortunately also experience. This makes the stories that do come from anywhere free speech is frowned on even more precious.

Most read posts on Global Voices in 2011

Our most visited special coverage pages were:

In 2011 the world has learned more about the transformative power of online citizen media. We believe the best way to support these emerging voices on a global scale is to listen. Thanks for reading Global Voices! And please consider supporting our work with a donation.

This post is part of our special coverage Global Voices in 2011.

Arab World: A Year In Pictures - Our Authors' Selection

Hisham Almiraat — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:59:36 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage:

Bahrain Protests 2011

Egypt Revolution 2011

Morocco Protests 2011

Syria Protests 2011

Tunisia Revolution 2011

Yemen Protests 2011

Since Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor set himself on fire in the small city of Sidi Bouzid on December 2010, a wave of unprecedented popular protests is sweeping the Arab world. The region has seen unprecedented events that no one could ever imagine witnessing in a lifetime.

Three Arab dictators have been toppled, some others forced to engage in reforms, while in other places the confrontation is proving to be painful and bloody.

In any case, 2011 is likely to remain engraved in the history of the Arab world as the year when people started raising against their oppressive regimes.

As we bid farewell to 2011 and look ahead to 2012, we asked our authors to share with you pictures that in their eyes have marked the past year in their respective countries. The following selection represents their choices.

Tunisia

Photo by Talel Nacer, used with permission

On January, 14, 2011 thousands of protesters gathered near the Interior Ministry building in Tunis calling for the fall of the regime of dictator Zeine El Abidine Ben Ali. Later on the same day, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

Afef Abroughi

Syria

Author unkown

A powerful message from “the occupied city of Kafar Nabel”, Syria.

Leila Nachawati

Lebanon

Photo by Krikorian. Used with permission

Even though Lebanon has not witnessed a revolution in 2011, the Land of the Cedars was highly affected by the developpements and turmoil in the area. But for Lebanese it's the high cost of living that is haunting them the most. Following each wage increase by the government and even before the plan is approved by parliament, prices soar tremendously.

Thalia Rahme

Palestine

Photo by Jillian C. York, used under a CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Palestine: “Marching United Towards Freedom”

Jillian C. York

Yemen

The peaceful massive marches of Yemen which never stopped throughout the year are a testimony of Yemenis' steadfast and resilience and prove ultimately, like the billboard reads, that “victory is to the people”.

Noon Arabia

Bahrain

Picture posted on Twitter by @almakna

The above photograph, shared by @almakna on Twitter, shows the number of areas reportedly tear gassed by the Bahrain authorities in one night. On that particular day, I myself choked on the tear gas, spending the night and the following day sick and closely followed tweets and complaints by Twitter users from across the country.

Amira Al Hussaini

Picture posted on Twitter by @SanabisVoice

This photograph, from the Sanabis Voice, shows empty teargas canisters, collected from a small area, in one day. Such photographs are found in abundance online, shared by netizens on social networking sites, and tell a story that has been recurring for 11 months - a story not much of the world cares about.

Amira Al Hussaini

Egypt

Picture by rouelshimi, used under CC license (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

January 25, the first wave of protesters go to Tahrir square. It's the dawn of the revolution.

Tarek Amr

Morocco

The little girl looking up at this Moroccan Superman pausing in front of the parliament seems to be wondering if he can fly. Maybe he's an ultra-nationalist trying to make a point? Or maybe he's a supporter of the pro-reforms group February 20? It doesn't really matter. Because behind this amazing photo by Amine Hachimoto lies a new reality in Morocco: 2011 is the year when the street has become the theater of nonviolent political expression. Something that is likely to continue in the years to come.

Hisham Almiraat

This post is part of our special coverage:

Bahrain Protests 2011

Egypt Revolution 2011

Morocco Protests 2011

Syria Protests 2011

Tunisia Revolution 2011

Yemen Protests 2011

Bahrain: Journalist Mazen Mahdi Detained, then Released

Amira Al Hussaini — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:14:37 +0000

Bahraini journalist Mazen Mahdi tweets that he was detained by police today, and later on released. The Committee to Protect Journalists says the Middle East political turmoil and protests is proving to be deadly for journalists.

Bahrain: Message to Netizens

Amira Al Hussaini — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:32:39 +0000

Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif shares this message with fellow netizens: “[T]emper your attacks and choose your battles wisely. Refrain from childish attacks on the very bridge who can help your cause. The last thing we want .. is to continue to shout at each other, rather than find the platform to engage and talk to each other to fix the situation and move forward.”

Video Highlights: Protests, Elections, Culture and GV

Juliana Rincón Parra — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:53:59 +0000

This section aims to showcase interesting and recent posts in Global Voices that show the many ways in which videos are helping people tell stories all around the world. You can follow the activity by regions in our YouTube channel or by clicking on the regional header links.

Protests

2011 was a year of popular uprisings. The end of the year is no different than the past months, with fed up people turning to the streets in their hope to get their voices heard and make a difference.

Middle East- North Africa

Kuwait: Stateless Protesters Attacked for Demanding Rights
Police attacked stateless protesters in Kuwait, who were demanding their rights to documents, education, healthcare, employment and naturalization.

Egypt: Women Against SCAF - Who Wins?

Egyptians are outraged at the Supreme Council for Armed Forces continuing brutality and abuse against women; this time they beat and in the process, undressed a veiled female protester, an action which was caught on video.

Egypt: Women Rally for Dignity

A couple of days after the events on the previous video, women marched in Cairo protesting against the abuses to women and also called for the fall of military rule as told in Bahrain: A Bloody National Day, a Funeral and More Suppression.

Iran: Where Is My Classmate?

A student campaign was launched on December 7 to remember all those students who have been unable to return to Iran's universities due to religious or political reasons: some banned, others expelled, some in prison and some of them were killed on the streets. Support from other places in the world was shown through videos to remember the departed and repressed students. This video was sent in from Barcelona, Spain.

Saudi Arabia: Netizens Use Online Activism to Draw Attention to Qatif Protests

The month of November marked the return of protests to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in 2011, as the people of Qatif took to the streets to demand reforms, equality, the release of their detainees, and political freedom as many of their slogans and chants have expressed. So far, four protesters have been shot dead by security forces as a result.

Occupy Protests Worldwide

See special coverage page.

USA: Uncertain Future of Student Occupy Movement in California

After the pepper spray incident and video, the University of California's participation in the worldwide Occupy movement gained media attention. They are protesting against a 40% enrollment free increase, the high interest rates for student loans and the decreased availability of state financial aid.

Bahrain: #OccupyBudaiyaSt Continues

Peaceful protesters in Bahrain who are pressuring the government to release political prisoners and pay tribute to the more than 40 people killed by security forces since February have been faced with police attacks, brutality, tear gas, and rubber bullets. This comes after police were caught on different videos brutalizing 25 protesters on a roof with batons and knives.

Philippines: “Occupy” Protests Overcome Police Brutality

Highlighting the theme “sawang-sawa na tayo (we are fed up),” the campout protest tackled a broad range of issues from the Aquino administration's budget cuts for education and social services, nonstop oil and basic commodities price hikes, land reform, migrant issues, urban poor demolitions, and persistent human rights violations.

Elections

Electoral unrest has also motivated thousands out into the streets. In Russia the result reporting more than 140% of voters has already become a meme. And although the Congolese diaspora was unable to vote, they made sure to get their voices heard by the world.

Eastern and Central Europe

With the elections in Russia, online video has proven a useful tool in documenting electoral violations such as disappearing ink pens, paid voters and inflated turnouts as well as the later post electoral protests. Posts like Russia: No Violation of Election Violations and Russia: Second Day of Post-Election Protests explain the motives behind the protests such as election results, blogger arrests and also the clashes with anti-activists groups recruited and shipped into Moscow from other regions to demonstrate support for Vladimir Putin. An example of the electoral violations is the use of erasable pens left in voting booths:

Subsaharan Africa

D.R. of Congo: Congolese Diaspora Erupts Against Kabila

The Congolese nationals based outside the Congo demonstrated in front of embassies in several different countries. Although they weren't granted the possibility to vote in the past presidential and parliamentary elections, they protested to bring awareness to the situation in their country and in some cases to protest the results of the elections and to demand the departure of President Kabila. International governments have already approached the Congolese government to intercede and stop the violence in their capitals.

Culture

Is culture found in the traditions handed down through generations or is it found in the behaviors and activities which get adopted and followed by the population? In Mexico, children are growing up believing they are less because of their skin color. In Cuba, very popular but sexually explicit music gets censored, and in Trinidad, a religious Shia Muslim commemoration has in turn become a festival.

Latin America

Mexico: The Results of a Racism Experiment with Children

These children demonstrate how pervasive racism has become in Mexico. All that was needed was a pair of dolls, one light skinned and one dark for children to express how they felt the whiter doll was better, even if they identified more with the dark-skinned one.

Caribbean

Ashura Commemorations Around the World

The Shia Muslim commemoration of Ashura takes place in many places around the world. In Trinidad and Tobago it has transformed into the festival of Hosay and the ritual is shared with Sunnis, Hindus and Afro-Trinidadians.

Cuba: Reggaeton Hit ‘Chupi Chupi' Denounced by Authorities

A popular reggaeton song which sings explicitly about oral sex has been denounced as obscene by the authorities in Cuba. The debate on censorship has moved online where people debate on the song's merits as part of the actual culture of the island, whether people like it or not, and the impact the authorities comments will have on the songs popularity.

Global Voices Online

I would like to thank you for reading and supporting our work, thanks to which we can bring you these and other stories. Please take a second to read about our new fundraising campaign which comes with a lovely video:

Global Voices is a volunteer community of over 500 writers, translators, and digital media activists who bring you underreported stories and conversations from around the world. Watch our new video highlighting images and quotations from some of our supporters:

The video is also available in multiple languages.

Bahrain: #OccupyBudaiyaSt Continues

Mona Kareem — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:12:01 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.

Bahraini protesters have been continuing with their daily protests despite a government crackdown, from a government that tells the world that it is implementing reforms and not involved in the killing of innocent people. This none forceful confrontation with protesters has resulted in two deaths and countless injuries since Thursday.

On Thursday, Bahrainis started their #OccupyBudaiyaSt protests. On that day, a 22-year-old man called Ali Al-Gassab was killed and activist/blogger Zainab Al-Khawajah was arrested for taking part in the Occupy Budaiya Street protest. The Occupy Budaiya Street protest aims at pressuring the government to release political prisoners and pay tribute to Bahrain's 40-plus martyrs, killed at the hand of security forces since the unrest started in Bahrain in February.

On Friday, as the regime was celebrating the country's National Day, thousands of Bahrainis packed the streets heading to Al-Gassab's funeral. However, the hospital, allegedly refused to give the body to his family. Despite this set back, the crowds headed to the cemetery, in Abu Saiba village, also on the Budaiya Highway, where they chanted against the regime. Security forces chased the protesters away with tear gas and brutality.

The most notable event was what was so called ‘Shakura Massacre‘; an incident that was caught by seven different cameras. It shows riot policemen on the roof of a building in Shakura village, along the Budaiya Highway, brutalizing around 18 men and leaving them with major injuries. The Interior Ministry tweeted in comment on this incident earlier on Saturday saying:

@moi_bahrain: Legal Affairs at MOI suspended some police personnel to investigate attack case against citizens in Shakhura yesterday (Friday).

Some netizens objected to the Shakhura being dubbed massacre, saying that none of the youth attacked was killed. Here is a video of the incident [WARNING: Graphic content].

Police repression and ministry's promises did not hold protesters back and they took to the streets to mourn Al-Gassab the following day and to keep their #OccupyBudaiyaSt movement alive. Armed with their mobile phones, netizens documented the day's events and relayed them to the rest of the world in real time. Here are some of their observations:

@alhojairy: Now, thousands of mourners chanting: our resistance is peaceful

@ONLINEBAHRAIN: Huge crowds of mourners participating in the funeral in Abusaiba Village

Despite road blocks, massive crowd at funeral. Image uploaded by MazenMahdi.

@anmarek: Women sit-in at the funeral of Martyr Ali Algassab

@anmarek: I asked this mourner why he is wearing a helmet! He said "protection!"

@MazenMahdi: Protest extremely peaceful #occupybudaiyaST roads open hundreds of protesters on side-walk #Bahrain including lots of women children.

Soon enough, the attack started.

@LuluAvenue: In my village there is a protest & it's being attacked by police #Bahrain ,, teargas everywhere !!

@FreedomPrayers: "Down With Hamad" written with flowers

@MazenMahdi: Police stormed #occupybudaiyaST without warning.

@chanadbh: Video of riot police attacking protesters with tear gas at #OccupyBudaiyaSt a little while ago: bit.ly/vATs3I

@FreedomPrayers: Suffocating ppl take refugee in mall. Experience tells me the mall will be stormed soon

@ONLINEBAHRAIN: Tear gas everywhere

@alaashehabi: A unit of 200 riot police. Just entered AbuSaiba village. HUGE explosion sound & lots of shooting

@MazenMahdi: Hundreds remain on the streets off #occupybudaiyaST sporadic clashes .. Youth securing inside roads to prevent storming

@Blackout_X: The police is getting ready with huge numbers to attack us in country mall!!

@chanadbh: Photos of riot police officer apparently beating a woman with his gun yesterday

This video uploaded by (MrBuHaider) shows protesters sitting on the pavement of the street chanting “Somood” (Resistance) when riot police attacked:

Another video (uploaded by kawaranews) shows security forces attacking people who were trying to pray at the site of a demolished Shia mosque:

And this video (uploaded by mmeha89) shows protesters in Abu Subia roundabout getting attacked by riot police:

In this video, BahrainyCitizen7 states that not only did the police fire tear gas at the protesters, police also attacked those standing next to Costa Coffee shop and beat them with their batons. He notes that one of the riot police members broke the glass on one of the tables for no reason.

Here's another video (uploaded by SEARCHMEALL) that shows the police attack on protesters. They had to get into a mall and many of them had injuries or were suffocating:

This video (uploaded by alawy1221) shows women getting attacked by police:

As the day progressed, more photographs were circulated online. Here are two of them which illustrate how Bahrainis inside the villages on the Budaiya Highway have been faring over the previous few days:

A protester being hit by a rubber bullet at the time of impact

@Peacelooving: Gas and sound bombs used by the police for the suppression of protesters in Abu siba village only.

Today, mourners in Bahrain buried another man in Al Muqsha village, also on the Budaiya Highway. As usual, police fired tear gas after the funeral of 73-year-old Abdulali Ali Ahmed, who relatives say died of smoke inhalation.

On Twitter, Al Sahawly shares this video showing part of the protest being suppressed:

Plumes of tear gas are seen rising in the horizon as the police shoot at protesters and passing cars.

Stay tuned for more coverage from Bahrain.

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.

Brazil-Bahrain: Tear Gas for Repression “Made in Brazil”

Raphael Tsavkko Garcia — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:08:43 +0000

Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff reveals on Twitter that the tear gas devices used for repressing the civilian population of Bahrain is manufactured [pt] in the city of Nova Iguaçu, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and adds he feels ashamed [pt] for his country exporting such weapons.

Bahrain: A Bloody National Day, a Funeral and More Suppression

Mona Kareem — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:50:16 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Bahrain Protests 2011.

22 year old protester Ali Al-Gassab who was ran over by a car this Thursday. Image by @ALWEFAQ on Twitter.

The Bahraini regime celebrated National Day, which marks the coronation anniversary of the current King's father, yesterday (December 16). On the same day, a funeral procession was due to take place in Abu Saiba village, along the Budaiya Highway, for protester Ali Ahmed Radhi Al-Gassab, who was run over during the #OccupyBudaiyaSt protests a day earlier.

In response, the Interior Ministry denied responsibility for the protester’s death and said he was injured in a traffic accident that involved a civilian vehicle and that the driver is in custody. Opposition movement, Al Wefaq Society tweeted that Ali was ran over by a civilian car according to his friend's statement.

Blogger Zainab Khawaja as she was getting arrested this Thursday

Thursday has also marked the arrest of blogger Zainab Al-Khawaja, who was brutally arrested, and is now in detention for seven days under investigation. This videos shows how policewomen dragged her on the ground after punching her in the face:

On Friday morning, the “February 14 youth coalition” announced through Twitter:

@ONLINEBAHRAIN: #OccuppyBudaiyaSt will continue today, protests expected across #Bahrain, @COALITION14 announces protest meeting points in all villages

Bahraini Twitter user Eman Alabed (@Eman_Alabed) posted a GRAPHIC picture of Ali Al-Gassab, who was ran over on Thursday:

هكذا احتفل (علي) بعيدك يا وطني, ملطخاً بدمه … الى جنان الخلد http://yfrog.com/kj2i2jlj

@Eman_Alabed: This is how Ali celebrated your national day, Bahrain, with his blood. To the heavens http://yfrog.com/kj2i2jlj

While protesters were getting ready for Ali's funeral, the government refused to give his family his body:

@ONLINEBAHRAIN: Regime and [Ministry of Interior] MOI playing games by delaying release of martyr body to commence burial procession, fear of “spoiling” “national day”?

Protesters who showed up for the funeral did not let this hold them back and decided to head to the cemetery anyway:

Bahraini Twitter user Mohammed Ashoor (@MohmdAshoor), who has many times covered protests in his country, kept updating tweeps with news from the march:

@MohmdAshoor: Thousands are being exposed to tear gas right now a bit away from the cemetery!

@MohmdAshoor: This time they didn't even let the actual funeral start!

Photojournalist Mazen Mahdi (@MazenMahdi) has also covered many protests with his updates and pictures, including the protests this Friday:

@MazenMahdi: #AbuSaiba have been stormed most taking shelter in homes .. Hundreds were on the street

Protesters getting tear-gassed inside the cemetery

Here's a video, uploaded on YouTube by user BAHCALLUN, showing tear gas inside the cemetery:

As the police were attacking the mourning procession, the King was delivering a speech on TV to mark the National Day, in which he praised the role of security forces. The official Bahrain News Agency tweeted quotes from his speech:

@bna_en: We also praise the role of the national security forces in maintaining the safety and integrity of the country against all threats and risks.

Tweeps commented in disgust at the King's speech, particularly his praise of the security forces, which were attacking Bahraini villagers as he spoke:

@LuluAvenue: Hamad giving prizes to police live now on #Bahrain TV while his forces attacking villages, that's how they apply BICI recommendations.

Security forces throwing rocks on mourners near the cemetery and the martyr's grave

Regime forces on rooftops firing at unarmed civilians in Shakhura

This GRAPHIC video shows three bloodied protestors, who were allegedly beaten up by police:

In this video, a YouTube user says security forces were beating 25 protesters on the roof a house in Shakura, also on the Budaiya Highway. The user also states that this incident led to 18 injuries, including knife injuries to the head or stabs in the protester's thighs:

British blogger Marc Owen Jones sourced seven different videos of this particular roof attack incident. In his post, Jones wrote:

While the abhorrence of yesterday’s violence was itself shocking (a group of 13 riot officers on the roof of an apartment beating what appear to be about 20 youths), the fact the act was recorded on at least seven different cameras make it even more incredible. Two of the videos were taken by the youths on the roof after the beating, whilst the other 5 are taken from other onlookers. By combining the two videos recorded by the youths, and the 5 recorded by onlookers, it is possible to verify what happened.

Twitter user Fatema Naser (@iFattema) was a witness on the Shakura incident and she posted many pictures of those serious injuries [pictures in her tweets are GRAPHIC]:

@iFattema: This man was beaten with batons on his head +face & one of the police put his foot on his nose until fracture. http://yfrog.com/esynplj

@iFattema: This young man was hit in his face until his eye disappeared (The doctors were working hard) http://t.co/MJYgrHkF

@iFattema: http://yfrog.com/gzvb2arj

@iFattema: This man was hit on his head. & cut off part of his fingers with a knife!!! But he was really 9UMOOOD [Resistance]!! http://yfrog.com/h7baeqhj #Bahrain

@iFattema: This injured I cried when I saw him!! His skull was broken,His hands&feet were mutilated with knives!!!!! http://twitpic.com/7u2tah

@iFattema: This young man was beaten on his head with batons. (Doctors stitching his wounds) http://twitpic.com/7u2ux0 taken by @Mo7ammedMirza

@iFattema: There were abt 19 injured. All of them were beaten with batons+knives+iron bars after throwing them on the ground &tying their hands.

Last February, when the uprising first started, protesters were getting arrested from the hospitals when they go there to treat their injuries. Medics, on the other hand, were sentenced to up to 15 years in jail for treating protesters. Bahrainis tweeted how protesters and medics are dealing with this now.

@Bahrain_Victory: Serious injuries being treated at homes by nurses, no one can go to hospital bcuz they will be arrested http://t.co/XMbAYIgy

This video shows those beaten on the roof of that house in Shakurah getting treated in a house.

This post is part of our special coverage Bahrain Protests 2011.

Bahrain: Fake Twitter Account

Amira Al Hussaini — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:18:41 +0000

Bahraini journalist Reem Khalifa appeals to her followers on Twitter: “Plz my followers make report spam for a fake account @ Reem_Khalifah using my pic, words,articles.”

Bahrain: Twitter User Jailed for 66 Days for Tweeting

Mona Kareem — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:03:40 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.

The Arab world has a reputation for arresting and torturing bloggers and netizens and Bahrain is no exception, particularly after its February 14 uprising. Just the way Bahraini medics used Twitter to tell the world about the torture and abuse they witnessed at the hands of security personnel in jail, a Twitter user who goes by the pseudonym Nezrad (@nezrad) has been tweeting his jail experience over the past few days to share his story with the rest of the world.

Social media logo in support of February 14 protests. Photo credit: People

According to Nazred, he was arrested because of his tweets and with his new updates, he wanted to tell his story [ar]:

بسبب بضع كلمات في تويتر تم أعتقالي وتكبيلي وتعصيب عيني واستجوابي لـ 5 ساعات عانيت فيها من التقييد والعطش والشتائم والوقوف على رجلي دون جلوس

@nezrad: because of some words I wrote on Twitter, I was arrested, shackled, blind-folded, and interrogated for five hours. I suffered a lot from being shackled, from thirst, insults, and standing without getting to sit down.

He continues describing his ordeal:

قبل بدأ التحقيق في النعيم أتى رجل وسألني بلهجة يمنية:ماهي تهمتك؟ أين تعمل؟ ما هذه البدلة التي تلبسها؟ ثم جرني ومزق البدلة وصفعني ثم بصق علي

@nezrad: before the beginning of the interrogation, a man came and asked me in a Yemeni accent: “What is your charge? Where do you work? What is this suit you are wearing?” and then he pulled me and ripped off my suit and slapped me, then he spitted on me.

He adds:

بعد ذلك تم إدخالي في غرفة التحقيق، حيث استجوبني شخصان.. كانت أسئلتهما غريبة..لم يكن استجوابا حقيقيا بقدر ما هو توبيخ واستهزاء وشتائم

@nezrad: After that, I was taken to an interrogation room where two men interrogated me. Their questions were weird. It was not a real interrogation, it was just about insulting and disrespecting me.

Nazrad continues detailing his plight in the following tweets:

وأثناء الاستجواب سألني أحد المحققين بلهجة عراقية: هل تحب صدام حسين؟ مارأيك في العراقيين؟ هل تسمع أغاني عراقية؟ ثم طلب مني أن أغني له أغنية

@nezrad: During the interrogation, one of the interrogators asked me in an Iraqi accent: “Do you love Saddam Hussain? What do you think of Iraqis? Do you listen to Iraqi songs?” He then asked me to sing a song for him.

وسأل المحقق الآخر: هل ذهبت إلى الدوار؟ واقترب مني وسحبني من ربطة عنقي بقوة ثم كرر السؤال مهددا؟ فأجبته اني ذهبت للدوار بدافع الاطلاع فقط

@nezrad: The other interrogator asked: “Did you go to the roundabout?” then he came closer to me and pulled me from my tie and repeated the question and threatened me. Then I told him that yes I went, out of curiosity.

بعد الانتهاء من التحقيق الذي دام 5 ساعات طلب مني احد المحققين أن انشد له النشيد الوطني! فقلت أني مجهد الان! قال نحن لم نفعل بك شيئا حتى الآن

@nezrad: After the interrogation was over, lasting for five hours, one of the interrogators asked me to sing the national anthem. I told him “I am tired now.” He said: “We still did not do anything to you yet.”

Nazrad is then transferred to a prison cell, where he shares his arrest story with others. In return, he too witnesses and learns about the atrocities the other prisoners have been subjected to. Here is his story in his own words. All the tweets are in Arabic.

عندما أدخلوني الزنزانة، استقبلني بعض الشباب، وأجلسوني واحضروا لي الماء! ثم تجمعوا حولي! وبعد أن التقطت أنفاسي، بدئوا يسألونني عن قصة اعتقالي

@nezrad: When they put me in the cell, the youth welcomed me, let me sit down and gave me water. They gathered around me. After I rested a bit, they started asking me about my arrest story.

في نفس اليوم، دخل إلى الزنزانة خمس معتقلين آخرين وبدا التعذيب واضحا على أجسادهم! احدهم كانت رقبته مكسورة، والأخر ثوبه ملطخة بالدم

@nezrad: That same day, five detainees were brought into the cell and the torture marks were clear on their bodies. One of them had his neck broken and the other had his clothes soiled with blood.

كل يوم كان هناك فوج جديد من المعتقلين حتى أمتلئ السجن عن بكرة أبيه حيث اكتظت الزنزانات بأكثر مما تستوعب حتى افترش بعض الموقوفين الأرض للنوم

@nezrad: Everyday, there was a new group of detainees brought in until the prison was completely filled. The prison had more than its capacity so some prisoners had to sleep on the floor.

في احد الليالي تم إدخال 9 لاعبين لكرة السلة من منتخب البحرين على خلفية مشاركتهم في المسيرة الرياضية فأصبح سجن النعيم كأنه معسكر رياضي

@nezrad: On one of the nights, they brought in nine players from the national basketball team of Bahrain because they participated in the athletes' rally that supported the protests. Al-Naim prison became like a sports camp.

بعد مرور عدة أيام على بقائي بالسجن تم استدعائي مع 5 موقوفين آخرين وتم تعصيب اعيننا وعندما رفعوا العصابة عن عيني فاذا بكاميرا أمامي

@nezrad: After a few days of my imprisonment, I was summoned with another five detainees and our eyes were blindfolded and when they removed the folds, we saw a camera in front of us.

كما وجدت امامي بعض الملثمين الذين أعطوني ورقة تتضمن إفادتي التي وقعت عليها أثناء التحقيق وطلبوا مني أن ألقيها أمام الكاميرا

@nezrad: I saw some men, whose faces were covered, who gave me a paper that included my statement that I signed during the interrogation and they asked me to recite it in front of the camera.

كانت تمر أيام قاسية للغاية في مركز النعيم خاصة عندما يمرض احد المعتقلين وكذلك كنا نتألم عندما نسمع صراخ وضرب المعتقلين الجدد من وراء الجدران

@nezrad: There were hard days in Al-Naim center, especially when one of the detainees got sick. We were also suffering when we hear the new detainees screaming and getting beaten behind the walls.

مما كان يفزعني دخول الملثمون في بعض الليالي في وقت متاخر حيث يأخذون بعض الموقوفين الجدد مرة أخرى لإعطائهم جرعات إضافية من الضرب

@nezrad: One of the things that used to frighten me is when the men whose faces were covered came into the cell late, rounding up some of the new detainees again to give them extra doses of beatings.

كانت لحظات الانتظار في السجن مضجرة وتبعث على السأم..وكثيرة هي الأمور التي تثير السخط في السجن حيث لا نستطيع أن نهنأ بالنوم

@nezrad: The moments of waiting in prison were boring and there were many things that irritated us as we could not sleep.

ومما يبعث على الاشمئزاز في مركز النعيم الذهاب لقضاء الحاجة في الحمامات التي تزكم رائحتها الأنوف وقد تطوع بعض الموقوفين بتنظيفها دون جدوى

@nezrad: One of the things that disgusted us in Al-Naim prison was going to the bathroom. Some of the detainees volunteered to clean it but that didn't work.

في اليوم 17 من إقامتي في مركز النعيم، وفي منتصف الليل دخل علينا ضابط وقرأ اسمي وأسماء 15 معتقلا آخر، ثم تم نقلنا إلى سجن الحوض الجاف

@nezrad: On the 17th day of my stay in Naim prison, at midnight, an officer came and read my name and that of 15 other detainees, and we were transferred to the Dry Dock prison.

عندما تم نقلنا إلى الحوض الجاف في منتصف الليل كنا مكبلين ومعصبين وهناك كان الاستقبال حافلا حيث تم ضربنا بالهوز على مؤخرة كما تم ركلنا وصفعنا

@nezrad: When we were transferred to the Dry Dock prison by midnight we were shackled and our eyes were blindfolded. The reception there was ‘warm' as we got beaten by hoses on our butts and got kicked and slapped.

وقد صدمت في الحوض الجاف عندما شاهدت العديد من المعتقلين الجرحى الذين تركت جراح بعضهم عاهات مستديمة فهناك ممن فقدوا أعينهم أو تشوهت أجسادهم

@nezrad: I was shocked at the Dry Dock prison when I saw the wounded detainees who were left with their injuries, which turned into permanent disabilities. Some had lost their eyes and others had their bodies deformed.

كان رئيس السجن يجمعنا خارج الزنزانات في الممر الضيق الطويل لنصطف ثم يقوم كل سجين بتعداد نفسه وبعدها نقوم بأداء نشيد السلام الوطني

@nezrad: The head of the prison used to gather us outside the cells in a narrow corridor, line us up, and make each prisoner count himself and sing the national anthem.

According to the findings of a royal commission appointed by the King of Bahrain Hamad Al Khalifa, the “authorities used torture and excessive force against detainees arrested in crackdowns” on protesters in Bahrain. The report also speaks of the torture of prisoners and systematic abuse.

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.