Global Voices » Syria

Syria: 18 Journalists Killed in January

Rami Alhames — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:27:24 +0000

Freedom of the Press worldwide in 2013. Source: Reporters without Borders on Facebook

Syria: Old Homs Under Siege for a Year

Rami Alhames — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:44:24 +0000

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests

This month marks the first anniversary of the siege of the old city of Homs, often described as the capital of the Syrian Revolution. Homs, one of the first revolutionary Syrian cities to revolt against the tyranny of Bashar Al Assad, along with 14 neighborhoods and districts of the old city, including Baba Amr, Bab Sbaa, Khalidiya and Deir Balba, has been subjected to bombardment by the Syrian regime, shelling and raids for more than two years, making the daily survival even harder as food and medical supplies dwindle.

Homs…city under siege
by abdulrahman-romano

In November 2012, Global Voices Online ran a post entitled Homs, A Revolutionary Syrian City in Ruins. The “siege” of the 14 neighborhoods in Homs is a special case – and is not similar to other Syrian cities. It is a reminder of the siege of Gaza. However, in Homs there are no secret tunnels to smuggle basic supplies, medical aid and injured and sick people. In Homs, a few thousand people are trapped in an area where there were 400,000 people residing. jeydt23 reported on Storify:

What is being called the Siege of Homs is arguably the most intense war zone in all of Syria at the moment. The siege has been going on for months with the death tolls on both sides of the conflict adding up daily. Below are pictures, tweets, and videos of the people striving to survive.

In old Homs, there is no agricultural land to grow vegetables and fruit, resulting in shortages in food supplies. This video shows children picking leaves and complaining about the lack of food:

There is also no hospital or medical center, [Al Amal Hospital was fully destroyed on April 1, 2012]. Instead, some [warning: link to graphic video showing an injured person undergoing an operation without anesthesia] makeshift hospitals rely on trainees to serve patients.

The government has also cut services such as electricity, water or communications in the besieged neighbourhoods. Instead, the survival of the inhabitants depends on water from wells, electricity generators and the use of satellite communications. There are no schools, universities or educational institutions. Instead, hundreds of children are living daily bombings and continuous daily shelling by mortar, rocket launchers, long-range missiles, tanks and warplane raids.

Syrian activists posted this video on the Facebook page of Break the siege of Homs on June 6, 2013, revealing the destruction of the city.

The blog Greater Syria posted a heart-breaking story under the title Yasin and Maryam Sabbagh…End the Siege on Homs, which describes the murder of a brother and sister (Yassin and Maryam) who were killed by a mortar bomb, fired by the regime’s forces in pro-regime districts, while playing outside their home. A video of their martyrdom with an emotional comment said:

A short while ago, a piece of news stabbed my heart hard and petrified my eyes in disbelief. [.....] Maryam and Yassin Sabbagh drawing what their life has been limited to: mortars, shelling, darkness, fear, and destruction; deprived from education, from schools, from having friends and neighbours to play with, from enjoying the blessings of life like world’s children, from food and sanitary water, from electricity, from everything..

Break the siege of Homs. Source Facebook page

On his Facebook page, Yazan Homsi calls upon Syrians to support the revolution and not let the martyrs down. He posted a letter written by an activist who reminded all Syrian activists of their pledge to protect the revolution until it achieves its goals:

عتب شهيد على كل متخاذل ….
تاريخ الكتابة 9-6-2013 حمص – المنطقة المحاصرة
تاريخ الشهادة 10-6-2013 حمص – المنطقة المحاصرة

A reproach from a martyr for everyone not living up to his duty…
Written Date 09/06/2013 Homs – the besieged area
Martyrdom Date 10/06/2013 Homs – the besieged area

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests

Syria: Criticizing Arab Silence

Rami Alhames — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:41:40 +0000

Steadfast Syrians, Silent Arabs. Source: Political farce page

Political Farce posted a photograph on Facebook criticizing the silence of Arabs over developments in Syria.

Syrian Creativity: Radio SouriaLi Broadcasts over the Internet

Neil Sadler — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:38:36 +0000

This post is cross-posted from Syria Untold and translated by Global Voices Arabic.

Because “necessity is the mother of invention”, as the Arab saying goes, Syrians continue to devise creative and innovative solutions to the daily obstacles they face, despite extreme repression. Radio SouriaLi, formed by a group of young Syrians from diverse backgrounds, is one of the many projects and initiatives emerging from the need for expression and the attempt to reach out to all Syrians, regardless of their ethnic, intellectual and religious backgrounds.

The name “SouriaLi” comes from a play on the words “sourialia” (surrealism) and “Souria lee” (which translates to My Syria from Arabic) to combine awareness of Syria's chaotic present, that has become surreal, and the need for all Syrians to get involved in the building of their own Syria.

Souriali started broadcasting in October 2012 as an internet-based radio, in an attempt to bypass censorship and reach out to the largest number of Syrians, both within and outside the country, despite their limited resources.
The fact that the project is internet-based has not prevented those running it from facing constant challenges in order to continue to broadcast. Syrian authorities have repeatedly blocked their website inside Syria, including SouriaLi keywords on search engines, which has forced their audience to use circumvention technology to access their content. Additionally, as most of the SouriaLi team is within Syria, constant disruptions to power supply and internet connections make their daily work increasingly difficult.

Radio Souriali

None of the obstacles have stopped them from broadcasting. In the words of one of the founders:

“We speak so that we can breathe. We speak to everybody and we listen to everybody. We try to stay positive until the day comes when we become what we want to be.”

He adds:

“We believe that our problem is that we don't listen to each other. Our message isn't aimed at any one group over others, rather we try to reach every Syrian heart and especially those of the so called “silent majority”.

The Souriali team tries to address all the different groups that form the fabric of Syrian society, and to draw attention to a diversity of issues – from art, culture and traditions to women's rights and the rights of minorities such as the Kurdish people.

SouriaLi is one of the many steps on Syria's path to its dream of a country respectful of justice, freedom, and fundamental human rights.

This post is cross-posted from Syria Untold and translated by Global Voices Arabic.

Syria Untold: Raqqa Lessons, From Freedom to Creativity in State Building

Mohamed ElGohary — Tue, 28 May 2013 20:58:31 +0000

This post is cross-posted from Syria Untold and translated by Global Voices Arabic.

For Syrians, demanding freedom has extended from struggling against dictatorship, facing murder, jail, detention and destruction of the infrastructure, to trying to establish a new foundation for the country that they long dreamed of. Is it really possible to build from within all this destruction?

If anyone can achieve the impossible, it is Syrians. They have turned the French students uprising´s slogans – “Be realistic, demand the impossible” – into “Be realistic and make the impossible.”

After the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Raqqa in March 2013, the city suffered a tremendous power vacuum, especially in public services. The streets were filled with garbage and remnants of the regime barricades.

A discussion was started by a group of 35 activists who had remained in the city, which led to the creation of a rally named “The youth of Raqqa”. One of these activists, surgeon Ayman al-Khalaf, has explained to Syria Untold:

The poster reads [ar]: To people who love freedom, know that the factory of heroes is in Syria. Source: Syria Untold

A week after liberation, we started discussing how to solve services problems resulting from the withdrawal of the regime and disabling its institutions. We decided to establish the rally as a civil institution without subordination to any political, religious or military affiliation.

The rally adopted the role of the municipality, cleaning the streets, taking the garbage away from the city center, and removing the regime barricades. In the words of Ayman:

“We have dreamt of living without this regime for so long. Now the dream has come true, so we have to be responsible and turn the city to a real icon of freedom”

Inspired by their newly achieved freedom, campaigns were organized, such as the “Our Streets Breathe Freedom” one. Activists distributed the revolution flag in all public utilities and streets, cleaned the city, neighborhood after neighborhood, covering the streets with creative drawings and graffiti.

Raqqa..:Lessons in state building

Activists also started the “Clean the National Hospital” campaign, which lasted until the city´s main hospital was cleaned from the debris of bombing and destruction; and the “I Will Not Leave my School” campaign aiming to rehabilitate schools so that children could continue their studies as soon as possible.

Activists at the I will not leave my school campaign

Activists did not forget Syrian refugees arriving from all over the country. A relief kitchen was set to provide about 500 meals a day to refugees, despite the lack of bread caused by the shortages. This led to the “Our Bread Campaign”, in which pieces of bread were distributed in small bags with a sign reading “my loaf is your loaf” and the saying of the Prophet Mohammad “None of you will have faith unless you wish for others what you wish for yourselves.”

The youth rally also focused on Syria's children, who are suffering a dire situation since the beginning of the struggle. Campaigns such as “Children´s right to live” aim to defend their rights and help them by engaging them in theatre workshops and other activities focusing on solidarity, cooperation and teamwork spirit, educating children on true values that promote a new sense belonging to the country.

Other campaigns focus on Syrian prisoners of conscience, such as the April 7 “Free Behind Bars” sit-ins.

The sign reads: Freedom for the prisoner we don't know

Solidarity with other Syrian towns has also emerged in Raqqa, through campaigns such as the “Euphrates Candles of Freedom”.

Through their work, the Raqqa youth are doing what the state institutions should be doing. In the words of Ayman, the young activist and doctor:

“We will stay strong, because Raqqa is the capital of liberation and we will continue to work to keep the city live up to its name regardless of the process of militarization.”

This post is cross-posted from Syria Untold and translated by Global Voices Arabic.

14-year-old Citizen Journalist Killed Covering Clashes in Syria

Rami Alhames — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:55:18 +0000

Omar Qatifaan, a 14-year-old media activist, was killed 21 May, 2013 while covering clashes between the Syrian Army and the rebel Free Army in the southern Daraa al-Ballad area of Syria near the border with Jordan.

Youth media project Syrian Documents reported on his death, and Syrian news blog YALLA SOURIYA called him the “Spirit of Syria”.

The conflict in Syria, as well as other Arab Spring uprisings, has seen a rise in citizen journalists reporting from the ground on the ongoing war between the country's pro- and anti-government forces. Many have been detained, tortured, and even killed while trying to bring the story of the revolution to the world.

Children have also paid a terrible price during the conflict, with thousands killed during the violence so far.

Media activist Omar Qatifaan was 14-years-old when he was killed while covering a battle in Daraa, Syria. Photo from the Twitter account of ‏@RevolutionSyria

Another media activist recorded video of Qatifaan after he was killed. The footage was posted on YouTube by SyrianDaysOfRage [GRAPHIC VIDEO]:

Turkey: Syrian Refugees Targeted after Reyhanlı Blasts

Baran Mavzer — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:11:11 +0000

On May 11th, Reyhanlı [en] small Turkish town on Turkey-Syria border, was under terrorist attacks. This was the biggest terrorist attack [en] in country's 90 year-old republican history. After the explosions nine people were detained [en] by the security forces. Officials said [en], two vehicles were used in the bombings and more than 50 people were killed and at least 100 people were injured. But on social media, there were rumors that the real number of the victims is more than 100.

Twitter user shiny (@Idauk) tweets [Tr]:

@Idauk Simdi Antakya'dan arkadasimla konustum.Olu sayisi 100′un uzerinde diyor.Reyhanli'da fiili sokaga cikma yasagi varmis.Hastahaneler perisan.

I just talked with a friend from Antakya. As my friend said, the number of the people were killed is over 100. Also, there is a curfew. Hospitals are all miserable.

Just after the explosions, the Turkish government issued a media ban [en] on the Reyhanlı blasts. This ban received a big reaction on social media. Twitter user denizatam (@denizatam) writes:

@denizatam AKP çareyi buldu, Reyhanlı için yayın yasağı başladı! Ana akım medya yetmedi yerel basını sustur şimdi. http://haber.sol.org.tr/devlet-ve-siyaset/akp-careyi-buldu-reyhanli-icin-yayin-yasagi-basladi-haberi-72848 …

AKP (Justice and Development Party) found the solution. A media ban was initiated for the Reyhanli Blasts! Mainstream was not enough, now it is the time to silence local media.

Journalists protested [en] the media ban. On Türkmax, the media ban was protested in a more sarcastic way, on their comedy show “Heberler”. In the video, the anchorman is opening the program with Reyhanlı blasts. Due to media ban, he remains speechless. Here is the video [tr]:

A picture at bobiler.org on the blast media ban

A Turkish viral graphics and design website, bobiler.org, published a picture about media ban. User brewolve prepared a graphic about the Turkish media's reaction on Reyhanlı blasts, since the media was just following their normal program line and not mentioning Reyhanlı blasts. Graphic can be seen here.

Although the media ban was lifted by Turkish courts, on May 16, a video on YouTube claims that the ban has fulfilled its purpose. In the video [tr], a journalist interviews several people on the street asking them “what do you think about Reyhanlı?”. The answers are shocking; only one person recognized the blasts, and a few remembered where the town was, and rest had no idea where it was or what happened in Reyhanlı, even though the video was recorded only five days after the blasts. Here is the video:

There are also reports [tr] on racist attacks on Syrian refugees. Since the Syrian civil war, Syrian refugees and militants fled to Antakya [en], a Turkish city on Syrian-Turkey border, and Reyhanlı, a town of the same city. Since the refugees and militants moved [en] into Antakya, the tension between the locals and Syrians has been high. In the report it says:

“Suriyelilerin yaşadığı binalara topluca gidilmiş birçok ev yakılmaya çalışılmış, ele geçirilen kişiler darp edilmişlerdir. Aşırı milliyetçi/ulusalcı eğilimlere sahip partilere mensup fanatiklerinden olduğu söylenen ve her geçen gün sayıları artmakta olan bu gurup, yaşanan gelişmelerden Suriyelileri sorumlu tutmakta, Reyhanlı ilçe merkezinde devriye gezerek sıklıkla yol kesmekte, Suriyeli veya Suriye vatandaşı olduğunu zannettikleri kişileri linç etmeye çalışmaktadırlar”

A group of people went to the buildings that Syrians are living in, they beat the people they caught. As said, these people are the members of ultra nationalist parties and they increasing in numbers, they blame Syrians for the blasts, and they patrol the Reyhanli city center, where they are attacking Syrians or people who look like Syrian citizens.

Turks on social media gave mixed reactions on the attacks on Syrians in Reyhanli.

Twitter user T.C. Zehra Aydogan (@TurkKizi1919) is angry at Syrians in Antakya:

@TurkKizi1919 Turkiye'ye yerlestirilmeye calistiklari Suriyeli Multeci dedikleri terorsitlerdir.

The so called Syrian refugees that they want to settle in Turkey are, actually terrorists.

Another user, T.C.Devrim #ATATÜRK (@saadet_karakus), is angry at government for helping the refugees instead of the locals:

@saadet_karakus Suriyeli multeci icin milyar dolar harcayanlar,Reyhanlı esnafının vergi, sigorta borçlarını 1 yıl erteliyor.Silsene o borcu buyuk devlet!

The ones, who spend billions of dollars for Syrian refugees, are delaying Reyhanli store owners’ debts for one year. Write off those debts, you big government!

Twitter user Sami Pelitli (@SamiPelitli) says:

@SamiPelitli Reyhanli'da patlayan bomba yuzunden multecileri suclamak, onlara saldirmak nasil bir vicdansizliktir? Bir de irkci degiliz dersiniz.

What kind of remorselessness it is, to blame refugees for the blasts in Reyhanli, and to attack them? And you also say we are not racist.

Journalist Hayko Bağdat (@haykobagdat) tweets:

@haykobagdat ÖSO, cemaat, AKP'li filanlı olmaktan değil, tehcirin ne olduğunu bildiğimden Suriyeli mültecilere toz kondurmuyorum ben.

I am defending Syrian refugees, because I know the meaning of emigration, not because I am fan of FSA (Free Syrian Army), AKP (Justice and development Party), or congregation.

After the death of tens of people and a border town with tens of buildings collapsed [en], life still continues in Reyhanlı. Twitter user Bünyamin Salmanyan (@bunyms) remembers Mustafa Ayaz [tr], who was killed by the blasts in Reyhanlı:

@bunyms Reyhanlı'daki saldırıda hayatını kaybeden 25 yaşındaki Mustafa Ayaz'ın eşi bugün doğum yapmış, adını Mustafa koymuşlar..

Mustafa Ayaz, 25, was killed by the blasts; his wife gave a birth to his son today, and they named him Mustafa…

‘Syria Untold': The Storytelling of the Syrian Revolution

Leila Nachawati Rego — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:48:44 +0000

More than two years into the Syrian uprising as the battle continues on the ground, a new outspoken and creative Syria has emerged after decades of isolation and silence. From strikes to sit-ins, from creative songs and banners to countless citizen demonstrations, daily resistance against tyranny carries on, largely uncovered by mainstream media.

For a few months, I have been working with a group of Syrian journalists, writers, programmers, and designers based in Syria and abroad on a digital media project focusing on telling the story of the Syrian revolution. We are now ready to launch Syria Untold.

Our project combines content aggregation from social media and information collected and shared by grassroots activists with original content created by our team. We have two versions, English and Arabic.

We will focus on the story of the uprising through grassroots campaigns, civil disobedience, art, and creativity. The story of the voices that do not usually get covered by mainstream media. The story of the daily resistance that continues despite increasing militarization on the ground and despite the regime's attempts to silence every form of citizen expression. We want to highlight these voices and help others understand them in context.

Syria Untold will be partnering with Global Voices Online. Syria Untold posts will be edited by Global Voices editors and translated by volunteer translators, as part of GV's interest in highlighting citizen voices and grassroots initiatives.

We will need everyone's help to make this happen, so stay tuned for #syriauntold!

http://www.syriauntold.com/

About Syria Untold:

Syria Untold is an independent digital media project exploring the storytelling of the Syrian struggle and the diverse forms of resistance. We are a team of Syrian writers, journalists, programmers and designers living in the country and abroad trying to highlight the narrative of the Syrian revolution, which Syrian men and women are writing day by day. Through grassroots campaigns, emerging forms of self-management and self-government and endless manifestations of citizen creativity, a new outspoken Syria has emerged, after decades of repression and paralysis. With mainstream media focusing increasingly on geostrategic and military aspects and less on internal dynamics developing on the ground, we believe there are many aspects of the Syrian struggle that remain uncovered, many stories that we would not like to see forgotten. Welcome to the stories of daily resistance and creativity. Welcome to Syria Untold.

Syria: Tweeting from the Frontline in Aleppo

Amira Al Hussaini — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:07:54 +0000

Journalist Jenan Moussa is back in Aleppo, Syria, tweeting her experiences as the war between pro- and anti-government forces intensifies. Moussa's tweets are raw and personal, giving readers a snippet of what life is like for those caught in the crossfire.

Moussa, who is a roving reporter for Arabic Al Aan TV, Dubai, UAE, observes:

@jenanmoussa: Its great to be back in #Aleppo & meet all my friends. City seems much better than last time I was here. People adapted to war.

Dinner, in Aleppo, is accompanied by the sounds of mortars falling in the distance:

@jenanmoussa: It's dinner time here in #Aleppo. We are having Mexicana chicken as sound of mortars echoes at a distance.

After a night in the city, Moussa wonders:

@jenanmoussa: Morning from #Aleppo. I couldn't sleep till 6 am. Everytime I closed my eyes I imagined bombs falling. God, how do ppl stay sane?

In Aleppo, she visits the site where a Scud missile fell some 45 days earlier. She tweets:

@jenanmoussa: Earlier today I went to site where SCUD missile fell 45 days ago in #Aleppo. 6 bodies are still missing under rubble

Jenan Moussa in Aleppo, at the site where a Scud missile fell 45 days earlier. Photograph shared by @jenanmoussa on Twitter

@jenanmoussa: In #Aleppo I saw a father sitting on rubble, tears in his eyes. He's still looking for bodies of his 2 beautiful daughters & wife

@jenanmoussa: While I was w/ him, father found slippers of a child & handful of hair ( woman's hair) under rubble. ‘Maybe it's my wife’ he told me

Despite the stressful situation, Moussa maintains her humour:

@jenanmoussa: Activists here in #Aleppo laugh at me. I am sometimes only one wearing my flak jacket in house. They are used to the sounds of war.

And then goes to sleep without dinner:

@jenanmoussa: We didn't have dinner tonight. Also no shower. Not a necessity in a city like #Aleppo. Good night you all.

North Korea Nuclear Threats Draw Arab Laughs

Amira Al Hussaini — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:51:52 +0000

North Korea's threats to attack US military bases, including those on the American mainland, drew laughs from a number of Arab netizens.

Palestinian Ola Anan tweets [ar]:

تعليق بابا على تهديدات كوريا: أيوة بقى خليهم يتلهوا في بعضهم شوية ويحلّوا عنا

@olanan: My father's reactions to [North] Korea's threats: “Yes, let them get preoccupied with each other and leave us in peace.”

Syrian The 47th jokes:

@THE_47th: If this North Korean nuclear threat to US happened when Bush was president, he would have already ordered an attack on Cambodia. #GodBless

this picture showing the Emir of Qatar cheering on the on-going war of words between North Korea and the US. " width="200" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-405027" />

SATIRE: @Heshoz shares this picture showing the Emir of Qatar cheering on the on-going war of words between North Korea and the US.

While Lebanese Liliane A. notes:

@FunkyOzzi: The way I see it, #NorthKorea is the baby that lacks affection and just needs a hug.

Hadi Alabdullah, from Homs, Syria, adds [ar]:

منقول: الائتلاف الوطني السوري يدرس قرار تزويد الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بأسلحة غير فتاكة وتقديم الدعم اللوجستي لها في حربها ضد كوريا :)

@HadiAlabdullah: The Syrian National Coalition studies a decision to provide the US with non-lethal weapons and logistical aid in its war against North Korea

Egyptian Ibrahim Elgarhi takes the opportunity to poke fun at his country's own president saying:

كوريا الشمالية تصدق رسميا على ضرب امريكا بالنووي.. وبكدة يبقى جونج تاني اعبط رئيس في العالم

@Ibrahim_Elgarhi: North Korea approves Nuclear attack on US and thus makes Kim Jong-un the second most stupid president in the world

Hesham Mansour shares this picture showing the Emir of Qatar cheering on the on-going war of words between North Korea and the US. Qatar, the home of Al Jazeera television, has played a role in supporting many Arab Spring revolutions, even sending forces to Libya.

And on Brother Please, a Facebook page, contributors shared hilarious pictures and memes of North Korea's threat against the US.

Here's one of them:

Kim Jong-un portrayed as a Jihadist on Facebook page Brother Please. The caption reads: We a coming to you with nuclear [weapons] without an agreement

India: A Different Take on Syria

Amira Al Hussaini — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:35:31 +0000

German Ulrike Reinhard links to a series of videos featuring Prem Shankar Jha, a well known journalist in India, who offers a different take on what is going on in Syria.

Al Jazeera: Amplifying (Global Voices) Women's Voices

Jillian C. York — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:43:22 +0000

Last month, I received an interesting e-mail from my editor, Nasir Khan, at the Opinion page of Al Jazeera English. In the e-mail, Khan explained that while his goal has been to keep a gender ratio of 50/50 on the page, he has often come up short. Therefore, he wrote, he would be working on a project with the sole intention of increasing the output of women contributors:

For the months of February and March, I plan to have a gender ratio of 80/20 in favour of women, flipping the abhorrent ratio that currently exists within the industry … In the process, [we'll be] challenging other outlets to do the same.

Though the initiative failed to attract much mainstream coverage, it quickly spread through social media, and by mid-March Khan was well on his way to fulfilling his goal. Through tweets, e-mails, and Facebook posts, women heard about the initiative and lined up to contribute.

Global Voices women step up

The women of Global Voices were no exception, and by the end of March they had substantially contributed to the Opinion section. This shouldn't be surprising: just last month, a study published by The Guardian showed that Global Voices has a 51% contribution rate from women, consistent over time. The article praised Global Voices for its diversity, noting:

However you slice it, Global Voices publishes a diverse set of voices at all levels of participation, from the most prolific to the most casual.

Global Voices has always sought to bring the voices of bloggers and netizens into the mainstream — today we'll do the opposite, amplifying the voices of nine GV women (of whom we are very proud) that have made it into the mainstream.

Deborah Esch, a Global Voices author and member of the GV Advocacy Steering Committee (as well as a professor of literature), wrote about her experiences gaining open access to a scholarly archive that had previously been locked to the public, helping her come to terms with the death of activist Aaron Swartz. Esch writes:

Along the way, I found that I was no longer in search of an example – in literature, in historiography – a figure to help come to terms with the death of Aaron Swartz. I had my example: had it as an experience, the unexpected experience of open access to a scholarly archive that had till then been locked away from the public behind the monolithic gates of one institution or another.

Esch also published a second piece on the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez disaster.

Two Global Voices ladies: Jillian and Leila at the Arab Bloggers Summit in Tunisia 2011. Photo shared by Jillian C. York on flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Rayna Stamboliyska, a GV contributor, wrote about the importance of “hacking science,” explaining:

A very powerful concept – “citizen science” – has naturally emerged along the lines of open science. Countless professional researchers blog about their work and discuss online results obtained by their peers. Such open discussion permits non-professionals to participate as well. The surge of the hacker/maker/do-it-yourself movement has tremendously contributed to engage non-professional scientists in science.

Nowadays, there are hundreds of projects the world over within which professional and non-professional researchers take part in genuine scientific studies. A clearly visible shift has operated in the recent years from citizens helping merely collect data to citizens actually analysing it, producing valuable results and interpreting them as well as generating new hypotheses.

Leila Nachawati Rego, a Spanish-Syrian contributor and member of the GV Advocacy Steering Committee, wrote of reasons to remain optimistic about Syria. Using the town of Kafranbel as a symbol of hope against tyranny, Nachawati Rego writes:

This northwestern town has become well-known for the powerful and edgy banners. They are being created since the beginning of the uprising and are instantly shared through social media.

Internet users from all over the world look forward to every new message and drawing, which summarise the meaning and the evolution of the Syrian struggle.

Although banners and drawings have captured international attention, Kafranbel is more than that. It is also a model for new forms of self-management emerging from the rubble. Its inhabitants not only have survived several regime bombings, but also have engaged in self-government while rebuilding their own town.

Chan Myae Khine, who writes about Myanmar for Global Voices, analyzed the ongoing conflict between Muslims and Buddhists in her country, explaining:

The background of the latest clash between Muslims and Buddhists, however, is not as clear cut as is reported. Although it is reported to be sectarian in nature, the characteristics of the latest flair of violence are utterly atypical, and at worst, planned. An insecure public, the nature of the extremists and the announcement of a state of emergency are indicative of a regression from the still-ongoing transition towards democracy.

Renata Avila, a transparency advocate and longtime contributor to GV and GV Advocacy, discussed the case of American journalist Nicholas Blake, in which the Guatemalan state was declared responsible for the journalist's disappearance. She writes of her experience:

While I worked as a lawyer for the Guatemalan genocide case, preparing the witnesses who presented their testimonies before Spanish National Courts, I struggled with the lack of information about the Army suspects. Counterinsurgency plans and information of the chain of command were obtained either via whistleblowers or Freedom of Information requests filed in the United States, evidencing the importance of both the freedom of information architecture and whistleblowers as key instruments where not even a Bush or a Kennedy can obtain the truth. Up till now, the Military Archives remain sealed, secret. Key files needed for the cases are reported “missing”.

GV contributor Yoo Eun Lee, who writes about Korea, asked “Who was behind the South Korean cyber-attacks?“, writing:

If the attacks were indeed from North Korea, there is no need to read anything into it. Their message and motive cannot be anymore clear. North Korea has been using all kinds of extreme war rhetoric offline for decades, with statements like “turning the South Korean capital into a sea of fire/blood”. This hacking could be just more blackmailing – only done online.

Although blaming North Korea for the attack provides very convenient and believable explanations – compact enough to fit into saucy headlines – it is completely lazy and misleading.

Kirsten Han, who contributes to GV from Singapore, wrote about the Singaporean government's attempt to increase the country's birth rate, calling some attempts “cringe-worthy at best”:

Young men and women are now being bombarded with “pro-family” messaging, cajoling and coaxing them into getting married and settling down rather than “waiting for all the stars to align”. A married life with children is portrayed as the ultimate desirable outcome, and singles are continually told to get out there and start looking for a spouse…

…it's like constantly being under the gaze of an overzealous aunt, eager to set you up on blind dates with anyone who catches her eye. Young Singaporeans are barely given the time and space to really think about what they want, and with a host of “pro-family” policies – priority in the public housing queue for married couples, parental leave being only applicable to couples who are lawfully married, etc – it sometimes seems like a choice between conforming or working doubly hard. Those who don't fit into the social norm are more or less left out.

In her piece, GV contributor Lakshmi Sarah proposes that the BRIC countries take steps to act responsibly when it comes to women's rights and violence against women:

The BRICs have gained attention since 2001, when the term was initially coined. From 2000 to 2008, the BRICs’ share of GDP rose from 16 to 22 percent. The Times (London) has quoted a financial adviser predicting that by 2050, the BRICs nations will “dominate the globe”. Each BRIC country has its own view of power and responsibility. Each BRIC country also has its own record when it comes to human rights and women's issues.

I contributed my own piece as well, looking at the effectiveness of an activism campaign leading up to Microsoft's recent release of a transparency report:

The campaign could serve as a strong model for future efforts. Unlike popular petition platforms like Change.org and AVAAZ, the letter to Skype used a dedicated website and opened signatures up to both individuals and organisation, adding clout. This helps, as Microsoft is unlikely to be affected by the complaints of individual users.

Continuing the effort

Al Jazeera's Khan hopes that the success of this experiment will lead to greater gender balance in the future. This whole experiences goes to prove that the first step to overcoming gender imbalance is deciding to do something about it. Our community believes strongly in supporting diversity in the media, and we're thrilled for the opportunity to help.

A Platform for Middle East's Indie Musicians

Rayna St. — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:16:28 +0000

Music for a better future. Screenshot from Mideast Tunes’ Indiego campaign video.

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Arab World: Pope Alert, White Smoke

Amira Al Hussaini — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:39:48 +0000

Arab netizens joined the rest of the world today in awaiting news of a new pope, who will replace Benedict XVI.

As soon as the white smoke bellowed from the Sistine Chapel, Lebanese Nada Akl quipped:

@Nada_Akl: Pope alert, white smoke

Libyan Ismael wondered:

@ChangeInLibya: That's alot of white smoke. Are you sure it's just the ballots they're burning in there? #Suspicious

Syrian Karl Sharro said:

@KarleMarks: Once again, the cardinals have defeated us. They managed to elect a new pope before we managed to come up with a single funny pope joke.

And Egyptian Alyaa Gad joked:

@AlyaaGad: White smoke from the Sistine Chapel indicates that the cardinals finished having their (burned) dinner and now it's time for a joint. #Pope

Arab netizens also played guessing games on the name of the new pope, which has not been announced at the time of writing this post.

Lebanese-American Asad Abukhalil announced [ar]:

تسرّب إسم البابا الجديد: جورج دبليو بوش. مبروك.

@asadabukhalil: The name of the new pope has been leaked: it's George W. Bush. Congratulations.

And Free Tunisian noted:

فاليري سئلت عن هوية البابا الجديد فأجابت نازحة ” أكيد قطري … أنهم يشترون كل شيئ

@tounsiahourra: Valerie [a reader] asked me about the identity of the new pope so I answered joking: “It is certainly a Qatari. They buy everything.”

Palestine/Syria: A Tale of Two Women

Amira Al Hussaini — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:37:36 +0000

Palestinian blogger Budoor Hassan shares the story of two women in this blog post – Nariman Tamimi in Nabi Saleh, a tiny village north west of Ramallah in the West Bank and Maha Ghrer in Bustan Al-Qasr, a neighbourhood in Aleppo, Syria.