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Fires in focus in the South African blogosphere

The last few weeks have been slow in the South African blogosphere. The most exciting thing happening this week is the is that nominations have just opened for the second annual South African blog Awards. There are 14 categories including: South African blog of 2005 - The best of the best from SA, most humourous, best political, best photographic, best new, best food. best group and best design. .

Other big news in the blogosphere over the past week has been the terrible fires burning out of control on Table Mountain and other parts of the Western Cape. A British women, a tourist, was killed when she was hiking on Table Table Mountain and was overcome by the smoke. Ironically, the fire was started by another British tourist when he dropped his still burning cigarette butt on the ground. The man concerned has been criminally charged, and goes to court sometime this month. Cherryflava comments, “What where you thinking dude? You don't see Safricans trooping through Buckingham palace, flicking cigarettes around trying to set the thing alight do you?” Lusharazzi is thankful for the great work done by our fire fighters, “To the more than 200 firefighters who have worked non-stop throughout the night in heavy winds, difficult terrain and massive fires, WE SALUTE YOU!” The latest fire, which on Thursday 2nd February was still burning out of control along an 80Km line is in the Overberg region of the Cape. South Africa blog relays the news, “What was described as “the worst fire in memory” destroyed large swathes of the Overberg and Swartland, ruining farms and wiping out precious fynbos. It continues to burn.” Sadly, according to the Overberg fire chief, this fire was also caused by human negligence under conditions of extremely high winds and temperatures.

A new South African blog has recently come on the scene. African Voices and Visions is written by young a documentary and filmmaker with a passion for Africa, and she travels widely through the continent. Her content is original writing with lots of photo's, and she documents some of the fascinating people that she's come accross like the Voodoo Pope from Benin and other interesting characters. Here she writes about Fort Jesus, Mobassa a place “that connects all continents”

It has been standing for almost five hundred years and remains a fine example of 16th century military architecture. It was designed by an Italian and built by the Portuguese in 1583 who wanted to secure their position on the best harbour on the coast of East Africa. There were countless battles as the local Swahili people refused to accept foreign rule which led to Mombassa becoming known Vita or a place of war. Alaway Abzein, the Administrative Officer of the Fort, tells you about how his heroic grandfather was imprisoned in the Fort for standing up against colonial rule.

To end off on a lighter note, we had a new cartoonist on one of our online news sites and he's a blogger. Lots of cultural and social commentry on offer at Urban Trash.

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Travels in the Kurdish Blogosphere

Deborah Ann Dilley · 10:30 · Middle East & North Africa

My normal Wednesday post is late this week because well….I forgot what day it was. It has been one of those weeks. Luckily, it was a quiet week in the Kurdish blogosphere so I feel redeemed.

Hiwa from Hiwa Hopes writes about Kurdish judges in the Saddam Hussein trial, anger over the bird flu, and about a situation where the Turkish government deported an Iraqi Kurdish family.

Kurdistan Blog Count is having a contest to come up with alternate titles for this weekly column. If you have a suggestion, please comment here or on KBC.

From Holland to Kurdistan has an interesting post with a letter that was sent to him about his work for the Kurds. Vladimir has been becoming more and more active in writing news articles for various Kurdish news agencies. Most of these he posts on his blog, Kurds blast caricatures of Islamic prophet, is one of his articles from this week that deserves a good read.

Roj Bash! has some excellent historical topic postings this week: PKK in Southern Kurdistan: The Beritan Line, information for a photo exhibit on Dersim and Munzur Valley, and a brief history on the Yezidi's.

Save RojTV continues in their work to not only save their TV station but also to help further establish the legitmacy of Kurdish media, check their websites for ways to help.

Rasti writes about state terror in Turkey and the Iraqi connection with it, and an excellent reason to support Denmark.

Talk about the Passion has an interesting post on rules for guests in Kurdish households.

And I am only really going to announce this blog this week, but there now is a wonderful blog about the Kurdish city of Hasankeyf in Southeast Turkey which will be under water within the next few years due to damming on the Tigris. The site was created by journalist John Wreford and it is absolutely fantastic!

There will be no Kurdish update next week as I will be getting married, so a two week round-up will be forthcoming. Till next time!

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Blogs from West Africa

Imnakoya · 08:57 · Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigeria

Molara Wood recounts Ngugi wa Thiong'o’s ordeal in Kenya on returning home after spending 22 years in exile. Ngugi and his wife were brutually assaulted by some Kenyans.

“Two weeks into their visit, the couple were attacked by four men in their high-security apartment complex. Ngugi was beaten and his face burned with cigarettes. Njeeri was sexually assaulted - an ordeal she made public, she says, to combat pressures on women to remain silent about abuse…Three security guards and a nephew of Ngugi's by marriage were remanded on charges of robbery with violence, and one count of rape. The trial, which began in November 2004, is in its final stages, and the couple have returned twice to give evidence.”

Ngugi is the author of “Weep Not Child” and other great books.

Emeka Okafor via Africa Unchained, showcases the Kanu Heart Foundation located in Nigeria. He states “continuing on our theme of indigenous foundations the Kanu Heart Foundation's goals include ‘…to alleviate the problem of heart related diseases in Africa, the Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation plans to establish five specialist hospitals in several African countries and dozens of clinics in Nigeria. The Foundation also plans to promote the research for heart disease and other related conditions and disseminate the useful results of such research.' ”

The foundation is the initiative of the Nigerian professional footballer, Kanu Nwankwo. He became the focus of attention when, after a celebrated transfer from Ajax of Amsterdam Inter Milan F.C. Italy, he was diagnosed to be suffering from a weak aorta valve in his heart. For which he was successfully treated.

Superstition is the subject of discussion at the Reality Blog, asking “How superstitious are you?” If you believe in superstition then you can probably relate to these examples listed on his blog:

“Hitting your left foot against any object as you walk along the street”, “making the sign of the cross following flashes of lightning and thunder clap”, “eating in your dreams”, “asking for money early in the morning”, or “being at a road junction (an intersection) where all traffic lights are red”.

The blog- Black Looks in a post titled:Citizen Jury, writes about some Malian farmers voting in a Citizens Jury against the use of Genetically Modified (GM) crops despite pressure from mutinationals to do otherwise.

“African countries are being increasingly pressurized to adopt GM crops. In Mali which is the largest producer of cotton in SSA Farmers in the South West region of Mali have voted in a “citizens-Jury” against the introduction of GM crops. The farmers came to the decision after cross-examining 14 international witnesses representing a broad range of views on GM foods. The jury was hosted by the regional assembly of Sikasso and facilitated by the ‘International institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and RIBios, the University of Geneva's Biosafety Interdisciplinary Network.’ ”

Ore, blogging from Lagos Nigeria, contemplates on the future- wondering if her chances of “succeeding at balancing a work and family life are totally doomed.” In her post- “the Life of a Woman“. An extract of her musing goes like this:

“As I spend more time at home, I feel increasingly weighed down by thoughts of what lies ahead for me in life. Sure, I plan, hope and pray to have a fantastically-fulfilling career, with lots of opportunities to travel! A wonderful family life is also on my wish list and it is this that fills me with worry and (more than a little) dread. All the women I know end up pulling double-duty i.e. working and taking care of their family and home. Even those married to the most progressive, new-age type of men!”

Jeremy at Naija blog captures Africans’ penchant to commemorate important landmarks in a post titled:“Beyond the Pail”. He writes:

“On the side of the bucket is some text, which states the following ‘In Remembrance of Our Father, Asani Olanrewa Aju Oseni, (a.k.a Aram Aram), 1901-1978. 11th August 1978. Presented by Charlin & Children…’ The humble bucket is therefore not simply a receptacle for carrying water; it is also a receptacle of memory. There is something profoundly moving about how humdrum everyday objects in Nigeria are often suffused with meaning and memory in this way. In the midst of banality lie the most precious forms of spirit.”

Using Jeremy’s post as a pivot, Ethnicloft, a recent entrant into the Nigerian blogoshpere remarks :

“Africans have a unique tendency to commemorate historical events, important landmarks and personal achievements. Surprisingly, the vestiges of these endeavors often manifest at the most unexpected times, and in objects and places.”

EthnicLoft features a printed commemorative cloth from circa 1975 supporting the anti apartheid movement and the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela” as an example of this tradition.

Cameroon

Expatriates in West Africa often blog about their experiences at work and about life in general. Jennifer Kennedy and Scott Harrison are some of these individuals.

Life In Cameroon is by Jennifer, an American teacher living in Cameroon since August of 2005. She teaches 4th grade students in Yaounde, the capital city. Jennifer celebrated the Christmas/new year holidays visiting the Northern province of the Cameroon with her boyfriend. This excerpt describes her experience on the trip:

“The next day, we set off (in a 4WD Toyota with a driver) to Rhumsiki. The drive there was gorgeous. We passed many villages with homes made of mud/clay bricks and roofs made of wood and grass. As we drove, children shouted out Bon Anne (Happy New Year) and Cadeaux (gift). We passed beautiful mountains and amazing scenery. When we arrived to Rhumsiki we were immediately given a tour guide who took us on a tour of the village. The most impressing part of this particular village was the landscape of amazing peaks and mountains. We could even see over into Nigeria. On the tour we saw the crab sorcerer who told Darrell and I our future from the movements of two crabs. We learned how some village ladies make pottery from clay. Also, we went to an area where they weaved cotton.”

Liberia

Whereas, Scott of Scott Harrison - notes from West Africa is a volunteer photo-journalist onboard the Mercy Ship Anastasis in West Africa. According to Scott:

“Mercy Ships is the world's largest non-governmental organization of hospital ships, the Anastasis currently the largest operating in the fleet. Since 1978, the organization follows the 2000 year model of Jesus, & brings hope and healing to Africa's poor. The blind see through cataract and other eye operations. The lame walk through orthopedic operations. The mute speak through cleft lip and palate operations. The disfigured are given their dignity back through advanced, life-changing maxillofacial operations. The Anastasis also engages in AIDS education, community development projects, water sanitation and well building, dental & maternity health clinics…”

In additon to their narratives, Jennifer and Scott do have some pictures to share as well. Be warned that some of the pictures on Scott's blog may appear “somewhat unsettling”.

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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

Salam Adil · 02:38 · Middle East & North Africa

Making todays post is like mixing a pancake - you have your eggy mess in the middle and you must whisk in the flour a bit at a time or it ends up all lumpy. Lets move on before the Analogy Police get me!

This week there is a mixture of politics, analysis, word from the streets and deep emotion. And you must read to the end to see the cute kitten.

The main topic this week was politics. With the implications of the Iraqi election results now sinking in, two veteran bloggers, Salam Pax and Mohammed (of Iraq the Model) slug it out to see who can be the most pessimistic about the future. Round one goes to Iraq The Model:

In a post entitled “Is there a place for democracy in the Middle East”, Mohammed start by asking questions:

“Is it possible for democracy to succeed here? And is the struggle to change our backward present and catch up with the modern world a losing one?”

He goes on to look at recent history to explain why the secular parties failed and the religious parties succeeded. Mohammed explains:

“religious parties .. had their offices (the mosques) and a schedule for meetings (prayer times). Unlike them, we had to find an office and we didn’t have holy dates and times for our meetings; clerics didn’t have to send invitation cards, hang banners or give every member a phone call as their audience was coming out of fear from God’s punishment.”

Mohammed ends defiantly: “Victory may look far away but defeat I can’t see at all and if some consider our sacrifices a defeat, I consider them a price that has to be paid.”

Salam Pax responds in a fighting spirit…

“Today we celebrate a new holiday in Iraq. It’s Democracy day. On this day last year we voted for the first time after the war. Now give me a moment to do my Happy Dance to celebrate the fact that we have a couple of religious extremists sitting in parliament”

Then a strong jab to the left:

“Thinking of this now it feels like I have been living in a make-believe world, I keep asking myself where are all the secular Iraqis? Where did all this religious extremism come from? … There is only one answer, it was all a mistake.”

And the knock-out blow - Salam Pax gets personal:

“Sorry Mohammed but, to repeat a cliché, denial is not just a river in Africa. You are still expecting too much.

To come back to the question, is there a place for democracy? Well. I don’t think either of us has the heart to say no … But it’s such an uphill struggle to keep believing that …”

Then out of the blue in steps Baghdad Dweller and sweeps the old bruisers aside. She says:

“Is democracy associated with happy and stable society? .. India is a democratic country, yet the majority is in or under the poverty line.

Instead of blindly imitating the west, we must build our own pyramid by starting from the base and not from the top as the west telling us, by starting from the people and not from the government, by creating a suitable surroundings for justice.”

And we have a winner.

In my own blog, Asterism, I pointed out how the secular, religious and Baathist parties are failing and that there is now a power vacuum in Iraq. I called for a new democratic and secular movement to fill this.

Midterm exams are over in Iraq and some bloggers are giving a sigh of relief.

HNK approached her exams with the right attitude:

“For about 12 days, I didn't get enough sleep nor enough rest. I was weak mentality and psychology. From the first days of my examinations the generator was out of use. So imagine! How could I study without light? …”

Hassan Kharrufa missed an important lecture because the Interior Minister's daughter was kidnapped. and Aunt Najma is celebrating the exams being over: “I'm finally done with the mid-year exam. Inshallah, those were the last mid-year exams in a school for me ever!”

Word from the Streets:

Honorary Iraqi, Christopher Albritton returned to Baghdad and found it the same as when he left. Well not exactly: “I’ve been back a day and I’ve already received an earful on the high price of petrol”. he goes on to talk about the failing infrastructure, the political process, the mood of journalists and why there were more marriage convoys than usual when he arrived in Baghdad. Well worth a read!

Nibras Kazimi writes more about political proceedings and gives a clear picture of the meltdown in security in Iraq. “A similar situation occurred in the interim between last January’s elections … but this time around the intensity is fiercer and wider.” He goes on to say “I’ve had two sources tell me that they had recently tried dialing the ‘130’ emergency numbers to find that no one was picking up the phone.”

Konfused Kid posts two of his articles that were not published by the Day To Day in Iraq blog in the NY Times. A summary here will not do them justise. Just go there and enjoy some original writing.

Baghdad Treasure talks about the cult around the “Baghdad Sniper”.

“Baghdad Sniper is a man who shoots US soldiers with his silent guns. He fires once and vanishes just like ghosts. There is never a follow-up shot, never a chance for US forces to identify him. It’s a matter of seconds. You’ll never hear it.”

But he is not impressed: “my own point of view is this man and many others like him are leading the destruction of this country. … And who is suffering now? Before, it was only Iraqis but now, it is even the Americans who are losing loved sons, friends, and relatives in an endless horrible war”.

Morbid_Smile turned 22 on Tuesday and has been missing her Mom who was in Dubai for a while - Happy Birthday!

Attawie chats about the difficulty of finding a violinist in Baghdad. Attawie finds one but “The thanks go to our society that girls can't trust guys and vise versa.” Read on to find out how they overcome the obstacles.

And The Woman I Was writes about the difficulty of day to day life: “It is winter.. Rains and cold.. If I can buy fuels for the heaters; many could not…”

And Finally…

If the above was all too depressing here is a picture of a cute Kitten from Baghdad Girl.

Raghda takes catblogging to new extremes. I just dare you to scan through her blog and not say ‘aaaah' once. When a teenage girl in Iraq can live through the horrors of this war and still blog about kittens it reaffirms my belief in humanity. As she says “Iraq for ever, cats for ever and Baghdad Girl for ever….”

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