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Chile: First Bloggers Association

lingua → zhs · zht

A group of Bloggers have decided to make the Chilean Association of Bloggers [ES]. The idea was born from the concern of not having a organized manner of communication. As they explain:

Somos una agrupación de voluntarios con objetivos comunes, que mediante los blogs, buscamos desarrollar iniciativas comunitarias de diversa índole. Fomentar la comunicación y la democracia por medio de la internet, buscar la representabilidad de nuestro pareceres, canalizar nuestras aspiraciones, reparos y posiciones bajo un techo ordenado y pluralista que albergue a todos sin exclusión.

We are a group of volunteers with common goals that, via weblogs, we seek to develop communal initiatives in diverse fields. We intend to promote communication and democracy by means of the internet, to seek representation of our opinions, focus our aspirations, positions and objections under roof of order that unites everyone without exclusion.

They also declare that there is no political, religious or ideological basis of the organization and that they are committed to the bloggers' idea of sharing visions through open, participative space.

This group began in November and already has 300 members. They also want to spread the use of technology. They have organized a digital literacy campaign in a school and intend to do more. But their main focus is creating a participative place for everyone. As a non profit organization, they are also looking for sponsors to help them go forward.

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Kurdistance: The End of Saddam

Deborah Ann Dilley · 14:42 · Middle East & North Africa

lingua → zhs · zht

Since the hanging of Saddam Hussein at the beginning of this year, Global Voices has covered what the world has had to say about it, the only group left now is the Kurds. Kurdish reaction was fairly slow to develop. I believe this was because of shock. But don't take my word for it, read what the Kurds have to say….

From Bilal at Better Kurdistan and Iraq:

Saddam Hussein was hanged last night. To many Iraqis his reign looks like distant history compared to how long and bloody post-Saddam Iraq seems. The Iraqi Special Tribunal trying Saddam and his top aides for crimes against humanity meant to offer justice to the victims of his rule. Justice and accountability are what his victims wanted. In our meeting with President Bush last December on Iraqi election day, one angry student retorted that Saddam Hussein must not be given a trial at all but rather executed right away. The President advised him that new Iraq would set an example that even Saddam-like individuals will get a fair trial. Fair or not, thousands of Kurds are denied justice.

Today is Eid Al-Adha, although Shiites will celebrate tomorrow. Culturally and religiously, Eid is a day of reconciliation and feasting. This day has often been a day in which Iraqi governments offer amnesties to prisoners, or allow them to visit their families. Saddam’s execution today breaks that norm, rendering the execution out of place. The date will fulfill Saddam’s wish that he will be a “sacrifice” of the day, in reference to the Eid sheep sacrificing ritual. ….

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Lebanon: General Strike

Moussa Bashir · 14:32 · Middle East & North Africa

A general strike that was called for by the opposition brought Lebanon to a standstill today.
Bloggers posted photos, video clips, analysis and updates on the strike and the activities that ensued.
MFL updates and writes about how the strike effected various places and aspects of Lebanese society.

The Opposition are differing whether this is going to be 48 hours or all week. Nevertheless, both camps proved how they are reactionary and the workers are facing each other. Today also proves that the demand on Hezbollah to disarm is not logical, rather, all parties should disarm.

Blogging the Middle East posts photos of the protests and has this to say:

Yesterday I was telling a few people how the opposition will never succeed with its pacifist attitudes and behaviour in toppling the government, and that if they want to achieve anything, they will have to shift onto a militant stance. Well, it seems they finally heard me. And about time that they did something like this.

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Philippines: Election season begins

Mong Palatino · 10:42 · Philippines

It’s already election season! Campaigning for midterm elections will begin next month. On May 14, Filipinos will vote for members of Senate, Lower House and local government units.

The Administration hopes to keep its majority lead in the Lower House to block a possible impeachment case this year. The Opposition wants the coming elections as a referendum for the current government accused of poll fraud, corruption and human rights violations.

Disagreements over the line-up of the Opposition for the Senatorial race led to proposals to create a ‘third force’ which is neither pro-Administration nor pro-Opposition.

Our Times explains why she is against a ‘third force’ in the coming elections:

“Opposition leaders as well as re-electionist senators must rise above varying degrees of self-righteousness and agree on the more expedient and efficient route of a unified ticket. A third force, no matter what you call it, boils down to this: an unnecessary distraction.”

Iloilo City Boy is supportive of a ‘third force’:

“I believe that a “third force” ticket has never been a more attractive and viable idea, especially in the context of the malaise that is plaguing our politics today. Never before have I seen such hopelessness, pessimism and cynicism in our people - and we are supposed to be an inherently optimistic people! They are looking for other alternatives besides the current politicians who cannot seem to let go of the past and only want to prolong the acrimonious atmosphere in politics.”

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Malawi: Malawian Blogger Passes Away

Steve Sharra · 07:34 · Sub-Saharan Africa

January 18th, 2007 the Malawi blogosphere was robbed of one of its prominent bloggers, Mangaliso Jere (27), whose blog, Mangaliso’s World, covered different topics of interest including information technology in Malawi. The news was broken by a Malawian blogger Austin Madinga on his blog Austin Madinga’s Big Mouth, where he announced, “Mangaliso’s world is over”:

A good friend and fellow blogger, Mangaliso Jere, left this world today in Mzuzu! I really have no words to describe this brother only that he was a cheerful lad, a hardworking techie and one who loved his motherland. Rest in Peace Dear Brother!

The news quickly spread onto Malawian listservs, including IT Malawi, where Mangaliso was a frequent contributor. According to Boster Sibande, IT Malawi contibutor, Mangaliso, emailed his colleagues on Thursday morning telling them he would report late for work, as he had a doctor’s appointment that morning. He was scheduled for surgery to remove a growth from his nose. According to Boster Sibande, quoting Mangaliso’s workmates, Mangaliso never woke up from the surgery.

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Hong Kong: Impartial rule or discrimination?

Oiwan Lam · 05:45 · East Asia

lingua → zhs

難道同性戀的傾向是高度傳染的病菌？就連看一看也會受感染？

Is homosexuality a kind of contagious virus? And that by watching it on T.V and one would be infected? — Jovisky

One Jan 20, the Broadcasting Authority (BA) issued a strong advice concerning RTHK’s television programme “Hong Kong Connection”(鏗鏘集). There were very strong reactions from the local blogsphere against BA's advice.

The BA’s explanations were published in the press release:

1. the programme was biased towards homosexuality, promoted homosexuality and contained discriminating elements;
2. it was unsuitable for broadcast at the scheduled time and exerted a bad influence on children and youths;
3. it was unfair to Christians as a whole as the reference to opposition from a Christian in the programme gave viewers a misleading impression that all Christians were irrational;
4. it did not mention the undesirable aspects of homosexuality such as AIDS; and
5. it did not contain a warning caption.

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