Archive for
January 31st, 2007
Stories
CAFTA and WiMax in Costa Rica
Three articles stand out this week: The first describes events that are a glimpse of what we will see once the CAFTA discussions begin, the second denounces the newspapers for failing to report accurately on these same events, and the third stumbles upon a discovery of virtual private network (VPN) operations in Costa Rica even when CAFTA hasn´t passed and they are currently illegal… although a ministry is allegedly purchasing VPN services. You can follow the links to the articles to read them in their original Spanish.
“The CAFTA battle has begun” by Eduardo Mora
Last December brought on the first skirmish, when the Executive power took every single bill out of congress' agenda so that the Commission for International Affairs could go on to have a permanent session to yield a positive outcome for the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
The first round was yesterday, and CAFTA´s adversaries suffered their first defeat when three projects from the complementary agenda for the treaty were passed through a chaotic vote which happened while the Citizen Action Party (PAC) desperately attempted to break quorum. The motion to pass the three projects without due proceeding was the result of an early morning meeting by the party chiefs of the Liberation, Unity, and Libertarian parties and deputy [Guyón] Massey, a meeting which took place while the President of the Congress told deputy Salom (from PAC) that there was no party chief meeting that day for undisclosed reasons.
Bolivian Bloggers Give Their Verdict
This time last year, Bolivia and the rest of the world was buzzing about the inauguration of President Evo Morales and the novelty of it all. With approval ratings at sky-high levels, many wondered and were hopeful about the upcoming year. Would he follow through with all of his campaign promises? Since then, bloggers have remained attentive to the positive and negative changes implemented by this new government. Many blogs have emerged as clear critics of this administration, while other have continued to steer clear of politics.
Edmundo Paz Soldán, award-winning Bolivian author, rarely writes about politics on his blog Río Fugitivo [ES]. However, he took the opportunity to discuss his tally regarding Morales’ first year and how it has proven to be quite disappointing, following this hopeful feeling.
A un año de gobierno, está claro el lider sindical sigue mandando en el Palacio Quemado, y que los profundos cambios políticos, sociales y económicos impulsados por su gobierno –nacionalización del petróleo, una nueva reforma agraria, mayor centralización del poder– se intentan imponer a través de un estilo autoritario, verticalista, que no tolera disensos ni oposición alguna. El proyecto político de Evo y el MAS es claro: crear una hegemonía de corte populista articulada en torno a lo indígena.
En su búsqueda del poder absoluto, Evo y el vicepresidente García Linera han fomentado la polarización racial y regional de una Bolivia de por sí muy fragmentada. La confrontación verbal ya ha dado paso a los balazos y a los machetazos. A un año de conducción del aparato estatal, los logros del gobierno –inclusión de sectores tradicionalmente excluidos, acuerdos energéticos beneficiosos, un clima de distensión con Chile, mayor presencia internacional— se ven oscurecidos por su tendencia natural a la intolerancia. Evo está haciendo todo lo posible para tornar una fácil victoria en una derrota. Ojalá que un posible gran líder no termine siendo recordado como el hombre que llevó a Bolivia a la guerra civil.
Kurdistance: The Kirkuk Referendum
While the Kirkuk Referendum isn't expected to take place until December 2007, it is creating waves within Kurdistan, Iraq and their neighbors. Why the flurry of activity now? The Iraq Study Report recommended that the referendum be delayed, citing the the area as a “powderkeg”. The Republic of Turkey wants the referendum delayed, and even the Iraqi government is considering the same. This panics Kurdish officials in the region.
Kirkuk is interesting in itself. For one, it is rich, hosting a lucrative oil supply. Secondly, the area is mixed ethnically: Kurds and Turkmen. While the Turkmen population used to be higher (and more concentrated) evolving demographics show Kurds as the new majority. The referendum would have Kirkuk classify itself as wanting to be a part of Iraq major or part of the semi-independent Northern Iraq Kurdistan.
Regional players are very important in this conflict. Turkey is opposed to Kirkuk being part of the semi-independent Kurdistan, stating that they are only looking out for their Turkmen brethren. More potently, Kirkuk - being formally a part of the semi-independent Kurdistan - could possibly lead to an independent Kurdistan. This threatens Turkey in respect to control its Kurdish population and Kurdish rebel violence stemming from the PKK. Additionally, an independent Kurdistan would threaten to destabilize Iraq, Iran, Syria and well as Turkey. As you can see, there is a lot riding on this referendum.
How do the Turkmen feel about this? (more…)
Iranian Bloggers Talk About Their Prison Experience
Many people for political reasons have been sent to prison in Iran. A few of those former prisoners shared their stories in books, through painting or in their blogs. Some people, including bloggers and researchers, have tried to look at prisons in Iran as an outsider, who was not in jail. Let's look at some of these blogs here:
I saw the Hell
Dr.Hesam Firouzi, a human rights activist and medical doctor who has treated several political prisoners spent time behind bars for 18 days in January. He shares part of his experience[Fa] in his blog. Dr. Firouzi criticized the behaviour of medical personnel with prisoners and says if a prisoner gets a chance to visit a doctor he/she should wait another 20 days for a second visit. He says once he found himself in a 15 to 20 square metre cell with 19 to 20 other prisoners. Dr. Firouzi says in some parts of prison drugs, especially crack, can be bought easily. The blogger wrote a letter to the authorities describing his experience.
He says the prison dentist's only job is to pull prisoners' teeth out and nothing else. The blogger adds there are very sick people without any access to necessary medical treatment. To sum up his experience, he writes: “I saw the Hell with my own eyes.”
Nepal: Madhesh Is Burning
Madhesh is the southern plains of Nepal where half of the country lives. Madhesi are the people of Nepal, roughly half of the country. The Madhesi have been discriminated against for centuries. Now they are in a revolt that feels like the second part of the world shaking April Revolution.
For over a week now, the Madhesh has been in the limelight. It has been shut down. Daily curfews have been imposed in all the major towns of the Madhesh. This phase of the struggle was launched by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF). For years the MJF was a small outfit. It has seen a rapid rise of popularity through this peaceful movement, and seems to be on its way to becoming a political party.
Nepali bloggers have been reporting on it depending on if they are Pahadi, the Nepali from the hills, or Madhesi. Pahadi bloggers seem to be expressing their bias and might be underreporting some aspects. This becomes even more interesting given that the government propaganda declares that this is not a social justice movement but rather an instigation of the royalists and the Hindu supremacists.
Madhesi - United We Stand has posts on various aspects of the movement. From a post titled Madhesi Murmurings.
If Madhesh was part of Nepal, then why Madheshis have not been given any chance to prove their patriotism in Nepali Army, the most patriotic institution of the country? As noted by a former Nepalese PM, Madheshis were not suited for army because Madheshis are not healthy and fit. If this argument stands true, Madhesh (said to be rice bowl) are facing “hidden hunger” (intakes of nutrition deficit diet) and need nutrition and health care from Nepal Government.
Global mainstream media also so far has stayed away from the movement. The MSM was all over the April Revolution. It was on TV in New York City, it was on the front page of (more…)
China: Out of Libya
It's [zh] since been disabled, but there was one especially eye-catching post on Tianya, one of China's most widely-read bbs forum sites last month. ‘Save us!' it read. ‘We've been stuck in Libya for over a year and we're about to go crazy here!'
Racist attitude, seen further down, might be their biggest problem. The post was put up by Tianya staff on behalf of three Chinese men now in legal limbo in Libya's capital Tripoli. Out walking around on New Year's Day, they say they chanced upon and told their story to a documentary film maker for Chinese TV, who just happens to be friends with one Tianya's executives.
As their story goes, they went to Libya in early 2005 as part of China's no-holds-barred investment drive into Africa, part of a crew of twenty-something contracted to do installation work on a trade building. A month into the project, a fire started in the basement and burned up through all seven floors.
(more…)
Links for Wed, 2007-01
Madagascar Croissance posts (Fr) a list of the ministers that make up the new government.
Reunion Passion usually blogs on her homeland but recently she focused on nearby Indian Ocean French overseas department Mayotte (Fr): “Many cultures cohabitate in Mayotte, the first, of Comorian origin, constitutes 60% of the population, the second is Malagasy and is heavily influenced by the first and finally the French and Western influences the first two increasingly.” The blogger posts an original slideshow of the featured island.
Due to regained security in the capital, pre-carnival festivities in Port-au-Prince have been about as well attended as carnival itself, says (Fr) HaitiXchange. Adds the site: “Marching bands and the better known DJs were all part of the festivities. People came from everywhere: Petion Ville, Delmas, Cite Soleil, Martissant…in order to enjoy themselves. Important measures were put in place by the authorities to prevent any decline in security during the pre-carnival activities.” (See full post translation to English here.)
Senor Enrique in Manila introduces us to Jun, a Taho seller. Taho is a popular sweet snack in Philippines and it is made with bean curd, liquefied raw sugar and tapioca balls.
Ryan Patrick at the West Indies Cricket Blog offers up a list of his favourite “dramatic cricketing names” and invites you to submit yours.
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