Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2007 May 01

1 May 2007

Daily archive · 10 posts

Stories from 1 May 2007

Blogs and social participation: the coverage of the Neuquen conflict in Argentina

In the last few weeks, a series of protests by teacher unions from the Argentinean Patagonian provinces has been all over the news. In particular, this attention was even bigger after the murder of Carlos Fuentealba, a teacher that participated in a protest on one of the routes by the local police force. The seriousness of the events not only mobilized the traditional media, but also many blogs started to cover the events. An outstanding blog in this coverage is Pensamientos Despeinados [ES]. Ezequiel Apesteguia, one of the collective blog members answered a few questions about this citizen's coverage.

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Internet Use Shaping Cambodia

Written by Tharum Bun · East Asia

With more than 50% of the population of almost 15 million people younger than 25, the future of Cambodia's internet as well as the youth lifestyle looks vibrant. An IT boom is accompanying the fast growing economy in Cambodia. Young people are playing with the latest technologies and are getting interested in the latest fashion trends. Government and non-government agencies are also exploiting IT for development projects.

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Korea: On Parents' Love, Power and Money

Written by Hyejin Kim · East Asia

One Korean chaebol (head of a conglomerate) apparently watches too many Hong Kong and Korean gangster films. The CEO of Hanwha, one of the ten biggest companies in South Korea,...

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Bangladesh: Terror attacks from new Al-Qaeda group raise questions

Written by Rezwan · South Asia

A series of bombs went off at Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong railway stations Tuesday morning from 6:45 AM to 9:30 AM (BDNews24). Only one person was injured in the attack...

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Zimbabwe: more arrests, regional neglect, and Western duplicity

Written by Zimpundit · South Africa, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's bloggers have a wealth of information on the week that was in the troubled southern African country. There are reports of more arrests and torture, an emergency monetary policy...

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Japan: Bloggers cry foul over plans for Henoko Bay

Written by Chris Salzberg · East Asia

Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, consists of some 160 islands in an archipelago stretching from Kyuushuu to Taiwan. For many decades, Okinawa has borne the brunt of Japan's post-war military burden, having been seized and occupied by American forces immediately following the end of World War Two. The latest chapter in the ongoing tale of America's military presence in Okinawa involves a plan to construct a new military airport in Henoko Bay, a plan which has been opposed fiercely by local residents and environmentalist groups.

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Turkey is Typing….Is Turkey Heading for Another Coup?

Written by Deborah Ann Dilley · Middle East & North Africa

Increased tensions over the Turkish presidential elections result in more protests and even statements from the military alluding to a possible coup if the current Presidential candidate Abdullah Gull becomes elected. What is a country to do? As many of the Turkish bloggers point out, sit by their televisions and watch. Watch the elections proceedings, watch the film footage of the protests in Istanbul, watch for the signs of the change to come. This week's Turkey is Typing focuses on the waiting of the Turkish people; waiting for the future.

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Labouring in Qatar

Written by Mohamed Nanabhay · Middle East & North Africa

Like many of the Gulf States, Qatar is heavily dependent of foreign expatriate workforce to help fuels its growth. Demographically, Qataris make up less than 25% of the 800,000 people...

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Morocco: Naming laws, springtime quiet and Sufi music

Written by Jillian C. York · Middle East & North Africa

Although Spring maybe quiet in Morocco as locals dip into specially prepared cuisine, bloggers are busy debating naming laws for new Moroccan parents in The Netherlands and and basking in the spirit of Sufi music in Fez. Follow the arrows to read Jillian York's report.

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Vietnam Bloggers Crash the Linguistic Divide

Written by Mark Robertson · East Asia

Ironically bloggers like Joe's Blog and Vietnamese God put the lie to the idea of a single blogosphere, a unified world of blogs that spans the globe. Yes, blogs have become a global phenomenon, but studies show increasingly that there are multiple blogospheres defined by culture, language and different technologies. Far too often these worlds are distinct solitudes operating in parallel.

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Updates from 1 May 2007

India

The Indian Economy Blog on why Micro Finance Institutions are successful despite high rates of interest. “So, even with these kind of rates, why do people still go to MFI’s? One, because the alternative, the village money lender typically charges a much larger interest rate. Second, the MFI is a more friendly “social” institution. It is a place that your friends- those who you know on a daily basis - are part of too.”

• Neha Viswanathan

India

Kafila on fake encounters and people as trophies. “People who had a faint glimmer of hope about Kausar Bi’s whereabouts finally know that she is no more. As the counsel for the Gujarat government himself admitted before the Supreme Court, she was killed, burnt and her ashes were thrown in some field. But it does not throw light on the fact that who killed her ?”

• Neha Viswanathan

India

Mumbai Magic on a community after seeing it as part of a street name. “I was hanging around, saying goodbye to my guest, when I spotted this road sign - Bhandari Street. I knew that the Bhandaris were among the earliest settlers in Mumbai. Raja Bhimdev, who ruled this area in the 13th century, created a capital city at Mahim (Mahikawati). With him came the Bhandaris. The Bhandaris in Raja Bhimdev's employ were originally toddy tappers. “

• Neha Viswanathan

Bhutan

Visit Bhutan on the Dochula Pass. “Dochula Pass which is the most known pass in the Bhutan is just 30 odd Km drive from the Capital City Thimphu on the way towards central Bhutan. Dochula pass is around 3150 meter from sea level and it's mostly covered with white clouds, where on a clear day you can see spectacular view of the mighty Himalayas mountain ranges.”

• Neha Viswanathan

Sri Lanka

Transcurrents.com on the alleged funding by two Australia based Tamils. “Two Tamils of Sri Lankan origin currently residing in Australia were arrested and produced in courts on May 1st for allegedly funding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Two Melbourne residents were produced in courts charged with providing material support and funding to Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers. “

• Neha Viswanathan

Ukraine

On April 26, the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophy, MoldovAnn talked to Serhiy Mirnyi - “a writer, scientist, and commander of radiation reconnaissance platoon in Chornobyl in 1986.”

• Veronica Khokhlova

Ukraine

MoldovAnn writes about a Ukrainian orphanage, adoption and, to put it mildly, some cultural differences.

• Veronica Khokhlova

Ukraine

MoldovAnn again writes about filming of the Ukrainian-Russian movie she's in: “…I learned that my “husband” now has a name, Jack Brown, and he’s a tanned man in glasses, with a gold Rolex. I also read that Donna (i.e., me) is big, clumsy, with a lot of hair in a braid, with a purse with a peace dove symbol on it, and she looks like an aging hippie. I guess she did pretty well for herself - a fat, hairy, aging hippie who married a guy with a gold Rolex. Only in the movies, eh?”

• Veronica Khokhlova