Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2007 May 13

13 May 2007

Daily archive · 4 posts

Stories from 13 May 2007

Lebanon: On Freedom, War and Olive Oil

Written by Moussa Bashir · Middle East & North Africa

The upcoming Lebanese presidential election, the Winograd Report regarding the Israeli July 2006 war on Lebanon, Lebanese agricultural products, Syrian workers, freedom of speech and freedom to blog in the Arab world, resistance to colonialism and the implications of being a leftist in Lebanon are some of the topics discussed by Lebanese blogs this week, reports Moussa Bashir.

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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

Written by Salam Adil · Middle East & North Africa

There's never is a dull moment in Iraq and bloggers tell us why. This week's quick round up of Iraqi blogs discusses venturing out of your house in a war-torn zone, the equivalent of US television shows in Iraq and why one Iraqi blogger refuses to panic in the face of increasing turmoil. Read Salam Adil's report to learn more.

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Syria: A Black Week for Freedom, Back to Our Golan and Censorship

Written by Yazan Badran · Middle East & North Africa

It has been a particularly rough week for Syria and Syrian bloggers are venting out their frustration at the imprisonment of human rights activist Dr Kamal Labwani for 12 years, reports Yazan Badran. Bloggers are also vocal about the situation in the Golan Heights and censorship.

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Japan's Pacifist Constitution, 60 Years Later

Written by Chris Salzberg · East Asia

Early last week on May 3rd, amid widespread debate and discussion on the topic, Japan celebrated the 60th anniversary of its constitution. The anniversary comes at a time when Japanese...

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Updates from 13 May 2007

Iran

Dr. Haleh Esfandiari is the Director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. She is a 67-year-old Iranian-American who came to the US over 25 years ago.In early May, Dr. Esfandiari received a call from the ministry suggesting she “cooperate” (i.e., confess), an offer she declined. On May 8, security forces took her away to Evin Prison, though she has not been formally charged with any crime. Evin Prison is notorious its harsh treatment of political prisoners.The “Free Haleh” campaign has been initiated by the American Islamic Congress in conjunction with Ibn Khaldoun Center in Cairo, the Initiative for Inclusive Security in Washington, and the Kuwaiti Economic Society.

• Fred Petrossian

Iran

Ghomar Asheghnaeh[Fa] has published several interesting photos of International Book Fair in Tehran. The blogger says some Lebanese publishers were offered free places by Iranian authorities.He adds in this Book Fair there were no place to sit down or rest.

• Fred Petrossian

Iran

Ester,an Iran based blogger, wrote in MidEast Youth that “the [Iranian] law is invasive ‎and vague, which is why it is so easy to break. As one friend says, “The law is so ‎arbitrary that you can become an activist quite by accident.” The very ease of breaking ‎the law in Iran means that nearly all adults are guilty of something. Imagine that. ‎Granted, most people who will find themselves under scrutiny are public intellectuals, ‎labor leaders, minority rights leaders, fallen government employees, and self-proclaimed ‎activists, but the message is clear: life is insecure.”

• Fred Petrossian

Fiji

Pacific Empire comments on the arrest and detention of a Fijian businessman by the Fijian army. The army suspects that the businessman was writing anti-government posts. Fijian army took over the power last December in a coup. “Some had high hopes for this coup. But truth was the first casualty, as always”. The detained person has since been released.

• Preetam Rai

Thailand

Mangosauce comments on the latest cyber-crime law that promises severe punishment to people who try to access banned video site YouTube. YouTube was banned by Thailand for refusing to remove videos that ridiculed the Thai king.

• Preetam Rai

Singapore

Nimbupani interviews Herryanto Siatono, a developer in Singapore who “a social book-bookmarking site that also mashes up Amazon and Singapore National Library (NLB) catalogue information”

• Preetam Rai

Cambodia

Details are Sketchy links to a conversation where the country manager of a leading brand name in garments hints at why garment manufacturers visit a local market famous for fakes and pirated goods in Phnom Penh whenever they run short.

• Preetam Rai

Cambodia

Vutha comments on some of the issues that are holding back Cambodia's youth- the high cost of internet access and lack of work opportunities after they graduate.

• Preetam Rai

Brunei

Old Man's Blog is happy that more and more people in Brunei are eating out. “am glad for these changes. Brunei is growing up. The people of this wonderful place are growing up. We are venturing out. We are living our life more openly.”

• Preetam Rai

Arts & Culture

White African looks at African computer games: “A recent post on a Kenyan 3D game, and spurred on by a comment (and subsequent emails) from a Ghanaian game developer, has led me to do some more research into African developed computer games (or games focused directly on Africa).”

• Ndesanjo Macha