Archive for
January 18th, 2008
Stories
Korea: Taean, Blogger, and Truth
Since the Taean oil spill in Korea, two stories have been the focus of attention. One is the large number of volunteers – 1 milion Koreans have volunteered so far. A blogger brings up the other story, which is the truth of the oil spill.
Doubting major media news, blogger Xenix started investigating the incident himself and put video clips of his own interviews on his blog. His post has seen heavy traffic the last two weeks and raised several questions.
Here are his stories and first video clip first.
아무리 생각해도 너무나 이상한점 투성이인 태안의 기름 유출 사태. 태안에 가서 실제 사건을 처음부터 지켜보신, 방제작업을 진행하신 분들과 인터뷰를 하면서 이 사건이 조작이라는 심증은 더욱 확증으로 굳어져 갔습니다.
이제, 몇편으로 나눠서 태안의 기름 유출 사태가 왜 조작인지에 대해 다뤄보도록 하겠습니다.
먼저 1부는 “삼성호는 사고가 아니라 고의적으로 유조선을 들이받았다” 에 대한 내용입니다.
I will talk about why the Taean oil spil was manipulated in this series.
First, it’s about “Samsungho crashed the oil tanker intentionally, not by accident.”
In the second post, Xenix talks about what individuals, such as bloggers, can do and why he started these stories with the second video clip.
2부에서는, 너무도 이상한 방제작업의 진행과 그 과정의 모순들을 다룰 예정 입니다.
[….]사실 저는 일개 개인에 불과하고, 여러분과 같은 블로거. 네티즌중 한명일 뿐입니다.
이렇게 의혹을 제기하는 것이 한계인 그냥 한명의 블로거 입니다. 의혹만을 가지고 태안까지 가서 이렇게 모르는분들께 인터뷰를 따오는 과정이 쉽지만은 않았습니다. 또한, 이 인터뷰가 완벽한 증거 자료가 되지 못한다는건 여러분도 알고 계시고 저도 알고 있습니다. 만약 이 사태가 정말로 조작이라면. 이런 엄청난 일을 조작한 사람들의 목적이 뭘까요? 단순하게 생각한다면 어떤 이슈를 가리기 위함이겠고, 그보다 더한 음모가 있을 수도 있겠죠.그렇다면 우리는 어떻게 해야 할까요? 생각 해야 합니다. 그들이 가리고 싶은 이슈가 과연 무엇이고,
그들이 노리는 이득은 과연 무엇인지 말입니다. 여러분께서 지나간 이슈들을 떠올리시며 ‘아 이런 이슈를 가리려고 했나?' 라는 정도로 한번이라도 ‘생각' 해 주신다면. 만약 이 글이 삭제가 되더라도 제가 해 온 인터뷰와 블로그의 이 포스트는 충분히 의미있는 것 아닐까요.저 뿐만 아니라 수 많은 사람들이 이 이슈에 대해 관심을 갖고 있고 그 중에는 저와같은 일개 개인. 블로거. 네티즌이 아닌 힘있고 능력있는 분들도 분명히 계실 것 이므로. 언젠간. 태안 주민들이 간절하게 원하는 진실이 밝혀지리라 믿습니다.
이 동영상이 그 시작이 된다면, 그걸로 전 큰 영광입니다.
[…] As a matter of fact, I am just one person, blogger, and netizen like you guys. I’m just a blogger who can just suggest questions and that’s my limitation. It was not easy to go to all the way down to Taean with doubts and conduct interviews. In addition, as you know, I know that interviews can’t be perfect evidence. If this incident is manipulated, what purpose do manipulators have? Simply thinking, it is in order to cover up this issue or there might be some conspiracy.
Then what shall we do? We should think. What they would like to cover up and what profits they aim for… If you ‘think’ that ‘they want to cover up this issue?’ at least one time, my interview and post of this blog will be meaningful.
Besides me, many people will be interested in this issue and there can be some powerful and capable people unlike me, one blogger. Therefore, I hope that the truth that Taean residents look for will be exposed.
If this video clip will be the beginning of this, I’m happy with that.
A blogger is excited about Xenix’ story.
블러거, 진실과 사실 사이
그것이 진실이든 아니든.. 나는 나름대로 뿌듯한 마음이 앞섰다.”발로 뛰는 블로거가 있다!”라는 사실이 기뻤다.자리에 앉아 키보드나 두드리는 것이 아닌 현장을 들고와서 이야기하는 블로거가 있어서 좋았다.
No matter it is the truth or not… I am glad in its way. I was happy because “there is a field blogger.” Rather than typing the keyboard, there is a blogger who talks about it after fieldwork. I was pleased.
While many netizens agree with Xenix’ opinions and link his posts to other portal sites, other netizens don’t find a difference between his and major media news.
이글루 이오공감에 제닉스씨가 취재한 동영상과 관련 내용이 뜨겁다. 긍정적인 의견을 피력하는 분들의 의견을 보면 대략 제닉스씨는 별 다른 의견 없이 중립적인 듯 싶은데 다만 취재 결과는 삼성중공업이 다른 어떤 목적이 있어서, 혹은 치명적인 실수를 해서 사태를 키웠다는 것을 말하고 있는 듯 싶다. 확대해석하면 음모론이고, 걍 나도 중립적이게 하면 유발자는 삼성인데 왜 그들은 사과하지 않는가, 정도를 말하는 듯 싶고.
이 얘기부터 하자. 요컨대 중립적인 사실의 적시만 한다고 해서 그 매체가 중립적인 것은 아니다. 중립적인 사실들 중 어떤 것을 ‘선별'하는가도 충분히 그 매체의 성향을 짐작하게 해준다. 이를테면 지금 사건에서는 제닉스씨는 피해자 의견을 선별하셨고, 그에 따라 영상과 글을 제작했다. 여기엔 두 단계가 존재하며, ‘가해자 측인 삼성중공업이나 선장들을 만나보지 못해서 제닉스씨가 어쩔 수 없이 피해자나 주변인에 해당하는 조합 사람들의 이야기만 들은 것이다'가 그렇기 때문에 성립하지 않는다. 만일 중립적이고 싶었는데 그리하여 한 쪽의 이야기를 듣지 못했다면 안 만드는 방법이 있을 수 있었다. 최소한, 제닉스씨는 중립적이고 싶어하지는 않으신 것으로 판단해도, 그래서 별 무리 없을 것이라고 생각한다.취재를 한다면 몇가지 지켜야할 원칙이 있다고 개인적으로 생각한다. 그중 대표적인 것이 전문가에게 내용을 확인하는 것. 누가 봐도 명백하고도 단순한 사건이 아니라면, 이는 사실 항상 지켜져야할 부분이 아닌가 싶다. 기자는 전문가도 아니고, 그럴 필요도 없다. 사건의 이해가 안되는 경우도 많을 터이니 전문가에 조언이 필요한 것이라고 난 생각한다.
삼각취재란 그런 것이어야 한다고 생각한다. 특히나 사건에 대한 고발 기사에 대해서는 더더욱. 어떤 누군가를 고발하고자 한다면 보통은 그 고발이 가해자, 피해자, 그리고 그들과 무관한 전문가에게 모두 인터뷰를 취한 후에 이뤄져야 한다고 생각한다. 권력형 비리에 대한 고발이라면 (지금 제닉스씨나, 최소한 그 밑에 댓글을 다신 분 중 적잖은 수는 지금 이 일이 그러한 경우에 해당한다고 보시는 모양인데) 좀 다르겠지만, 그렇더라도 여전히 ‘좀 더 중립적 전문가에게 의견을 청취하는 절차'가 필요하다고 본다.
삼성은 해주지 않았을지 모르지만 정부는 해줬을 터이고, 고압적인 이들이 창구를 막아 못했다 하더라도 여전히 학자나 시민단체는 응해줬을 것이라고 생각한다. 그들조차 만나지 않고서 하는 고발은 위험하고, 무의미하다고 개인적으로 생각한다.
[…] PS. 위와는 별도로 사실 난 제닉스씨의 지탄이 의미가 없다고 생각한다. 저 증거들은 단지 정황을 보일 뿐이다. 저걸로는 이를테면 정부의 미숙한 대처와 미흡한 행정처리, 위기관리 능력의 부재를 증명할 수 있을 수 있다고도 주장할 수 있다. 작은 배를 운행하는 조합원들의 조함 지식과 거함을 운영하는 선장들의 조함지식의 차이가 있는지 없는지를 판단할 근거도 없다.[…]
Let’s start from here. What neutral facts you ‘select’ shows what kind of medium it is. For example, about this incident, Mr. Xenix selected victims’ opinions and based on them he made video clips and writing. There are two steps. This case is not regarded neutral because we can’t say ‘he couldn’t meet anyone from Samsung Heavy Industry or captains. So he only could hear victims and people around them.’ If he would like to be neutral, but he couldn’t hear from one side, there was a way he didn’t have to make it. It seems that he didn’t want to be neutral.
In my own opinion, there are several principles for interviews. One of the most basic is to confirm the contents from professionals. If it is not a simple and clear incident, this part should be especially careful. The reporter isn’t professional and doesn’t have to be. I think that they need professionals’ advice if it is a difficult incident.
I think that triangular [seeing three sides] interviews should be like that. Especially, complaint report about an incident should be more careful about this matter. If they would like to sue someone, the interview should be from prosecutors, victims, and professionals who are not related to this incident. Even though it is a report about the corruption of authority (including Xenix, many netizens and opinionsts seem to think this way), it is still necessary to go through the ‘process of getting some opinions from neutral experts.’
Even though Samsung might not agree to have the interview, the government could have agreed or scholars and NGOs could have accepted the interview. Denunciation without even meeting these people, it is meaningless.
[…]PS. Besides the comments above, I think Xenix’ denunciation is meaningless. His evidence is only conditions. With his opinions, he can insist on the clumsy reaction of the government, insufficient administration, and the absence of crisis management. There is no evidence whether there is difference between Knowledge of ship navigators who manage small ships and that of captains who manage big ships.[…]
Xenix was surprised with the popularity of his post. For and againt his theory, he points out several parts in order to avoid misunderstandings and to add more explanations.
1. 이 동영상의 의혹의 주체는 ‘삼성 그룹'이 아니다. ‘삼성 중공업' 이다.
혹자는 ‘이런 음모는 높으신 회장님 지시일거야.' 라고 하지만, 아직 드러난 바는 아무것도 없다.
또한, 삼성 그룹은 17만명 이상의 직원을 거느린 거대 기업이고 그 안에는 각종 사업부가 있으며 그 각종 사업부에는 17만명의 우리의 가족이 있다. ‘또하나의 가족' 뭐 이런게 아니고.. 그 17만명의 직원 역시 우리 친구고 가족이고 옆집 아저씨라는 말이다.삼성 그룹 전체를 싸잡아 몰아세우며 선량하게 근무하는 다른 업체 (예를들어 삼성 중공업과 휴대폰 사업부는 완전히 다른 회사다.) 사람들에게 까지 피해가 가는 지금 이 상황을 원하진 않는다. 삼성 명함 가지고 다니는 17만명이 다 나쁜놈들이고 사고의 책임이 있는게 아니라는 말이다. 내 지인들 중에도 삼성에 몸담고 있는 사람이 수십명 있는데, 그들은 모두 우리와 마찬가지로 ‘걱정하는 1人' 일 뿐이다. 분노의 대상을 명확히 하자.
2. 첫번째 동영상이 말하는 요점은 배의 운항 방식이다. 동영상 잘 보면 아시겠지만, 삼성 중공업의 배는 내륙쪽 순풍 방향으로 배를 돌려 돌아가는 것이 맞는데 잘 보이는 그 환한 때, 궂이 외겹 유조선이 있는 쪽으로 바람을 가르며 힘겹게 올라갔다. 뭐 물이 얕거나 다른 이유가 있었을거라고? 천만의 말씀. 인터뷰에 응해주신 선장님들은 그 지역에서만 수십년 배를 띄운 베테랑들이시다. 그런걸 모르실 리 없다. 당시 풍속은 정말 엄청 났다고 한다. (내가 방문한 날에도 그 시간엔 사람이 걸어다니기 힘들 정도의 북서풍이 불고 있었다.) 또한, 배 조정 미숙으로 인해.. 정신이 없어서 그쪽으로 틀었다고? 역시 말이 안된다. 그정도 크기의 배를 몰려면 6급 이상의 해기사 자격증을 가진 전문가여야 하며 일반 영세업체도 아닌 삼성 중공업이다. 바람을 가르며 역주행 하는건 동영상에서도 언급 되지만, 실수라고 볼 수 없다. 있을 수가 없는 일이다.
3. 두번째 동영상을 보면 유화제에 관한 얘기가 나온다. 유화제가 뭔가? emulsifying agent. 즉, 물과 기름을 섞는데 쓰이는 화학 약품이다. 동영상에서 선장님의 말씀처럼 기름이 30Cm 두께로 밀려오는 곳에 유화제를 살포하면 바다가 어떻게 되나? 물과 기름이 섞이고 기름이 응고되어 바다 밑으로 가라앉는다.
주민들은 이 유화제 살포를 강하게 반대했다고 한다. 상식적으로.. 오일펜스 치고 물 위에 떠있는 기름만 걷어내면 될 것을 왜 주민들 반대를 무릎쓰고 유화제를 풀어 물과 기름을 섞어놓고 기름을 가라앉힌단 말인가 ? 이건 완전한 근거없는 내 추측이지만. 방제작업이 빠르게 이루어지고 있음을 보여주기 위함이 아니겠는가?4. 방제업체에서는 분명히 자신들이 총 필요한 1.5Km의 오일펜스중 750m 를 보유하고 있으며, 타 업체에도 오일펜스가 있으니 닻만 준비하면 바로 제공하겠다고 했었다. 하지만, 해경 회의에 들어갔다온 후 해경에서 오일펜스를 제공하지 말라고 했다고 했다. 오일펜스로 막기만 했어도 금방 방제할 수 있었는데 왜 그걸 못하게 했을까. 4일 씩이나. 그보다 먼저, 유조선에서 기름이 흐르고 있을 때, 바지선을 그 밑에 대서 흐르는 기름을 받아내기만 했으면 방제고 뭐고 다 필요 없는데 왜 그걸 못하게 했을까?[…]
5. 한사람의 인터뷰만으로 어떻게 사실을 믿을 수가 있냐? 화면 보면 알겠지만 주변에 사람이 많다. 초반에 대여섯분에서 후반엔 근 열분 정도? 이분들은 모두 영어조합법인 분들이고 모두 배를 갖고 있는 선장이시다. 이 모든분들의 의견을 나는 약 2시간 가까이 청취했고, 알잖나. 시골 어부가 말 잘하기 쉽나? 가장 말씀 잘하시는 이성원 사무국장님의 화면을 쓴 것 뿐이다. 한명의 말이 아니다. 모든 주민이 이구동성으로 하고 있는 말이다.
주민들은 이 사건을 어떻게든 알리고 진실을 밝히고 싶어 하지만, 할 줄 아는 것이 없어 고작 이런 현수막을 붙여 놓는 것이 행동의 전부인 상황이었다. 내가 올린 동영상은 이상한 아저씨 한명의 인터뷰가 아니라, 그 바다를 삶의 터전으로 수십년간 배질을 해 오신 많은 주민들의 목소리 인 것이다. 내가 제기하는 의문은, 모든 주민이 한결같이 한 목소리로 이런 내용을 말하고 있는데 왜 방송 어디에서도 이런 내용을 찾을 수 없느냐 하는 것이다.
6. 이런 인터뷰를 한 것이 내가 처음이 아니다. 국내 굴지의 지상파 방송국에서 이름만 대면 아는 시사 프로에서 내가 인터뷰한. 동일한 분을 내가 촬영해온 내용과 같은 내용으로 이미 인터뷰를 진행 해 갔다. 하지만 이 영상은 TV에 방영되지 못했다. 도대체 왜 방영되지 못한걸까. […] 이 사건은 단순한 음모론이 아니다. 또한 공공의 적을 처단하는 마녀사냥도 아니다. 이 사건에는 한순간에 날아간 자연이 있고, 삶의 터전을 잃어버린 어민들이 있으며 그 과정에 너무나 많은 의문과 의혹이 자리잡고 있다. 인터뷰가 실명으로, 모자이크나 음성변조도 안한 채 나간 것에 대해 우려하는 목소리가 많은데. 이는 이성원 사무국장님의 의지였다. ‘우린 이미 죽을 각오를 했다. 이렇게 죽으나 저렇게 죽으나 마찬가지다. 우리는 죽을때 까지 진실을 밝힐 것이다.' 라고 말씀하시던 아저씨의 강한 눈빛이 아직도 잊혀지지 않는다. 삶을 잃은 그들이 원하는건 명확한 답변. 바로 진실이다.
We might blame a big chunk of Samsung and it can damage the employees who work hard in other industry sections (for example, Samsung Heavy Industries., LTD is completely separate from the celluarphone section). I’m not saying people who have Samsung name cards are all bastards and are responsible for this incident. I know several people who work in Samsung and they are also among those of us who are worried about it. Let’s clarify the object that we should be angry at.
2. The main point of the video clip is how to navigate the ship. The ship of the Samsung Heavy Industry., LTD was supposed to navigate toward the continent before the wind, but on such a clear day they navigated toward the oil tanker against the wind. You say there must be shallow water or other reasons? No way! Captains who I interviewed are all veterans who navigated ships for several decades. They can’t be ignorant in their field. At that time, the velocity of the wind was big (when I visited there, there was such a strong wind from northwest that I could barely walk). Or, navigators were clumsy… so they turned the ship toward the oil tanker? Nonsense. People who can navigate such a big ship should be professionals who have above 6th ranking navigation certificates. And it was not a small company. It was Samsung Heavy Industry. Like you can see through the video clip about navigating against the wind, mistakes can’t happen.
3. The second video clip talks about emulsifying agent, chemical medicines mixing with water and oil. Like a captain in the video clip said, what will happen to the ocean if we spray the emulsifying agent in a place that has 30 cm length of oil? The water and oil will mix together, solidified, and sink under the ocean. Residents were strongly against the emulsifying agent. Logically… they could just take off the oil that was floating on the water, but regardless of the strong objection from the residents, why did they mix with water and oil and sink the oil? Maybe they would like to finish the job fast?
4. An extermination company said that they contain 750 m of 1.5km of oil fence that they need, and they can get the rest of it from other extermination companies. As soon as they’re ready, they promised to provide it. But after a naval meeting, they said that the naval police didn’t let them provide an oil fence. With an oil fence, they could have exterminated fast. But why did they block it? Above all, when the oil slipped out of the oil tanker, they could place a barge under the oil and take the oil out of it. But why didn’t they do that? […]
5. How can we believe the fact with one person’s interview? There are so many people around there as you can see. From 5-6 people to 10? They’re all captains who have ships. I listened to their opinions for two hours. Then I just used what the chief manager Lee Sung Won said on the screen. It’s not just one person’s opinion. All residents recognized without a dissenting voice.
Residents would like to expose the truth, they don’t know what to do and so what they can do is to make banners. The video clip that I made was not just from an interview with one strange person. It was the voice of many residents who have made livings on the sea. The question that I suggest is why can’t we find this kind of interview in the media even though all residents make one voice.
6. I am not the one who has this kind of interview. Famous domestic media that you would recognize at once came over here and interviewed these same people. But it has never been shown on TV. Why didn’t their stories come out? […] This is not a simple conspiracy. It’s not a witch hunt to punish public enemies as well. Inside this incident, there are nature that disappeared, residents who lost their livelihoods, and many questions and doubts. People are worried about the interviewee whose identity has been exposed, but it was Lee Sung Won’s will. ‘We’re determined to die. It’s the same to die this way or that way. We’ll clarify the truth to death. I still remember his determined eyes. The clear answer for them who lost their lives….it’s truth.
Two residents at Taean have committeed suicide after the oil spill so far. Residents and some people started complaining about the indifference of Samsung Heavy Industry about the incident and the one-sided news of major media. As long as Taean residents are not happy about it and struggle for their lives due to the oil spil, bloggers and netizens’ actions or more investigations will not seemingly stop.
Palestine: Dance Prodigy Hopes to Make it Big
Art by Ben Heine (click on the link to see the full sized version)
Every once in a while, you hear about a story that makes you stop in your tracks. One that is so outside the norm, that is seems as if the central figure has been born in the wrong time or place.
Ayman Safieh is a 16-year-old Palestinian Muslim hoping to make it big in the world of classical ballet. His teacher is 81-year-old Yehudith Arnon, an Israeli Jew and Holocaust survivor, who is known as one of Israel's top dance instructors.
Safieh has loved to dance from the time he could walk, his mother tells us. Five years ago at the age of 11, Safieh saw the movie Billy Elliot, about a boy who defied the traditional gender roles of his small English mining town and insisted on dancing ballet. “I have to dance ballet,” Safieh told his mother. “I dream to be like him.”
The challenge, then, was to break the news to his father. Seeing him dance for the first time, his father says, “I cried. I had no idea my son was that talented. You know, I have a bit of understanding about sports and art, but when I saw my son dancing, I was shocked. This was my son. This was his body, his legs, his muscles, and shoulders. I just wished I could see him more often and on a bigger stage.”
Safieh says, “People told me me it's not right for men to be so romantic. It's too feminine. I say, why can't men be romantic and passionate? Why is it only for women?”
Safieh was discovered by Raba Murkus, a Israeli Arab dance instructor whose studio was in his home town of Kfar Yasif. Murkus invited Safieh to join her children's dance troupe, but quickly learned he was meant for bigger things. “He was just amazing,” she says. “In rehearsal, he was great, but on the stage, suddenly I saw, I saw the dancer in his heart and his soul, and he surprised me. And I said, ‘Okay, we have a dancer here and we have to take care of him.'”
Murkus introduced Safieh to her own teacher, Yehudith Arnon. Dance embodies passion and Arnon has her own story to tell.
Arnon is a survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Holocaust's largest Nazi concentration camp. A recognized ballerina, the Nazis ordered Arnon to dance in their Christmas performance. She refused, knowing she would likely be killed. But that was not her punishment. Instead, the Nazis forced her to stand barefoot in the snow for hours on that freezing December day, clad in her thin camp uniform. “If I survive this, I will dedicate myself to dance for the rest of my days,” she said to herself.
Safieh has been formally training with Arnon for one year. This year he danced his first major performance in the Russian National Ballet's Christmas rendition of the Nutcracker.
Despite CNN's profile, from where this story and video (recommended viewing) were sourced, it has not yet reached the attention of the blogosphere. Commenters on CNN's Inside the Middle East Blog have this to say.
A reader identified as “Spirtual Life” comments:
“This is an incredible article without politics or religion. I really want to see more reports like this. As far as Ayman goes, good luck with all your ambitions. If I were a rich person I would give him a lifelong scholarship to any dancing school in the world. I love ambition, and he's got it in abundance. More power to you, young man.”
Ms. Ramey, a ballet instructor from South Gate, California, says:
“Bravo, Ayman Safieh! I am posting this article of you on our dance studio bulletin board. I'm sure you will inspire the male students in my block two dance class. This is the first year of dance class at South East High School. I've also had a rough time getting the male students to accept dance in a positive view. Hope to see you dance one day on an international ballet tour.
On the Desert Peace Blog, who sourced CNN's story, readers' responses were equally positive.
Lenny Bruce, author of the Through Other Eyes blog and a self-proclaimed American Israeli Dutchman, remarked:
“A very uplifting story. The reaction of his father and his friends was so cool to see.”
Commenter Julia Deming says:
“This young man moves beautifully, and I wish him every success.”
And a reader who calls himself The Master adds:
“It’s GOOD to counter the perception almost everyone in the West has that ALL Palestinians are terrorists!!”
My own thanks to professional artist and blogger Ben Heine, whose depiction of Safieh dancing (see above) inspired me to write about this story.
So what do you think? Does Safieh have a future in the field of dance? What can we learn from his story? Will he inspire generations of young dancers from Palestine who will follow in his graceful footsteps?
Malawi dumps Taiwan for China, media under scrutiny
Malawi Dumps Taiwan for China
A few days ago foreign affairs minister announced that Malawi has switched its diplomatic relations from Taiwan to Mainland China. The news has been received with mixed reactions though a quick overview shows that a significant number of Malawians seem to welcome the new love affair which effectively makes Malawi dump Taiwan after 40 years of marriage. Malawi was one of the few remaining African countries who were yet to fall in love with China.
Lilongwe-based Austin Madinga blogging under the heading Enter The Dragon has questions which he hopes the foreign affairs ministry can clarify the benefits from the new marriage with mainland China:
My most pressing (question) is apart from promising to buy tobacco and uranium from Malawi, what else are they likely to buy? Is Mainland China an open market for Malawian businesses? Will it not be one way traffic for cheap (and sometimes lethally toxic) goods?
Barnett Kamkuzi while asking a question Which Way for Malawi? Taiwan or China, seems to support the shift to Mainland China. He writes:
Malawi needs the money. The President of Malawi, Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, has an ambitious and well-meaning vision to establish the Shire-Zambezi Waterway which shall lead to the construction of an inland water port that shall unleash Malawi from its disadvantaged position of being a landlocked country. And definitely this shall turn around the economy of Malawi. And just imagine, communist China is offering to finance this much needed project! In addition to this, Malawi will be selling its main forex earner, tobacco and sugar to China. With the anti-smoking lobby in the West, China will definitely be an alternative lucrative market for Malawi's tobacco. And lets not forget that China is emerging as the biggest trading partner with Africa and Malawi would not want to be left out. Of course, others have described China recent relations with Africa as neo-colonialism but after being given several raw-deals from the West, it seems Africa wants to try the East!
Journalism leaving a lot to be desired at the state broadcasters
As 2009 gets closer, Malawi and its people are getting more and charged with various issues affecting their country. How the media performs and especially public media is a hot issue for discussion in Malawi. The country's foreign relations too are getting more and more into focus as whatever happens elsewhere politically offers a lesson or two to Malawians.
As part of his new year resolution, it seems journalist and blogger Kondwani Munthali has quit from the state broadcaster Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to save his face from sad events surrounding the profession at the broadcaster. He has gone back to the newspaper he started with a few years ago. He blogs about his personal frustration with MBC:
I want to agree with many Malawians that the Corporation has sunk to its lowest levels professionally that sticking around the place casts doubt on your integrity. This is a place where young professionals fight for presidential trips, this is a place where a health story will not be priortised over a dead mans letter written in 2000. Bootlicking, gossip and the new format of shameful reporting has emerged at MBC that sticking around the place will only kill ones career than improve it.
On a related issue Peter Jere in South Africa backs the Malawi Television programme which some commentators in Malawi is a propaganda tool by government. Blogging under Of Mizawanya and Political education in Malawi, he says that the television programme is used for educating young Malawians of their political heritage:
Therefore, it is vital for the youth to know where the nation is coming from and what it went through socially and politically so that they better understand why they are witnessing what is currently happening in our country politics today and at the same time our young people shall be able to know where we are going as a nation politically. So we think these Mizwanya guys are doing a mighty job and filling in the gap that our education system could have done long time ago to education and inform our youth and others on who did what in our political history. This helps in decision making in case some of those who committed various serious crimes would want to stand as leaders. The electorate needs to be given enough information on all the leaders regarding what they are and what they have done in our history so that the best achiever could be chosen otherwise we will end up choosing someone who is not the right person to rule the country.
Dual Citizenship?
In his erratic ramblings, a UK-Based Malawian blogger Cryton Chikoko debates about dual citizenship which he says is a better evil for many Malawians in the diaspora due to economic challenges in their home country. Though not clear if he is considering to turn British himself, he picks a leaf from other Malawians who have decided to return home:
Professionals with international exposure are the highly skilled people that Malawi needs. These are people who can significantly help in the social services and development of the country. Goodall Gondwe and Mutharika himself are some of the examples. The Rambler appreciates their contributions to the nation although they came back after they had given their very best in foreign lands. Anyway the nation is still enjoying the residue!
There are many professionals who are stuck as citizens of foreign nations not because they want to but it is all for economical reasons. One Canadian “Malawian” nurse told me that she embraced the Canadian citizenship “for convenience but at heart I am a Malawian and that cannot change.” Dare you browse “Nyirenda” in facebook. There are loads of Nyirendas in the US alone chiwelengelo cha Usisya kulengelatu! (more Malawians known as the Nyirenda in US than one famous place in Malawi).
Peru: Wendy Sulca, Child Video Sensation
Through FaceBook messages, YouTube and blogs, Peruvian 10 year old Wendy Sulca has become quite popular in the last couple of months, with a sudden surge in the past few days far beyond the Peruvian border.
In Damr.net, she gets touted as the successor of Delfin Quishpe, the Ecuadorian character who became a viral sensation signing about a girlfriend who died on the World Trade Center on 9-11.
Sin palabras con este video, sin duda es la sucesora o hija de Delfin Quishpe.
(aporte de Virginia)
No need for words for this video, it is doubtless that she is the successor or the daughter of Delfin uishpe.
(via Virginia)
The video referred to is “La Tetita” , a song written and sung by her in the Peruvian folkloric style. The song, “The Tittie”, talks about how she really likes to drink from her mother´s breast, and a male voice-over mentions her young age, her virtue, her great voice, and how she´s the hope and example for millions of children in Peru. Following, the “The tittie” video, in Spanish with English subtitles.
Several different users re-posted her videos on the Youtube video sharing site, increasing her popularity. There is a WendySulca YouTube channel with her official videography. The Wendy Sulca Official Fan Website, wendysulcaclub.blogspot.com [es] also has her videos as well as a text biography of the singer “who besides wanting to be a professional singer, wishes to be a teacher”. Videos online have the watermark to the eymard7vivas blog [es].Comments to her videos are varied. Blogger DiscoShawn had this to say about the Wendy Sulca phenomenon:
In recent weeks my inbox has been flooded with messages saying “Nuevo Comentario Sobre: Wendy Sulca - Papito”. After months of virtually no one watching the video, it was apparently re-posted on a few websites, including this porn-ish site (I don't get it either - gross) and a Chilean blog called Por La Puta. The video is now up to around 20,000 views on YouTube, which is still relatively small but an exponential increase from just a couple of weeks ago. The comments section on the video's YouTube page has also exploded with people chiming in about everything from child exploitation to whether the music is folklorico or cumbia.
You´ll find people complaining on these videos ranting about the terrible image that is left of Peru thanks to these artists, like previous Peruvian viral sensation la Tigresa del Oriente and now Wendy. There are others who give her kudos for singing Peruvian folkloric songs, and others just plain love the kitschyness of her videos. Some users, however, are concerned about the mixed message the video sends out when the male “Voice in Off” says that 18 year old men also like “the titties”, and these men, who happen to be the band members, are shown ogling a young girl walking by. It seems to be a far cry from what Wendy Sulca wanted to express through her original song about her love for breastfeeding.
Viewers also find some of her other videos inappropriate for a 10 year old due to the lyrics and images featured on them. “My Life is Worth Nothing” [es], where she sings “my life is worth nothing if you aren´t with me, my love. Even if they take my life, I´ll be in heaven with you forever”, or “Beer, beer” [es] where she croons in her high pitched voice about how she wants the barman to bring her more beer.
Some users have already used her videos as mashups. One of them is ElCuboSpot productions:
Si han escuchado la voz de Wendy Sulca y se han indignado tanto como yo al oir cosa tan mas fea… entonces deben ver este video que deja ver un poco los deseos de los que nos hemos quedado sorprendidos con los videos de esta niña Puruana que esta en manos de producciones Danny.
En este video (que a mi punto de vista denigra el folklor peruano)… presenta nadamas y nada menos que al buen hombre de George Bush que saca sus mas bajos instintos provocados por la aguda voz de esta niña “de tan solo 8 años de edaaad” jajaja
If you have listened to Wendy Sulca´s voice and you´ve been offended as much as I have by listening to such an ugly thing… then you should watch this video that lightly shows the desires of those of us who have been surprised with the videos of this Peruvian girl who´s in the hands of Danny productions. In this video (which from my perspective denigrates Peruvian folklore)… presents no less than the good man George Bush who brings out his most basic instincts provoked by the high pitched squeal of this girl who is “only 8 yeaaaars oooold” hehehe
The following video shows El Cubo´s George Bush Vs. Wendy Sulca:
Other tributes are quickly popping up, like this one, and this one as well.
Links for Fri, 2008-01
Natalia Antonova interviews a Ukrainian man on prostitution.
This site is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License
Please read our attribution policy.
Sponsors
| Korea content supported by |
 |
Japan content supported by |
 |