Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2009 January 29

29 January 2009

Daily archive · 9 posts

Stories from 29 January 2009

Madagascar: “Unmitigated Disaster”

Written by Lova Rakotomalala · Sub-Saharan Africa

After two days of upheaval that resulted in an estimated death toll at 80 nationally, and the looting of dozens of stores, a day of relative calm greeted a stunned nation.

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China: Plateau in Peril

Written by Juliana Rotich · China

A newly launched interactive site ‘China Green' focuses on China's environmental and climate issues. The first project is about Tibetan Plateau, shows how the effects of global warming on the...

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Guadeloupe: A new social movement

Written by Fabienne Flessel · Caribbean

Guadeloupe has been in a state of social unrest for about a week now as record numbers of trade unions, cultural and political associations have united around a motto: "Lyannaj kont pwofitasyon", Creole for “Let's gather up to fight against all sorts of abuses.”

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Korea: Death of 5 Evictees in the middle of Seoul

Written by Hyejin Kim · East Asia

On the 20th of January, residents who were told to be evicted to make way for a new development by February in Yongsan, which is the middle of Seoul, opposed...

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Hong Kong: From Censorship Debate to Critique of Christian Right

Written by Oiwan Lam · East Asia, North America

The debate over censorship of indecency in Hong Kong sparkled by the consultation on the Control of Obscene and Indecent Article Ordinance (COIAO) has developed into a critique of religious...

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Kazakhstan: Journalist Arrested for Alleged State Secret Disclosure

Written by Adil Nurmakov · Central Asia & Caucasus

Ramazan Yessergepov, chief editor of the “Alma-Ata Info” newspaper, was arrested early January this year by the National Security Committee officers from the provincial branch office of the country's main...

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Japan: Obama vs. Aso

Written by Scilla Alecci · East Asia, North America

Like every other country in the world, Japan, one of the strongest of America's allies in Asia, followed closely the election of President Obama. His speech has been broadcast, translated and commented on in all kinds of ways by the Japanese media and local TV shows. So it was natural that many bloggers drew a comparisons between the American President and the Japanese Prime Minister, Tarō Asō.

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Protest Video: Dancing Filipina Maids In Hong Kong

Written by Mong Palatino · East Asia

There are videos of dancing Filipinos which were conceptualized as a component of protest campaigns. Last month Juana Change videos became popular in the Philippines. These videos were used to express opposition to the administration-sponsored legislative bill that would amend the 1987 Constitution. Another video which entertained the public was the protest dance of Filipina migrant workers in Hong Kong

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Russia: Conscript Seeks Asylum in Georgia

Written by Veronica Khokhlova · Eastern & Central Europe, Central Asia & Caucasus

Aleksandr Glukhov, a 21-year-old Russian conscript, has asked for asylum in the Republic of Georgia to escape the "unbearable conditions" in the Russian army. One of Glukhov's media appearances took place as he was dining at a McDonald's restaurant in Tbilisi. Russian officials claim that Glukhov was captured by Georgian armed forces in South Ossetia, where he was performing his compulsory military service, and taken to the Georgian capital. Quite a few people in Russia seem to consider Glukhov "a traitor." Below are some of the reactions from the Russophone blogosphere.

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Updates from 29 January 2009

Bulgaria

CzechFolks.com writes about a few European artists who have reacted to Entropa by creating “caricatures of the Czech Republic through their eyes.”

• Veronica Khokhlova

Russia

Wu Wei quotes a Kyiv Post editorial, which urges the EU to consider investing in Ukraine's gas pipeline system, and posts this comment: “But on what terms will this be offered? Will the EU (or the corporation it says it will set up for pipelines) enter into a bidding war with Gazprom for use (and modernisation) of the Ukrainian network, or will it be outright privatisation? If so, given the current legislation in Ukraine preventing the gas transmission system's privatisation or use through concessions (or other ways) we can predict some tough battles ahead, on the usual lines in the government.”

• Veronica Khokhlova

Jordan

“The BBC says the risk of compromising confidence in its fairness, coupled with ‘question marks' about aid getting through, had led to its decision not to broadcast the Gaza appeal. Because of this decision Sky and ITV are not allowed to make the appeal either,” reports Ali Dahmash, from Jordan.

• Amira Al Hussaini

United Arab Emirates

“Who would have ever thought that something like this could happen in the UAE? I sure hope it survives till the weekend so I could go and take photos,” says Jar of Juice, from the UAE, after newspaper reports wrote about snowfall in nearby Ras Al Khaymah.

• Amira Al Hussaini

Greece

BBC's Mark Mardell writes about the state of the Greek economy and the farmers' protests.

• Veronica Khokhlova

Egypt

“Honestly, what do you put on your resume after spending a couple of years working as a Guantanamo Bay interrogator? And where do you apply for work?” asks Egyptian Sandmonkey, now that US President Barack Obama has ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay in a year.

• Amira Al Hussaini

First, let us ignore your assertion that at the time only 1% of young Chinese attended university because its not...

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