Archive for
February 23rd, 2009

   

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Afghanistan: Prison, Poverty and Politics

While the Obama administration has announced that an additional 17,000 troops will be sent to Afghanistan to confront the rising insurgency, Afghan bloggers keep talking about the daily challenges facing Afghans such as a women in prison, poverty and political tensions.

Baktash Siawash, a Kabul-based journalist and blogger writes [en] about the hardships of imprisoned women. The blogger says:

Women’s prisons: currently in Northern Province of Kunduz ten women with eight children in age of 6 to 10 are prisoners. Two Small and dark rooms with a lavatory is called prison. Pul-e-Charkhi prison is the Most Famous prison in Afghanistan located in Kabul province the Capital of Afghanistan: prisoner women don’t have good situation in Kabul prison too. The reporters do not have the permission to visit the Pulcharkhi women’s Prisoners section.

Afghancorner, an Afghan blogger based in the USA writes [en] that Afghanistan is a mess and that there is tension with the government of the United States. The blogger adds:

Afghan president Hamid Karzai speaks on several topics concerning Afghanistan (Taliban, Pakistan, upcoming presidential elections and his government’s relations with newly elected US leadership) with Al Jazeera’s David Frost. It worth mentioning that international community has expressed its concern over corruption in Afghanistan, and Obama has criticized Afghan government for lack of leadership and management. In his latest interview, Karzai confess of pale relations with Obama administration.

Christian Bleuer, a PhD student from Australia writes [en] in Ghosts of Alexander that Jennifer McCarthy, a PhD research student in London has decided to live on an actual Afghan budget for a month to raise awareness and some funds. And she will provide the narrative of what that’s like in her blog.

Not everything is not dark and sad in Afghanistan Thruafghaneyes, an Afghanistan based blogger writes [en] that Mirwais Mohsen is one of the first Afghan skaters, a brand new sport in Kabul.

Blog Plagiarism hits Egyptian Bloggers

Is there such a thing as blog plagiarism? Egyptian bloggers argue both sides of the fence on Facebook and on their blogs after a newspaper started quoting bloggers - without their permission.

Bella Shereef created a group attacking El Shorouk Newspaper for quoting bloggers without their permission and for editing the excerpts they quote saying:

جريمة الشروخ اليومية تسرق التدوينات وتتمادي في السرقة ولا تعبأ بأي اعتراضات.
المطلوب:
مقاطعة الجريدة ،
فضحها فضيحة بجلاجل على الملأ،
ويا ريت نتصل بصحف منافسة لنشر القضية.
El Shorouk Newspaper continues with its daily crime of stealing from blogs despite the objections of bloggers.
What's needed? Boycotting the newspaper and publicly exposing their actions. We would also like to get in touch with their competitors to scandalize them.

The group currently has no admin and the newspaper created a survey and asked the readers to share their opinion of the blog pages in the paper.

Bella wrote on the discussion board:

وطبعا صاغوا الاستفتاء بطريقة ملتوية جدا تفهم الناس انهم بيعملوا خدمة للمدونين ولم يذكروا بتاتا حكاية الاقتطاع والتشويه اللى بتحصل ولا بيتكلموا عن عدم الاستئذان فالردود طبعا بتوصل لهم بناء على صورة معينة منقولة للناس
ده طبعا غير انهم بيحتكموا لطرف لايعتبر طرف في المشكلة
فكون القراء هم اللى بيشتروا الجريدة فلايعني ان يأخذوا رايهم في امر يخص حقوقنا احنا .
Of course they phrased the survey in a twisted manner that makes it sound as though they were doing the bloggers a favor but they overlooked the editing, the cropping, and mutilation of the posts they publish without permission. Of course the readers will respond based on the newspapers side of the story and why would the readers decide something that is directly related to our creative rights.

Bent Al Kamar wrote on her blog:

اتوجه الي جريدة الشروق ومؤسستها العظيمة راعية الثقافة و ناشرة الفكر الحر تسرقني اه تشلخلعني لا خدتوا تدوينه وناويين تاخدواغيرها اوكيه بجملة اللي الواحد بيتسرقه. بس بليز والنبي بلاش تقطعوا التدوينه خليني انا اضغطهالكم واختصرها تسرقني اه تشخلعني لا
I hereby address El Shorouk Newspaper and I give them permission to rob me but I do not allow then to censor me; if you are going to steal a post then I besiege you to publish it in full. If it is too much, please let me know and I will edit it and shrink it to the number of words that suits your purposes.

She also posted links to other disapproving bloggers here, and here.

On the other hand, several bloggers did not find anything wrong or incriminating with El Shorouk Newspaper's practices.

Mohamed Hamdy wrote:

إلا أننى شخصيا أرى أن من حق أى مطبوعه النقل عن المدونين وإختصار ما يتم نقله حتى يلائم المساحة المخصصة للنشر طالما تقوم هذه الجريدة بكتابة إسم ووصلة المدونة التى تم النقل منها وطالما أن الإختصار لا يضر بالفكرة الأساسية للموضوع المنقول .
وأرى أن ما تفعله الشروق من تخصيص زاوية للمدونين فى جريدتها هو محاولة من الجريدة لمد الجسور بين كتابة الإنترنت والكتابة المطبوعه , وهو نهج إنتهجته الشروق كدار نشر عندما قامت بطبع مجموعة كتب للمدونين , وكنت أرجو أن نأخذ تجربة الشروق فى النشر للمدونين (صحفيا وأدبيا) منطلقا لتحسين التجربة ونقدها بشكل بناء يطور منها ولا يهدها
I personally see that any publication is entitled to quote blogs and bloggers and to edit their posts for publishing purposes and space issues as long as the name of the blog and its link is clearly written and as long as the editing does not damage the backbone of the idea being discussed. I think that El Shourouk Newspaper's initiative is an attempt to bridge the gap between print and electronic publishing - a trend they started when they turned several blogs into printed books and bestsellers. I was hoping that the reactions were more constructive and in the direction of enhancing the whole experience not destroying it.

Shaimaa El Gammal responded by sharing a piece of news about The Printed Blog in the US:

هذا هو عنوان أول جريدة أمريكية خاصة بالمدونات فقط، فكل ما ينشر فيها لابد أن يكون من كتابات المدونين. وصدرت الجريدة بعد أن وافق 300 مدون على نشر تدويناتهم بصورة دورية فى الجريدة، ووقعوا على إقرارات بهذا، لأن سياسة الجريدة تحترم حقوق الملكية الفكرية. صدر العدد الأول من الجريدة فى 27 يناير الماضى، وهى تصدر أسبوعياً وتوزع مجاناً فى كل من شيكاغو ونيويورك وسان فرانسيسكو. تتميز الجريدة بجودة المحتوى وبراعة الإخراج، كما يذيل كل مقال باسم صاحبه واسم ورابط مدونته، ويتم أحياناً استخدام الصور التى اختارها المدونون لمواضيعهم كما هى، مع بعض التعديلات إذا لزم الأمر.
This is the title of the first American publication specialized in publishing blog posts solely 300 blogger signed off their consent to having their work published and the first issue came out on 27 January 2009. The weekly newspaper is distributed free of charge in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. The production of the paper is of high quality and each post ends in the name of the blogger and a link to his blog. Most of the time the posts are published with the pictures that appear on the blog with occasional editing when necessary.

Last but not least, Lasto Adri of Global Voices wrote:

تطوعت بالمشاركة فى موقع “اصوات عالمية”، وهو موقع هدفه تسليط الضوء على أهم ما يناقشه المدونون على مستوى العالم، مع ترجمته لأكثر من لغة؛ وهذه التجربة هى ما جعلتنى أفكر فى الفرق بين إقتباساته و إقتباسات جرنال الشروق.. واتساءل ليه بعض الوجوه شديدة الإعتراض حاليا على ما فعلته الشروق، همه نفسهم اللى شكرونى لما اقتبست من كلامهم على أصوات عالمية.. مع العلم إنى بختصر.. وفى أغلب الأحيان مش بستأذن. هل لإن جرنال الشروق تجارى واصوات عالمية غير هادف للربح؟.. ولو عرفنا إن فى بعض المواقع الأخرى زى نيويورك تايمز تنقل عن اصوات عالمية، هل ح يختلف الوضع؟.. ولو جرنال الشروق اضاف ” […]” مكان الفقرات الغير مقتبسة، هل ح يتحل الإشكال؟ مع العلم إن الجريدة تشير لصاحب العمل وعنوان مدونته. والخطأ الوحيد اللى اتمسك لحد دلوقتى هى اللخبطة فى جنس صاحب أو صاحبة المدونة.. وأعتقد إنه خطأ بشرى عادى، خصوصا مع كبر حجم المجتمع التدوينى المصرى. بصراحة، وبدون تجريح فى أى فرد.. لكن أعتقد إن التعامل مع المشكلة فيه قدر كبير من النرجسية.. دا بخلاف الرغبة فى الإرتكان إلى صورة الضحية.. بمعنى إنه نفس القدر من الإعتراض لا يحدث مع الصور المرصع بها أغلب المدونات –منهم أنا على فكرة- بلا إستئذان لصاحب العمل الإبداعى أو إظهار أى محاولة للبحث إن كانت الصور دى لها صاحب من البداية
I am a volunteer contributor to Global Voices Online which is a site that highlights what bloggers are voicing worldwide, in addition to translation in different languages. This experience has made me wonder about the difference between what I quote on GVO and what El Shorouk quotes on its pages and why the same bloggers who are furious now are the same bloggers who appreciated my quoting them in my posts yesterday, bearing in mind that I summarise their posts, and most of the time do not take their permission in advance. Is it because El Shorouk is commercial and GVO is a non profit organization? How would they feel if they knew that the New York Times often quotes from GVO? Would it be any different if El Shorouk used brackets and quotation marks to clarify what was quoted literally and what was edited? So far the only mistake El Shorouk made was an occasional confusion in the gender of the blogger - a normal human error considering the enormity of the Egyptian blogosphere. Honestly, and without intentionally offending anyone, I think that the way this issue has been raised and tackled is purely narcissistic and projects self victimization … why didn't anyone object as ferociously when bloggers - myself included - rip pictures off the internet without attempting to find or identify the owner?

Palestine: Attacks On Gaza Continue

Despite the announcement of unilateral ceasefires by both Israel and Hamas, attacks by the Israeli military on Gaza continue while Palestinian factions have been launching rockets into Israel. In this post we hear the latest from Gaza's blogs.

Prof. Said Abdelwahed, who teaches English at Al-Azhar University, writes at Moments of Gaza (February 18):

Yesterday evening, an Israeli attack helicopter flew over our heads in Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood; it launched a missile somewhere in our area! Also, F-16 targeted two places in Khan Younis and Rafah. Last night, almost at midnight, F-16 executed three raids on targets to the north of Gaza city! Many of the places they target nowadays were hit sometimes during the war, so that they attack destroyed places! The thing was that those raids were off the air! There was no mention of it in the news as if it became a normal daily life practice!

American writer Elliott Woods, who is Gaza on a Pulitzer Center grant, has described the situation in a post on February 9:

Now that I have been here for almost a month – mostly during the so-called cease-fire – I can feel the continual threat in my bones. It's an ever present unease, like a headache or a hangover that doesn't keep you in bed, but keeps you conscious of the fact that something isn't quite right. What must it be like to live with this sort of uncertainty, this deadly anxiety, for years on end?

Australian activist Sharyn Lock writes (February 16) at Tales to Tell:

A South African teacher who reads this blog asked yesterday: “I’ve heard that everyday people are still being killed in Gaza, is this true?”
Yes. Almost every day there are further injuries, and often deaths. And as usual, the majority of the time they are civilians.

Sharyn gives some examples of the attacks that have been happening, then says:

Language and time limitations mean I am not able to always let you know details of the continuing injuries and deaths that are happening here as a result of continuing Israeli attack. Often, we will hear explosions, and it will take a day or two before we find out accurately what they were and who they affected. This week I am going to resume a regular weekly ambulance shift so that I can keep some level of awareness and witnessing. But sadly, whether you hear about them from me or not, you should assume these injuries and deaths continue, because in Gaza, this is what Israeli Occupation looks like.

Canadian activist Eva Bartlett blogs at In Gaza, and in a post on February 17 writes about the plight of farmers on Gaza's eastern border:

Abu Alaa lives in Khan Younis and owns land in the newly-extended “Buffer Zone”, the strip of land along the Green Line which, from North to South, cuts into Palestinian land by a full 1 km now. When the Buffer Zone was ‘only’ 300m, it was already 300m too much land absorbed by the Israeli military occupation forces. Now that it is an arbitrary 1 km, are the people whose livelihoods have been decimated in every imaginable way from the siege (choking Gaza ever since just after Hamas was elected) meant to lay down their farming tools, give up self-reliance, and stand in aid lines for aid that is anyway unavailable? Like any competent people, Palestinians do not want to be aid-dependent; they crave for the right to self-sufficiency and the chance at an economy rather than receiving (or not receiving, as it goes these days) UN and other charitable hand-outs. Israel’s ongoing control of Gaza and its borders has meant that those farmers able to produce vegetables, fruit or flowers cannot export them. The meagre concession for Valentine’s Day, enabling a pathetic export of 25,000 flowers, was just that: meagre and pathetic. For the last 3 years, the flower and strawberry exports have near-completely ceased. […] So the farmers within, who try to earn a living, and simultaneously provide the vegetables used around Gaza, continue their non-violent struggle to exist, working their land and harvesting their onions, parsley, radishes, spinach, beans…to the rhythm of gunfire.

In a follow-up post (February 19), Eva recounts how a deaf farmer was shot through his ankle, the fourth farmer to be shot in three weeks. Sharyn Lock links to footage of the incident here.

Eva goes on to say:

These fertile rural eastern border areas of the Gaza Strip are emptying, because farmers, many of whom have farmed here for generations, are now too frightened to live and work on their own land. The confines of the Gaza Strip, which is just forty kilometers long and ten kilometers wide, are being shrunk even further by relentless Israeli invasions, by the imposition of an arbitrary and expanding “buffer zone” and by the targeting of civilians and farmers trying to live on and earn a living from their land. […] Just as the international community has stooped silently complicit to the siege on Gaza which has denied Palestinians of every conceivable means of existence and livelihood, so too are international leaders silent to the oppression of the farmers and fishermen, the poorest and the bravest, facing Israeli fire and ending up like Mohammed, Anwar, or 23 year old Rafiq who was targeted 2 miles off Gaza’s coast while in a small fishing boat. Israeli soldiers sprayed the boat with bullets, the ‘dum-dum' exploding bullets hitting Rafiq in the back and exploding into numerous tiny shrapnel pieces which pierced his lungs and remain dangerously close to his spine, impossible to remove. These are not isolated and random instances. They are part of the policy of cutting off any means of self-sufficiency the Palestinians try to engage in, and of continuing in the efforts to break Palestinians’ will, efforts which have included a years-long, brutal siege, a 23 day bloody war killing over 1370 Palestinians, and the ongoing targeting of civilians throughout the Gaza Strip.

The anonymous foreign activist blogging at Writing from Gaza tells the story (February 16) of 19 year-old Ali Abdul Salam Al Sa’ay who lost his right eye, left hand and three fingers from his right hand when hit by a missile fired from an Israeli gunboat off the Gaza shore on January 10 (before the ceasefire). Ali is from Al Shati’ [Beach] camp:

Al Shati’ camp was particularly targeted during the Israeli war on Gaza. Shelling of the camp took place ‘24 hours a day’, explains Ali’s father, Abdul Salam. ‘All the houses that face the sea were evacuated. They fired from gunboats, planes, everything’.
Explosions in al-Shati’ camp continue, as Israeli gunboats continue to pound the camp. ‘Daiman, daiman (always, always)’, croaks Ali. His father adds, ‘It is getting normal for the people to hear the shooting. It’s like drums now. Many people are getting injured’.

Louisa Waugh writes (February 16) at New Internationalist's Gaza Blog:

Faiza lives in Rafah, just 200 metres from the border with Egypt. Her house stands in front of a labyrinth of tunnels that have been dug underneath the Gaza border with Egypt. […] I knew her family had been evacuated from their house throughout the war, and had just recently returned. So I drove down to Rafah to see them. Rafah was ravaged by this war - the houses near the border have been blasted by artillery shells, bombs and machine guns and the landscape is scarred and ruined. It feels desolate - this is the coverage of Gaza you see on TV. Faiza's house, at the far end of a rough dirt track, now stands almost alone - her neighbours' homes on both sides have been flattened by bombs, and she tells me many of the locals are still too scared to come back to the area because of the continual bombing. The Israelis say they are intent on destroying the network of tunnels, and almost every night there are airstrikes that shake Faiza's home, terrifying the children and the adults. When the bombing gets too intense, the family flees to their relatives who live further from the border.

‘We've been evacuated at least five times since the [18 January] ceasefire,' she tells me. The word ‘evacuated' carries the image of white UN vehicles arriving in convoy to rescue the vulnerable and speeding them away from imminent danger. But for the few people left here in this bombed-out buffer zone, evacuation means they get ten minutes notice to pack up and leave on foot.

Costa Rica: Creativity Through Collectivity

Like a delicious recipe, artistic, musical and visual talents are placed together as ingredients in a functional and creative tendency: collectives. Across Costa Rica, many creative groups and collectives are using social media to showcase their work and connect with like-minded enthusiasts. These are some examples of collectives in the fields of film, music, and the visual arts.

Filmic productions

Experimental filmic productions are constantly being showcased by projects by young up and coming filmmakers. Bisonte Producciones [es] shares many of their works on their YouTube channel. As it states on its website, the fostering of a mission has become important for the members of the Collective:

Experimentar de una manera creativa y profesional a travez de la utilización de diferentes herramientas del lenguaje audiovisual, propuestas que representen e identifiquen nuestra realidad socio cultural; y a su vez incentivar la creación de espacios para difusión, discusión y reflexión del cine en Costa Rica

A creative, yet professional experimentation through the utilization of different audiovisual language tools for projects that represent and identify our social-cultural reality; as well as to give an incentive to the creation of spaces for the diffusion, discussion and reflection of Costa Rican motion picture industry.

Another blooming community is Chop Chop Producciones [es]. Their goals are determined and developed by the participation of the members . As expressed on their blog:

Somos un taller audiovisual, una escuela donde experimentar es un medio y se produce para aprender.

We are an audiovisual workshop, a school that promotes experimentation as a way and where production leads to learning.

Chop Chop can be found on their YouTube channel and they can be followed through their Twitter account.

Photography and Literature

Colectivo Nómada [es] assembles images and words to complement one another. It is conformed by visual and literary communicators that aspire to explore the range of photography as an expression instrument. A description of the collective can be found on its website [es] and contains information about how the members of the Collective see their mission and goals:

¿Qué es Nómada?

Nómada es un colectivo integrado por Fotógrafos, se origina de la necesidad de crear historias que traspasaran el ámbito común de la fotografía. Desarrollando un vínculo entre la obra de autor y la fotografía con contenido social.

What is Nómada?

Nómada is a collective comprised of photographers, originating from the necessity of creating stories that go beyond the ordinary scope of photography. Nómada develops a bond between the author’s work and the photography with social content.

Photo by Adrián Arias and used with permission

Photo by Adrián Arias and used with permission

Besides its blog [es] where short descriptive narratives accompany some of the photos, Nómada manages a photo-essay section [es].

Music and Art

Electro-acoustic musical productions are the focus of Oscilador [es], whose aim is to bring about reactions from the audience. Their website includes a description of what the collective is all about [es]:

Oscilador tiene como objetivo la integración de una comunidad electroacústica en torno a la producción electroacústica en Costa Rica. Trata de ser incluyente más que dirigir su atención a un género específico de música creada a partir de la tecnología.

Oscilador's main objective is to integrate the electro-acoustic community with electro-acoustic productions in Costa Rica. To attempt to include instead of directing one's attention to a specific genre of music created by technology.

Another musical collective is NoisNois [es], which works with the union of visual-audio expressions with other creative arts. As stated on its website, this Collective seeks participation and propagation of interdisciplinary collaborations. The main idea behind NoisNois, apart from serving as a platform for the diffusion and distribution of the collective’s artistic work, is to interact with others interested in their work. They share information on their Twitter account.

Comics and humor

People skilled in graphic design, especially cartoonists and comic book artists also participate in collectives to share common interests and their work. One good example of this is Colectivo de Comics [es], whose members are constantly looking for ways to improve upon and interact with others through the use of art. Some of their works can be seen on their website [es].

Costa Rican collectives have been growing and encouraging all kind of artists to group and combine their individual talents into a whole new and attractive groupings. By working together on projects, the results are as interesting as diverse.

Africa: Blogging About Startups, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

If your main source of news and information about Africa is the mainstream media, then you are less likely to know about groundbreaking innovation and entrepreneurship that is taking place on the continent. Thanks to citizen journalists who regularly blog about startups and entrepreneurship in Africa. In this post we are listing major blogs, which review, analyse, and promote startups, entrepreneurship and innovation on the African continent.

  • ITNewsAfrica is an independent media portal that aggregates technology and telecoms news relevant to Africa’s development. The blog produces regular technology reports and coverage of the biggest ICT news events of the day. Information on ITNewsAfrica is produced by its own editorial team as well as content partners.
  • Erik Hersman blogs at White African. He is a web developer, co-founder of Ushahidi.com, a citizen media site documenting post-election violence in Kenya and a regular contributor to AfricanGadget.com. From time to time you can find information about startups and entrepreneurship in Africa on his blog, WhiteAfrican.com.
  • Appfrica is a blog from Uganda, which is described as “an African developer / entrepreneur’s heaven.” The blog deal with a variety of topics related to African IT industry, features interviews with African entrepreneurs and looks at news trends in the mobile and web industry. The founder of Appfrica is Jonathan Gosier, a software developer, writer and social entrepreneur based in Kampala, Uganda.
  • Jonathan is also the founder of Afridex, a business information aggregator and professional database pulling data from across the web about African start-ups, established companies and foreign groups operating in the continent.

  • Startup Ivoire is a new weblog that aims at reviewing and analysing web startups, web technologies and applications in Cote d’Ivoire , as well as tech/mobile products and services in Cote d’Ivoire. However, since the blog was set up in January, 2009, nothing has been posted yet.
  • TechMasai monitors and reviews web 2.0 with special emphasis on Africa. The “About” page of TechMasai reads, “It is our mission to obsessively write about any technology start up we find exciting and interesting. We also aim to fill the gap left over by big media companies in relation to African web 2.0 which we view as not receiving the recognition they deserve.” Techmasai is run by Munashe Gumbonzvanda, an African blogger and entrepreneur based in Canada.
  • Timbuktu Chronicles
    Emeka Okafor, the TED Africa Director blogs at Timbuktu Chronicles, which “seeks to spur dialogue in areas of entrepreneurship, technology and the scientific method as it impacts Africa.” Timbuktu Chronicles covers a wide range of technology related projects and initiatives in Africa.

  • BandwidthBlog is a South African blog that covers startups in South Africa and other parts of the world. The blog is run by the South African blogger, Charl Norman.
  • StartUpAfrica is a community project to stimulate technology entrepreneurship in Africa. The blog covers innovative technology solutions coming out of Africa and shares information on development programmes, investors, funding and mentoring programmes. StarUpAfrica is run by Ismail Dhorat.
  • StartupsNigeria is a blog dedicated to reviewing and analysing web startups, web technologies, mobile products and applications in Nigeria, with the aim of connecting global web-savvy blogs and businesses with those in Nigeria. The blog features startups advice, tips and ideas for Nigerian web entrepreneurs. StartupsNigeria has an online community that provides opportunities for networking and discussion on the latest tech/mobile news and developments in the Web 2.0 industry in Nigeria. StartupsNigeria is authored by the Nigerian blogger, online media analyst and social entrepreneur, Loy Okezie.
  • Afrigadget does not cover the typical high-tech startups but stories (in text and video) of low-tech African ingenuity and innovation.

Global: Convoy to Gaza Makes HistoryVideo post

History was made yesterday in the Maghreb as a convoy headed from the UK to Gaza was allowed to pass through the border between Morocco and Algeria, which has been closed for nearly 15 years. The border closed in 1994 after Morocco suspected Algerian involvement in the attack of a Marrakesh hotel.

Gaza; Peace N' Freedom described the convoy, sharing a video as well:

Reminiscent of the solidarity work with Spain during the Spanish Civil War, the largest aid convoy ever from Britain to the Middle East is set to leave from Westminster, London, tomorrow February 14. The convoy consists of 100 vehicles, including a boat, a fire engine and 12 ambulances. Member of Parliament George Galloway will lead the convoy on its travel through Europe, North Africa to Gaza, Palestine. The convoy has been financed through donations from the British people. Video on the launching below, more info at VivaPalestina.org.

Although the convoy is traveling to Gaza for humanitarian purposes, its mere passing through the Maghreb could have farther-reaching effects. At least two members of the convoy have been reporting success stories through blogs, and a recent update on Viva Palestina's web site demonstrates that involvement in the convoy's success is not limited to the UK:

The convoy are now filling up with fuel in the town of Chlef. Apparently an Algerian is paying the bill on this occasion. The convoy has decided to make up some lost time by heading for Algiers this evening. The journey could take more than 3hours.

According to some, the convoy is helping to bridge the gap between Algeria and Morocco. Yvonne Ridley who, along with Hassan Al Banna Ghani, is documenting the trip for a film, wrote a piece for VivaPalestina.org in which she said:

Although there are still thousands of miles separating the convoy from its end game of delivering aid to Gaza, Saturday's border crossing is the one which will be recorded in the history books.

Morocco and Algeria agreed to put aside their differences to open their land border for the first time in 15 years for the sake of Palestine.

Palestine has often been described as the key which can open the door to Middle East peace, but tomorrow it will open a door in the Maghreb which has been tightly shut since 1994.

This wonderful gesture is something Condaleezza Rice failed to persuade the neighbouring countries to do - her last attempt before the departure of George W Bush was made in September.

But the peace mission and genuine humanitarian nature of the Viva Palestina convoy has melted the hearts of those on both sides of this vital land border which, when opened, will ease the passage of those carrying more than one million pounds of aid for Gaza.

She also shared this video clip:

Another blog, Gaza Convoy 2009, is detailing the trip from afar. On Saturday, February 21, they posted this update:

00:25 (GMT) - Text update from the A Team

“Salaam we went through centre and hundreds of people here, it was amazing as its somthing we have never seen before. There were hundreds of people on the streets cheering. We were on the roof of our van, hanging off the back ladder with Mudasir tannoy. It was top, even the police are cheering ‘Allah Hu Akbar’. The youths, kids and men were hugging us…a 15yr old boy told me that even the muslims who drink came on the street to shout ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ and they make dua for us everyday to succeed.
We have come to a caravan site to sleep now”

Finally, Greg to Gaza, a blogger taking part in the convoy, is documenting the journey. His most recent post was from Oujda, on the Moroccan-Algerian border:

Phone signal very sporadic. I'm fine. On Morocco Algeria border. First time open for 17 years. Just for us. Yesterday we had a fantastic reception at a socialist MP house and later that night a banquet in Oujda thrown by the greatest Islamic scholar in Morocco. Big rift in convoy today when some radical unruly elements were nearly sent home. A rebellion was finally successful when a third of the convoy refused to move from the Moroccan border unless everyone was let through. Time will tell whether that was the right decision. An Algerian MP has sent food to the border because we have been stuck at passport control for at least 9 hours. They have also promised free fuel tonight. Where we will sleep, when we can leave, how much longer its going to take or how many hours we have to drive are all unknowns.