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Brunei joins Earth Hour for the first time

Noor Hidayah · 23:04 · Brunei

lingua → zhs · zht · bn

In 2004 Brunei ranked 6th in the world for Carbon Dioxide Emission per capita. Brunei also ranked 3rd for largest passenger vehicles per 1,000 population ratio at almost 550. In addition, the United Nations Development Programme Annual Human Development Report last year listed Brunei to have a considerably high per capita consumption of energy, which was 8,842 kilowatt-hours of electricity per person. Thus, it was deemed most appropriate when Brunei decided to participate during the Earth Hour last March 28. It was Brunei's first time to join the event.

During the Friday sermon that was delivered prior to Earth Hour, the imam talked about the ecology and the need to protect it. In Brunei all the Friday sermons are the same in all masajid. Brunei Resources blogged about the sermon:

The Imam at the Kilanas Mosque struggled to read today's sermon. It must have been written in jawi and full on modern words. Today's sermon was about the ecology. I think many in the mosque must have raised eyebrows today when they left the mosque. It is not often to hear about the ecology being mentioned in Friday's sermon. But nevertheless, it is indeed interesting to hear about the ecology and the environment. We all have to be aware of the need to save the ecology and the environment.

A number of bloggers shared their enthusiasm on Brunei's participation in Earth Hour, and urged others to play their part. Aryati munirah expressed the significance of taking part in the cause:

…alone we might not leave an impact over all the pollution and global warming etc. but as a whole, I’m sure we could freaking well change, at least, something.

aish. i dont understand…how some people are so ignorant about these things. junyan was complaining to me that ‘our hometown' …was brightly lit! the whole time! :( *sighs* people, do your part…

Unfortunately, some of the popular areas around Brunei such as Gadong and Bandar Seri Begawan were seen to be brightly lit as mentioned by Haady:

Earth Hour Day is today so we went to Gadong to see what's up. We went there around 6pm and waited for 2 hours! Nothing happened. Gadong wasn't even dark as expected! A little maybe but it was not enough! So we went to check out Bandar. Bandar too didn't blackout. But there is one cafe which supported the Earth Hour Day. It's Coffeebean! I am so proud of Coffeebean for contributing in the event. Fathul said he's proud to work at Coffeebean! Hahaha. I think Brunei is not that supportive. Come on! It is just for an hour. Why is that so hard?

Coffee Bean in Bandar Seri Begawa. Photo from Haady

Teo jokingly suggested that the Electrical Services should cut off everybody's electricity supply for an hour, but was afraid that this would enrage the community:

We in Brunei, maybe a tiny country, but we can show the world that we can do something. Then, mayb the perception that people of Brunei live on pokok will be banished. Many have seen ads of this program on astro channels, but inda tahu what is that. Some are suggesting that inda payah voluntary participation, tutup aje karan 1hr, tapi ini bakal mengundang kemarahan!

We in Brunei, maybe a tiny country, but we can show the world that we can do something. Then maybe, the perception that people of Brunei live on trees will be banished. Many have seen ads of the global movement [Earth Hour] on Astro channels [TV channels provided by a Malaysian satellite TV provider], but do not know what it is. Some are suggesting that there need not be any voluntary participation. Just switch off the electricity supply for 1 hour, but this would probably make people mad!

Save earth was bothered on how one of the leading hotels in Brunei was unaware of the environmental effects of burning 4000 candles. In a forum, the blogger wrote:

Recently our country took part in the annual international earth hour event and there is one thing in particular that bothers me…Does burning 4000 candles for the event at the empire hotel actually help our earth?

burning just 1 candle especially ones made from paraffin wax actually do more harm by producing 10 times more greenhouse emission compared to turning on electrical lights. Imagine burning 4000 of these candles?

if we think that turning off the lights and lighting up thousands of candles will help change the climate, well think again. we actually do more harm.

Put science, rationality and education first. The actual idea of the earth hour event is to turn off the lights thus saving electrical energy in the process. Also, it is unnecessary to turn Earth hour into a trendy political event.

The Earth hour’s organizer actually advised not to burn candles for the event for the sake of the climate. Hopefully our country realize this the next time we participate.

Empire Hotel on Earth Day. Taken from MrPatchiomie

Brunei Resources gathered that amongst other things, one of the main aims of Earth Hour is to spread awareness on the importance of energy saving and caring for Earth:

From what I have read, the one hour switch off does not exactly save energy. But it is to raise awareness about the need for everyone to be aware of just how much we used up energy.

According to August 13th, awareness definitely reached her young ones:

What can one hour of darkness achieve, cynics ask.

A lot, I say.

At 8.28 pm it was really heartening to see my young babyfruits (nephews and nieces, aged 7 to 16) storm into the kitchen demanding all the lights to be switched off for the hour. Imagine that! Now, that kind of awareness in the young is just priceless.

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China: China-France communiqué and G20, a glorious defeat?

Bob Chen · 20:43 · East Asia

lingua → fr

Chinese president Hu Jintao and French leader Sarkozy met ahead of the G2O summit on 1 April to repair the ties damaged since last year, when the torch relay was disrupted in Paris and President Sarkozy met with the Dalai Lama in spite of China's opposition.

China and France unveiled a press communique simultaneously after the meeting, in which France stated that it ‘reaffirms its adherence to the one-China policy and the position that Tibet is an integral part of the Chinese territory', so that “France refuses to support any form for ‘Tibet independence'”.

China appreciated France's stance on the issue and in the G20one day later the host, British premier Gordon Brown seemed to recognize the repaired friendship and assigned Hu Jintao a seat right next to Sarkozy at the formal banquet.

The rift between China and France started since last year when France failed to prevent the Tibetan dissidents from spoiling the torch relay in Paris, a ceremony viewed by many Chinese as showing that China's honor as a great power was restored. The China-France controversy escalated when Sarkozy met with the Dalai Lama more than once and peaked when Chinese citizens voluntarily boycotted the French goods and enterprises in China.

The Chinese administration echoed their dissatisfaction by suspending some business deals with France. Premier Wen even avoided France deliberately at his diplomatic visit to Europe in February.

Now, everything seems to have been changed with the global economic downturn in which China prevails with her ongoing growth and huge market. The western world conceded. Criticisms on Beijing died down and France gave up. Is it so?

The Chinese blogsphere and internet, however, show their disappointment at the communique.

yun3578ufolala, posting on the popular online bulletin board Tianya, thought the statement was acutally a French ploy:

看似法国向中国低头认错，问题来了，以前从未有任何国家作出类似的表态，要表也是表台湾，说明台湾确实存在地位未定的问题（就国际社会的立场来看），所以我们要求别人承认。但西藏跟台湾完全不一样，一是西藏一直处于大陆的主权范围，二是西藏从未有单独的对外外交关系。和尚是以个人的身份（顶多是个宗教领袖）在外与人打交道，主要目的是让政治实体（特别是有国际影响力的如五常和欧盟）承认其政治地位，造成西藏问题国际化和西藏地位未定论。

那么让我们来看看，法国这样一表态，在国际社会的眼里，西藏的地位开始慢慢向台湾问题靠拢了

It seems that France has recognized China's authority in Tibet but there is a problem, in that there has never been any country that made such a statement about Tibet before. They were exclusively about Taiwan partly because we need other countries to recognize Taiwan as part of China instead of its present ambivalent international status. But Tibet is completely different; first, it is governed under the sovereignty of mainland China and second it has never had a separate diplomatic status. That's why the Dalai Lama negotiates with the western world in his personal capacity in order to let other political entities to intervene thus making it an international issue instead of a domestic Chinese affair.

Thus with such maneuvering the status of Tibet is gradually becoming seen as that of another Taiwan.

Pages of replies followed the post. inzaghile agreed on the point, saying

以后的国际事务中西藏问题又成了别人的一个砝码!!!

Tibet is now another stake in any upcoming international bargaining.

SpEedBaBy thought CCP should have done better:
个人也觉得吃亏了…….

tg脑子进水了,自己家的事情,老是和人家联合公报个p……
真他妈有病…..自己的老婆,儿子都要人家认定…不知道怎么想的….
直接让其道歉才是真的……

I also think we lost.
What's wrong with the CCP? It always wants to issue communiques even on domestic issues. Even a wife and son should be admitted by foreigners as ours or they don't belong to us. All it should ask France for is apology.

水寨头目 thought it was not all a concession and had no binding power

从公报字面看，法国以后该见老和尚还会见，没有什么约束，因为傻上次见秃，也没说支持藏独，只说关注人权啊自由啊民主啊什么。

Judged from the literal meaning, France is free to meet with Dalai Lama in the future without any restraint. Sarkozy said nothing about his support on Tibetan independence last time either, but only talked about human rights and freedom.

风马云旗 parodied a row of statements:

我重申一个中国….承认北京是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认天津是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认上海是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认河北是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认山东是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认山西是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认河南是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认辽宁是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认内蒙是中国的一部分
我重申一个中国….承认新疆是中国的一部分

…
I reiterate there is only one China…and Shanghai is part of China
I reiterate there is only one China…and Beijing is part of China
I reiterate there is only one China…and Guangdong is part of China
I reiterate there is only one China…and Fujian is part of China
I reiterate there is only one China…and Shanxi is part of China
…

huangdiany concludes

法国棋高一着成功将西藏问题台湾化

France has prevailed in this issue in that it has has succeeded in ‘Taiwanizing' Tibet.

The G20 meeting came right after the meeting. Though Chinese netizens commonly think it as but a G2 meeting in which only China and America matter, pessimistic voices and worries are not absent. 統一口徑 supposed that Chinese should be more realistic:

G20不是北京奧運

The G20 Conference is not another Beijing Olympics.

要知道，G20裏除了中國，還有韓國，還有印度，還有墨西哥，還有土耳其等等。在G20裏，中國隻是其中一員。就像我們早期處理國際關系堅持的原則，這個世界不是美國的，也不是蘇聯的。同樣，即便中國現在成了世界第三大經濟體，這個世界也不隻是中國的。

We should know that besides China there is also Korea, India, Mexico and Turkey etc.. China is just one of the G2O. The principle we followed before is that the world belong neither to the U.S nor the USSR. Similarly, though China has become the third largest economic entity in the world, the world is not China's!

對中國來說，對過去取得的經濟成就沾沾自喜是可恥的，因爲它迄今仍是一個鉗制言論、沒有新聞自由的國家，仍是世界上貧富懸殊最大的國家，仍是一個封建特權思想濃厚的國家。中國在經濟上已步入世界前列，但卻與民主政治和現代文明相去甚遠。

It is shameful to be arrogant on our economic achievements because China is still a state clamping down on free speech and news freedom, a state with the largest wealth disparity, a state still with emphasis on privilege. Despite its strong economic power, China is far from democracy and modern civilization.

對于普通中國人來說，我們迫切需要的不是一個在國際上動辄展示自己“不高興”的中國政府，不是一個在世界各地一擲千金博取“中國有錢了”奉承的中國政府，我們今天需要的是一個懂得自我約束、自我檢讨的負責任的政府，一個真正接受最高立法機構和公民監督的理性政府，這個政府真正相信并懂得，現代民主政府的惟一合法基礎來自選舉産生它的公民。

As an ordinary Chinese I believe that what we should be seeking is not a Chinese government that frequently says ‘we are not happy and parades how rich we are as a nation.’ We want a self-disciplined, self-critical and responsible government which is supervised by the legislature. It should understand and believe that the ultimate and only source of legitimacy of a democratic government comes from the citizens who vote for it.

Post edited by Bob Guy

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Nicaragua: Refusal of Entry to Club and Allegations of Racism

Rodrigo Peñalba · 15:44 · Americas

lingua → es · it · zhs · zht · fr

The topic of racism was recently raised again in Nicaragua after a young woman was denied entry at a nightclub in the capital city of Managua. The locale states that she was not allowed to enter because of their right to refuse admission, but she alleges racism.

Majailah Francis, 18, daughter of Bridgete Ivonne Budier Bryan of the FSLN party and an alternate deputy in the Central American Parliament, was denied entry to the club El Chamán. She is an Afro-Nicaraguan whose family hails from the Caribbean coast where the majority of the country's black population resides comprising 9% of the country's ethnicity according to the 2005 Census (.pdf format). Her mother led the charge alleging the club had discriminated against her daughter based on race calling for the closing of the establishment.

After the accusations were made, the debate became public in the media, online forums, and also in blogs. Dozens of opinion articles discussed the topic, while the newspaper El Nuevo Diario criticized the nightclub and denounced inherent racism in Nicaraguan society. The human rights ombudsman called for the closing of the locale [es] and some intellectuals provided their own opinion, even comparing the case [es] to what happened with Rosa Parks.

Wilder Pérez of iEntonces [es] writes that “El Chamán does nothing more than reflect one of the many problems in Nicaragua, we are not racist, we are classist,” and lists various reasons why this scandal has more to do with the inherent classism in the society, instead of racism.

In local interviews conducted in various clubs around the city, La Brujula [es] found that much of the discrimination against club-goers had more to do with the person's dress or personal style. The author Roberto Salinas García found that there was a diversity of people who were enjoying themselves at the club, but did overhear discriminatory comments from some of the club's patrons.

“Creo que es una política de la discoteca. Si yo tuviese una no dejaría entrar ni a bolos ni a majes pintas” afirma Norman Espinoza…

“¿Y qué es para vos un pinta?” le pregunto. “Pues un pinta, un chambrín… un maje todo cholo” explica. Norman no es blanco, pero tampoco muy moreno. Se peina hacia atrás con los dedos el pelo negro. Su camisa es blanca con rayas café…

“A los que yo no dejaría entrar es a los indios” afirma Jackeline Orozco…, “No me refiero a los indios como raza. Un indio para mí es la persona intolerante, que no aceptan las diferencias culturales.”

I think it is the club's policy. If I owned one, I wouldn't let in drunk people or thugs, says Norman Espinoza…

“And what is a thug to you?” I ask him. “Well, he is a street looking guy, like a street gang member, a bum…” he explains. Norman is neither white, nor dark skinned. He combs his black hair back with his fingers. White t-shirt, brown stripes.

“I wouldn't let Indians in” says Jackeline Orozco…, “I don't mean Indian as a race. An Indian to me is an intolerant person, one who doesn't accept cultural differences”

María del Carmen Pérez Cuadra of Animal Inedito [es] has no doubt that there is racism in Nicaraguan society:

Con justa razón están protestando los ciudadanos afrodescendientes porque se sienten afectados y está muy bien que protesten, pero creo que se debe aprovechar este hecho como un momento que propicie la reflexión en torno a la discriminación. La sociedad nicaragüense es racista y discriminatoria. Hay colegios para gente “blanca”, colegios para gente india y pobre y hay colegios que no contratan si parecés pobre, sos gordo o gorda, o si profesás una religión que no sea la del centro de estudios. Yo, personalmente he llenado cuestionarios en los que preguntan si estás casada (o) civil y por la iglesia, si sos o no católica, quién es tu párroco, y que cuánto pesás y cuánto medís de estatura.

The Afro-Nicaraguans are justifiably protesting because they feel affected by the situation and it is fine that they are protesting, but I think they should take this opportunity as a moment of reflection on discrimination. The Nicaraguan society is racist and discriminatory. There are schools for “whites,” schools for the indigenous and for the poor, and schools that won't accept you if you look poor, are fat or if you are of a religion that does not coincide with the school. I personally have filled out questionnaires that ask if you are married by civil law or by the church, if you are or are not Catholic, who is your parish priest, how much you weigh and what is your height.

Other blogs opted for a more balanced position [es] like Alex Zedch:

…en ningún momento me imagino a los coordinadores del local indicándoles a los bouncer la lista de características de las personas idóneas a batear, es simplemente ilógico. Ponte a pensar, a ella no debe ser la primer mujer del Caribe que batean (niegan la entrada) a su vez que yo mismo sé de muchas mujeres que son de nuestra costa y que entran en cualquier disco sin ningún problema. Esto me parece mucho más a un treta política, extorsión o venganza de parte de la diputada por sentirse bateada, y es normal enojarse, yo alguna vez también estuve en su situación y aunque se siente de lo peor tienes que pensar que fue eso que te faltó para poder pagar por los servicios del local…

… la mayoría de las personas que vamos a las discos al menos una vez hemos sido bateados, y si usted no acostumbra a salir mucho le va a pasar constantemente, por que las discos tratan mucho mejor a los clientes frecuentes. El código de vestimenta existe y es para todos, al igual que usted no iría en calzón a la Asamblea yo no iría desnudo al Chamán y si piensa que usted fue expulsada del lugar por ser de su tierra piense que también está en el pacífico y como me quedaría viendo la gente del la Costa Caribe si les bailo Palo de Mayo a medio día con camisa manga larga y pantalón de vestir, es lo mismo. Y si piensa que la falla de una persona es tan imperdonable como para querer que cierren el local entonces eso de muestra su poca cultura y actualización de lo que sucede en el país, además de su poca madurez y carácter ante la vida.

…at any time do I imagine the club's management giving the bouncer a list of characteristics of people suitable to deny entry, it is simply illogical. If you think about it, she surely was not the first Caribbean woman to be denied entry, and and at the same time I know of many women from our coast and who enter any club without any problem. This appears to me to be a political trick, extortion or revenge on the part of the congresswoman for feeling denied, and it is normal to be angry, I also was in her situation and even though one feels very bad, one must think that it was what was missing to pay for the club's services.

…the majority of people who go to clubs have been denied entry at least once, and if you are not used to going out much then it will constantly happen to you, because the clubs treat their frequent clients much better. The dress code exists and it is applied to everyone, and just as you wouldn't go to the Assembly in your underwear, I wouldn't go to the Chamán naked, and if you think that you were expelled from the club for being from your land, also think that you are from the Pacific (coast) and how would the people from the Caribbean coast would look at me if I would dance the “Palo de Mayo” at noon with a long sleeve shirt and dress pants, it is the same situation. If you think a person's error is unforgivable that it warrants the closing of a locale, then it shows your lack of culture and lack of knowledge of what happens in the country, in addition to your immaturity and character in regards to life's events.

Other comments were severe in regards to the congresswoman's actions and her exagerrated, incorrect, unfocused judgement. Twitter user @isonauta writes [es], “(there is) a racist crisis in the middle-class discos after five centuries of structured racism disguised under an ideology of mixed races.”

Penalba.info [es] comments:

La diputada dijo tener conocimiento previo de otros casos así, pero solo hasta ahora procedio a una denuncia porque la afectada era su hija; aunque se presenta como defensora de la identidad y raza del caribe…

Existen suficientes personas que estoy seguro estarían a describir historias personales con respecto como no los dejaron entrar a ciertos bares o discos… Muchas otras pueden dar fe de haber sufrido racismo, yo mismo he visto esos casos, pero hay que tener inteligencia para poder apreciar cuando es racismo, cuando es machismo, o cuando simplemente es que le el portero no te quiere dejar entrar y/o te odia o desprecia personalmente por quien eres o porque no les parece y no por tu raza o género. Ser Negro o ser Mujer no te da el menor derecho de ser tratado distinto, sino igual que todos. Que alguien o alguna situación te sea contraria no la hace necesariamente racista.

The deputy said that she had knowledge of other previous cases, but only up until now did she make a complaint because it was her daughter who was affected even though she presents herself as a defender of the Caribbean identity and race…

There are many people who surely can tell personal stories about not being allowed into certain bars or clubs… Many others can attest to being subjected to racism, I have seen those cases, but one must be smart about knowing when it is racism, when it is machismo, or when it simply is about the bouncer not wanting to let you in and/or he personally looks down upon you for who you are or because they don't feel like and not for your race or gender. To be black or a woman does not give you the right to be treated differently, rather, the same as others. When someone or some situation does the opposite, it does not necessarily make them racist.

The owners of the El Chamán club published a communiqué stressing their business' commitment to an inclusive and non-racist environment [es]. Days later they published on their website a photo of the congresswoman's daughter in the club, who had been a regular client.

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Egypt: Baha'is attacks spark outcry

Marwa Rakha · 12:38 · Egypt

lingua → it

On April 2, several human rights organizations headed to the public prosecutor in solidarity with the Baha'is who were assaulted in Sohag after a journalist called them reverts and urged people to kill them.

The Arabist commented on the incident saying:

I wanted to mention it yesterday when the story broke, but there has been a nasty attack against a Ba’hai community near Sohag in Upper Egypt. The incident appears to have been sparked by the appearance of a local community leader on TV, where he was attacked by a hack for the state newspaper al-Gomhouriya, who called for him to be killed. The same pathetic hack later praised the attacks on the Ba’hais in an article, showing how deeply xenophobic, sectarian, ultra-Salafist thinking has permeated state institutions. This man should be fired and put on trial for inciting violence (Egypt has no law against religious incitation, something I’ve long thought they should implement and use against any intolerance and particularly Islamists who advocated takfir).

He then shared a Press release from the Egyptian human rights groups who demand the prosecution of those who provoked the assaults; The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Hisham Mubarak Law Center, El-Nadim Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, and The Associationfor Freedom of Thought and Expression:

“The heinous and unprecedented attacks on Baha’i Egyptians are a crime against all Egyptians,“ the rights organizations said. “We shall never allow the perpetrators of these crimes to benefit from the same climate of impunity that has marred the government’s response to sectarian violence against Egyptians Copts over the last four decades.”

The six rights organizations demanded that:

the Public Prosecutor question Gamal Abd al-Rahim regarding his incitement to violence against Baha’is in both the television program and his published article, pursuant to Articles 171 and 172 of the Penal Code, which address public incitement to felonies and misdemeanors. Consistent with the organizations’ principled opposition to the imprisonment for publication offences, the groups’ complaint excluded Article 98(f) of the Penal Code, which stipulates mandatory imprisonment for “anyone who exploits religion to promote extremist ideas with the intent of inciting civil strife and damaging national unity,” and Article 176 of the Penal Code, which also stipulates mandatory imprisonment for anyone who “incites to discrimination against a group of people on the basis of race, origin, language, religion, or belief when such incitement disrupts public peace.”

Moreover, the rights organizations called on:

the board of Egypt’s national Press Syndicate to take immediate action against Gamal Abd al-Rahim, particularly since he occupies a seat on the board, regarding his violation of the Syndicate’s Code of Ethics, which states that journalists have an obligation “to refrain in their writings from joining racist or bigoted advocacy or advocacy that involves contempt or disdain of religions, aspersions cast on the faith of others, or incitement to discrimination against or contempt for any group of society.”

On Facebook, a group has been created in support of Baha'is, another group calls for the cancellation of the religious status from the Egyptian ID, and a third Facebook group for the prosecution of Gamal Abd al-Rahim:

نحن هنا بصفتنا مصريين نؤكد بقوة علي الأتي:
1- نطالب النائب العام بتحويل الصحفي المدعو جمال عبد الرحيم لمحاكمة عادلة بتهمة التحريض علي قتل مواطنين مصريين شرفاء.
2- نؤكد علي أن الدولة المصرية هي وطن يسع الجميع و يحترم الأختلاف و يحمي حرية الأعتقاد و العبادة بحسب نص الدستور المصري.
3- نؤمن أن ليس من حق أي أنسان أيا كان أن يفرض دينه أو معتقده علي الأخرين، أو أن يهدد حقهم في الأعتقاد أو العبادة أو الحياة أو السكن أو المواطنة بشكل عام.
4- كمصريين مستنيريين نتضامن مع البهائيين من أجل حقهم المشروع في حرية العقيدة.
5- ندين بشدة الكلام الذي صدر عن هذا الصحفي و الذي لايمت لمبادئ أحترام و قبول الأخر و المواطنة و الأخاء بأي صلة بل هو تحريض صريح علي النبذ و العنف و الكراهية الغير مقبول تماما من المصريين سواء كانوا مسلميين أو مسيحيين أو غير ذلك

As Egyptians we would like to highlight the following:
1 - We demand that the journalist Gamal Abd al-Rahim be prosecuted and has a fair trial for inciting the murder of honorable Egyptian citizens.
2- Egypt, according to the Egyptian constitution, is the home for all citizens regardless of their religions or beliefs.
3- We believe that no one has the right to force his own beliefs on others.
4- As enlightened Egyptians we show our solidarity with Baha'is and grant them their legitimate right of freedom of belief.
5- We indict what this journalist said for we find it a direct call for hate and violence - which is equally unaccepted by Muslims and Christians.

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