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Pakistan: Prachinar, The Valley Of Death

Sana Saleem · 20:39, May 13th, 2009 · South Asia

lingua → fr · it · es · bn

Parachinar is the capital of Kurram Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. The area jutting into the Afghan Province of Paktia once served as the summer residence for the Mughal emperors. However the scenic beauty has been overshadowed by the fears of Taliban insurgency after the long Afghan war during the 80s and 90s. Today the Taliban insurgents have possessed the land with a reign of terror, forcing the locals to evacuate in fear.

The insurgency is not a recent event. Blogger Razz provides a quick peek in the past at Waking Life:

Parachinar and Pakistan's other frontier regions have been the victim of a Taliban insurgency ever since the Americans invaded Afghanistan. The ensuing conflict has literally obliterated the tourism industry of that region, and such beautiful places and others (Swat etc.) have sadly been marred by conflict for months now.

Ali Hassnain takes a deeper look at the history of sectarian clashes in the area:

Parachinar is the main city in the Khurram Agency, the only (slim) Shia majority agency in FATA. Total population of the region is about 500,000, with the Shia-majority city of Parachinar home to 55,000. Parachinar and the agency were predominantly Shia until a large influx of Sunnis started with the US-Russia war in Afghanistan, when the Mujahideen used it to raid Afghanistan. With the rise in Sunni numbers, there was also a rise in sectarian violence, but this it seems was qualitatively and quantitatively at far lower levels than what was to come.

The media in Pakistan has been accused of not providing adequate coverage to the event. According to Press TV:

A recent summit held in Iranian city of Qom under the banner “Holocaust of Shias in Parachinar,” came in the wake of the killings of hundreds of Shia community-members over the past six months in Parachinar and Hangu.

Pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants, who are reportedly behind the killings, have imposed an economic blockade against the Shia-dominated population areas.

Ammar Faheem at Ammar 360 is dismayed at the silence of the media as he terms the event a ‘Holocaust against Shia's':

We all have been receiving pictures of beheaded bodies and acts of barbarianism from both Sunni and Shia friends. We all know that dozens of people are violently subjugated to sectarian hatred everyday in this once beautiful tribal area of Pakistan.

What I fail to understand is that the media is absolutely silent on this issue of enormous importance. Where is the justice we talk about? Where are the voices who stand up for human rights? Or are they busy organizing concerts and fashion shows?

The Blogosphere has resolved to take the matter into their hands and spread the word. The media has so far stood silent on the massacre. Further silence on the issue can lead to worsening of the situation and break out of sectarian clashes. The hollers of the victim’s family shouldn’t go unheard. The Blogging community joins hand in hope that their voices will be heard.

In one of my own articles at Pro-Pakistan, I proposed a petition urging people from other sects to join hands with the humanitarians to drive attention to the crisis at hand:

For decades innocent lives have been taken on account of their beliefs. No one has the right to punish anyone for their beliefs. It is not for us to judge others in matters of religion. For once we should condemn those who act like God in their ways and kill people. The silence of media authorities is condemnable. However this shouldn’t stop us from spreading the word. I urge all those in the Blogosphere to spread the word on the blog. You can repost or link back but keep spreading the word.

Our Shia brothers have equal rights to exist and believe. The Muslim majority respects co-existence. We condemn those who justify their actions in the name of Islam. For Islam teaches us tolerance and Unity.

A campaign blog titled Support Parachinar has been put up to highlight the pleas with suggestions and ways to help:

Educate yourselves and people around you about the situation.

Organize prayers, vigils, and workshops in your localities (school campus, public libraries, Friday prayers, mosques and community centers, embassies and press clubs). Prepare large posters with images and concise information.

Write op-ed columns and letters to your local and national newspapers with an informed perspective. Also write to your governments and local and international human rights groups. Hold poster and letter writing sessions in your communities.

The land dubbed as Pakistan’s heaven by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ex-prime minister of Pakistan and founder of PPP -the party currently in Power) has been transferred into the valley of death. The Global community needs to be aware of the situation and address the pleas of the silent victims of the Taliban brutality.

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Saudi Arabia: Thoughts from a London Trip

Amira Al Hussaini · 17:00 · Middle East & North Africa

lingua → es · ar · nl · fr · zht · zhs

Saudi blogger Prometheus [Ar] is just back from the UK and shares his impressions from his visit and the people he saw there in this post.

Like many Arabs who visit the UK, Prometheus is surprised with the large Arab and Asian communities in the British capital:

الزائر لبريطانيا لا بدّ وأن يلاحظ كثرة أعداد المسلمين والعرب والآسيويين هناك. ولا أبالغ إن قلت إن من بين كلّ أربعة بريطانيين، هناك عربيّ أو آسيوي واحد. العرب، تحديدا، يتركّزون في ضاحية بادنغتون وخصوصا في شارع ادجوير رود الذي تحسبه حيّا من أحياء العرب. مقاهي، بقالات، مطاعم، مكتبات، متاجر.. الخ. كلّها تغصّ بجموع العرب سواءً أكانوا مقيمين بصفة دائمة أم سيّاحا عابرين.

Visitors to Britain may notice that there are many Muslims, Arabs and Asians there. I am not exaggerating if I say that there is an Arab or an Asian among every four Britons. The Arabs are concentrated in Paddington, in particular on Edgware Road, which you would think is an Arab neighbourhood. Cafes, grocery shops, restaurants, bookshops and shops, etc, are all swarming with Arabs, whether permanent residents or tourists passing by.

He continues his observations saying:

وقد لاحظتُ ميل العرب للنفور من بعضهم البعض. ويمكن تعميم هذه الحالة لتشمل أتباع كلّ جنسية على حدة. ربّما كان كلّ واحد يشعر أن هموم الحياة وحدها تكفي وأن لا حاجة لاتخاذ أصدقاء أو معارف جدد قد يشكّلون في النهاية عبئا إضافيا. حتى الشيشة أو الارغيلة لها حضور دائم في المقاهي بالرغم من أن التدخين ممنوع في كلّ مكان تقريبا. وكلّ من ينتهك هذا الحظر يعرّض نفسه للعقاب. فكّرتُ في أن يكون وراء تسامح الانجليز مع تدخين الشيشة احتمال أنهم ينظرون إليها باعتبارها شأنا يتعلق بثقافة وعادات المهاجرين أو الوافدين إليها. المكتبة العربية التي دخلتها في ادجوير رود يمكنك أن تجد فيها كلّ ما لا يخطر على بالك من الكتب العربية الممنوعة التي تناقش مواضيع الدين والجنس والسياسة.

I also noticed the preference of Arabs of keeping away from each other and we can generalise this phenomenon to include each different nationality on its own. Perhaps they are thinking that their problems in their own lives are enough and that they don't need to make new friends and acquaintances who would add to their woes. Even the shisha [an oriental tobacco pipe with a long flexible tube connected to a container where the smoke is cooled by passing through water] has its permanent presence in coffee shops there, despite the fact that smoking is banned almost everywhere there and all those who break this ban are subjected to punishment. I suspect that the tolerance of the English towards shisha stems from their consideration that it is a cultural affair and part of the customs of immigrants and visitors. The bookshop I visited on Edgware Road had all the Arabic titles you can imagine and all those banned books in the Arab world, which discuss religion, sex and politics.

Prometheus continues his explorations on a bus, where he overhears other Saudis comparing between life in the UK and in their home country:

في إحدى الحافلات التي أخذتنا إلى شارع اوكسفورد سمعتُ شخصا سعوديا يقول لصاحبه: يا أخي، عندنا لا تسمع إلا كل وصف مسيء للغربيين وللانجليز على وجه الخصوص. وقد حذّرونا منهم كثيرا قبل أن نأتي إلى هنا وصوّروا هذه البلاد على أنها بلاد الإجرام والكراهية. لكننا فوجئنا بعكس ما قيل. فالانجليز شعب متحضّر وراقٍ ولم نرَ منهم والله إلا كل خير. وأنا متأكّد أنهم أكثر إنسانية منا، نحن العرب والمسلمين، في العديد من الأمور. وبعدين ما شفنا سرقات ولا جرائم ولا شيء. إذا كان فيه بلد آمن في هذا العالم فهو هذا البلد. البارحة تمشّيت في الشارع القريب من الفندق حوالي منتصف الليل وكانت السماء تمطر وكل شيء كان عال العال”.
وردّ عليه زميله وهو يضحك: يا ابن الحلال لا تسدّ نفوسنا بالحديث عن أحوالنا. احمد ربّك على الراحة واستمتع بالحرّية اللي نشوفها هنا، على الأقلّ ارتحنا شوي من الخطب والانكارات والفتاوى والمطويّات وقيادة المرأة والتكفير والشرك الأصغر والأكبر والذي منه”.

On board one of the buses, heading towards Oxford Street, I heard a Saudi telling his companion: “Among us you only hear bad descriptions of the Westerners and the English, in particular. We have been warned a lot about them before coming here and we pictured this country to be the epicentre of crime and hate. We are surprised to see the opposite of what we were told. The English are a civilised people and we have seen all good things from them. I am sure they are more humane than us, Arabs and Muslims, in a number of aspects. We haven't seen any robberies or crime at all. If there is a safe place in this world, it is this country. Last night I walked on the road next to the hotel at around midnight and it was raining and everything was fine.”
His companion replied, while laughing: “Don't put us off by talking about our conditions (back home). Thank Allah for the break and enjoy the freedom you see here. At least we are taking a break from all the speeches, denials, fatwas (religious edicts), talk about women driving, and blasphemy, etc.”

The blogger is also impressed with the open dialogue between politicians and the media and may even be surprised that such discussions, even when heated, are beamed on television screens:

في إحدى الليالي شاهدتُ على شاشة إحدى قنوات شبكة سكاي مناظرة ساخنة بين مذيعَين ونائبَين في البرلمان البريطاني. كان المتحاورون يناقشون مشروع قانون ُقدّم إلى البرلمان يقترح منح كل نائب بيتا ثانيا. وقال احد المذيعين موجّها كلامه للنائبَين: المال العام هو مالنا. ليس مالكم ولا مال الحكومة أو رئيس الوزراء. وأنا بوصفي مواطنا يهمّني أن أعرف أين تذهب فلوسي وفي أيّ الوجوه ُتصرف. ثم ما هي الخدمات التي قدّمتموها لكي تستحقوا هذا النوع من الامتيازات”. وأضاف المذيع: أنا اسأل هذه الأسئلة لأنكم ممثّلو الشعب وهو الذي انتخبكم وبإمكانه غدا أن يعزلكم إذا تأكّد له أن كلّ همّكم هو الامتيازات والحصانات وما في حكمها”.
وقد استمرّت المواجهة على هذه الدرجة من السخونة والصراحة حتى نهايتها. وتضمّنت انتقادات عنيفة ولاذعة لموقف رئيس الوزراء غوردون براون من المشروع. إذ بدا انه يحاول إمساك العصا من المنتصف وكان متردّدا بين أن يرضي النوّاب أو يغضب جمهور الناخبين. قلت وأنا أتابع البرنامج: لهذا السبب تفوّق علينا الغربيون. ويظهر أن أمامنا مائة عام أخرى كي نصل إلى نصف ما وصلوا إليه من الحرّيات والحقوق والتقاليد الديمقراطية.

One night, I saw on TV, on one of the Sky channels, a heated debate between two anchors and two British Members of Parliament. They were discussing a draft law submitted to Parliament which proposed giving each MP another home. One of the presenters addressed the MPs saying: “Public money is our money. It is not your money, or the Government's money, or the Prime Minister's money. As a citizen, I am concerned where my money goes and how it is spent. Also, what are the services you have done which merit such incentives.” The anchor continued: “I am asking you those questions because you are the people's representatives. They are the ones who elected you and they are the ones who can remove you from your posts if they realise that your only concerns are getting more incentives and guarantees, etc.”
The debate continued at this level of intensity and frankness until the end. It also included sharp criticism of Prime Minister's Gordan Brown's stance towards the draft. It seemed that he was trying to hold the stick from the middle, hesitating between pleasing the MPs or upsetting the constituents. I told myself as I was watching the show: “This is why the West is ahead of us. It seems that we have another 100 years to go before we achieve half of the freedoms, rights and democratic traditions they have.”

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Korea: Previous President and Money

Hyejin Kim · 15:50 · East Asia

lingua → es · bn

Previous president Roh Moo Hyun who is famous as the ‘president for citizens’ and still keeps his popularity after his retirement due to his humble life in his hometown and to citizens’ dissatisfaction with the current government has been involved with bribe scandal in May. Sudden but exhaustive investigation regarding bribes during his governance covered major media and he was summoned by the prosecuton authority because of the money that his wife was supposed to have received. The internet is full of various opinions.

[…]그 동안 내가 보아온 대통령들은 우리의 대통령이 아니었던 것 같다. 그들은 우리를 내려다 보고 있었으며 그들의 일신을 위한 도구 정도로 생각했었다. 사람 죽이기를 칼로 무 베듯이 하고 구린내 나는 뒷주머니는 그들의 기름진 뱃살 보다 더 튀어 나와있었다. 정권이 바뀌고 그들이 잡혀 들어가면서 통쾌함을 느꼈던 것은 나뿐이었을까? 그들은 응당의 댓가를 치러야 했지만 정권예우라는 차원에서 비교적 순탄한 노년을 보내고 있다. 좋다. 그 정도는 인정하겠다.

하지만 노무현 대통령 사건은 도대체 무엇인가? 그를 잡아들이는 이유는 누가 만들었고 왜 이토록 집요하게 해야 하는가? 노통이 정말 예전의 대통령들처럼 국민의 고혈을 빨아먹은 사람인가?

그래…나는 모른다. 저 위 쪽에서 벌어지는 일은 잘 모른다. 미디어에서 보여주는 영상과 이미지만 가지고 노통을 판단하는 지도 모른다. 하지만 나는 그의 말에서, 눈빛에서, 손짓에서 희망을 느꼈고 믿음, 신뢰를 느꼈다. 나름 미디어 언저리에서 일하면서 보고 느끼고 들은 바에 의하면 이번 사건은 ‘보복', ‘마녀사냥' 그 이상도 이하도 아니다.

노통의 말이 생각난다. ‘모난 돌이 정 맞는다'는 어머니의 말을 듣기 보다는 자신의 길을 택하겠다는. 예로부터 새로운 희망을 가진 사람은 정권이 볼 때는 반역자에 지나지 않고 그의 삼대가 절멸된다는. 하지만 그렇기에 우리가 일어서야 한다는. 그 연설을 잊을 수 없다. 진실함을 느꼈기 때문이다.

난 그냥 평범한 대구 출신 사람이다. 지난 번 투표에는 노무현 대신 이회창을 찍었고 이번에는 이명박을 찍었다. 그 선택을 후회하지는 않는다. 하지만 노통은 재임기간 동안 내게 신뢰를 준 대통령이다.[…]

[…]I felt that presidents whom I have seen were not OUR presidents. They have always looked at us from the top and treated us as tools for their own sake. I killed humans like they used a knife in order to cut a radish off and their back pockets were more buldged out than their oily stomachs. Was I the only one who felt delighted to look at those who were investigated after their governance. Even though they were justified fairly, they have comparatively nice lives as the excuse of treating them with respect as the representative of the country. Ok, I will accept it.

However, what is going on about Roh Moo Hyun? Who decides to arrest him and why are they so persistent? Did he really suck blood out of us as previous presidents did?

I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on up there. Maybe I judge Roh Moo Hyun with images that the media shows. However, I felt hope, belief, and trust with his speaking, his eyes, and his gestures. To me, this scandal seems ‘revenge’ or ‘witch hunting.’

I remember what he said before. He would choose his own path rather than listening to the old saying, ‘a stone of different shape will be hit by a hammer’ (envy will pursue merit as its shade). From the past, people who have hope can be just regarded as traitors in terms of the powers’ perspectives and their three generations will be demolished. But due to this reason, we have to stand up together. I can’t forget his speech because I felt sincerity.

I’m just an ordinary citizen from Daegu. In the Presidential Election last time, I chose Lee Hoe Chang instead of Roh and chose Lee Myung Bak this time. I don’t regret my choice. But Roh was the president who gave me reliance during his governance.

[…]그가 단지 검찰로부터 포괄적뇌물혐의를 받고 있기 때문이 아니라 이번 박연차 게이트를 지켜보면서 이번 노무현 전 대통령의 소환조사가 너무나도 빠르게 그리고 계획적으로 흘러갔기 때문이다. 마치 구속하기 위해 짜맞추는 듯한 느낌이 든다고 해야 적당한 표현일까?

물론 노무현 전 대통령이 뇌물을 받았다면, 그에 따른 처벌을 받아야 한다.뇌물을 받았다는 증거가 확실하다면 전직 대통령이라도 온당한 처벌을 받아야 하는 것이 이 나라 법치국가에서 행해져야 할 정당한 절차일 것이다.

하지만 지금 우리나라에서 ‘그 절차가 잘 지켜질 것인가'라고 물어본다면 할말이 없다. 만일 검찰이 당당하게 이번 사건을 인지하고 조사했다면, 나는 정말 검찰에게 박수를 쳐 줬을 것이다. 하지만 너무나 뻔하게 박연차 게이트 사건은 초기부터 누군가를 겨냥하듯 시작됐다. 이는 검찰이 비판받을 수밖에 없는 부분이기도 하다. 그렇기에 검찰에게 부탁하고 싶다. 어떤 의도에서 수사를 시작했는지 모르겠지만, 이미 시작했다면 어떠한 외압에도 굴하지 않고 제대로 이번 사건을 조사해 달라고 말이다. 또 노무현 전 대통령의 기존 진술을 깰 수 있는 펙트가 있는 증거를 가지고 대응할 것을 아울러 주문하고 싶다. 이번 박연차 게이트는 '분명 노무현 전 대통령에서 끝날 문제만은 아니다'고 생각되기에 말이다. 만약 이번 박연차 게이트에 현 정권 인사도 개입돼 있는 것으로 나타난다면, 그 부분도 철저히 조사해야 할 것은 누가 봐도 당연한 일일 것이다. 그래야 공평하고 당당한 조사이며, ‘기획수사'라는 비판을 받지 않을 것이기에 말이다.[…]

[…]If he received the bribe, the punishment according to the results of the investigation should be right. If there is clear evidence that he received the bribes, he should receive the appropriate punishment even though he is the previous president. It is the right process that the constitutional state should follow.

However, if someone asks me ‘is the process logical,’ I don’t have anything to say. If the prosecution authority acknowledged this event and investigated with justice, I would praise them. But this ‘Park Yeon Cha Gate’ seemed to target the specific person from the beginning. That’s why the prosecution authority is criticized. Therefore, I would like to ask the prosecution authority. I don’t know what intention they have behind this investigation. Anyway they started and then they should conduct investigation objectively without any external pressure. In addition, they need to tackle this issue with evidence. I don’t think that this Park Yeon Cha Gate should finish with only Roh Moo Hyun. If the current politicians are involved, they should investigate thoroughly. Then it is fair and justicable investigation and the prosecution authority will take off the dishonor of their action as the ‘planned investigation.’[…]

Here are short opinions

이미 퇴임한 대통령을 견제하는 정부가 한심하다는 생각이듭니다

It looks pathetic that the current government is still holding the retired president in check.

선거용 쑈 아니었겠습니까. 노무현을 어떻게든 끌어내리고 북한이 당장이라고 쳐들어 올것 처럼 언론 플레이 하면 재보궐 선거에서 이길줄 알았겠죠 오히려 반감만 더 샀으니 쯧쯧쯧 ㅋ 솔직히 노무현이 그게 먹은겁니까 맹박이가 눈에 불을 켜고 털었는데 그 것 밖에 안나왔으면 진짜 깨끗한 거지,,,

It looks like a show for a coming election. They try to take Roh Moo Hyun down and exaggerate that North Korea would do some terrible actions. They must have thought that this would win the by-elections, but it led to antipathy in the end. Honestly speaking, the current government must have investigated thoroughly about Roh, but the result was not that serisou and he is more or less clean.

노대통령이 고생은 하셨지만, 오히려 그 분의 입지가 더 강해진것 아니겠습니까? 이렇게 털었는데도 안 나오면 얼마나 청렴결백하신 정치인이십니까!

Roh had a hard time through this scandal, but it seems that his status became stronger. With such an exhaustive investigation, that was everything. It shows what a clean politician he is!

노무현이고 맹박이고 죄있으면 죄값을 받으면 되지 먼 말들이 많소, 우선 노무현, 권양숙이, 그아들,딸, 조카사위 모조리 법대로 처리하고, 명박이도 불법이 있으면 잡아넣고, 그 졸개들도 법대로 하면되지…..

Whether it is Roh Moo Hyun or Lee Myung Bak, they should be punished if they are guilty. First we should legally go through Roh Moo Hyun, his wife, his son and daughter, and his relatives. If Lee Myng Bak is also illegally involved, he should be judged including his officials.

누가 받았건 돈을 받았으면 전대통령이든 그 부인이든 반드시 벌을 받을 건 받아야 한다고 생각한다 하지만 누구는 미친듯이 아주 열심히 조사하고 누구는 하는 둥 마는 둥 이건 정말 아니지

Whether it is the previous president or his wife, they should be punished if they accepted money behind. But somebody is investigated, but others are not. This is not fair.

서민대통령으로써 서민의 바램을 저버린 노무현 이지만 뇌물 사건은 본질이 없다고 봐야 겠네요,20여년의 후원자로 박연차.정상문이 등장 했지만 달ㄴ기업에서 돈 받았다는 증거는 하나도 없네요그것도 남편몰래 돈 받았다는 사실도 입증 되는것 같고 .. 우리집 사람도 나몰래 돈 빼돌려 자식들 한테 부모님들 한테 용돈 줍니다 나중에는 알지만,,,,,

As the president for citizens, this scandal of Roh Moo Nyun disappointed citizens. As his supportors for 20 years, Park Yeon Cha and Jung Sang Moon were mentioned. But there is no evidence that he received the money from enterprises. And it seems that his wife received money letting her husband know. My wife sometimes give allowance to children or parents behind my back. Then I get to know later…

잘못이 있다면 노무현을 구속시켜야 마땅하고, 정치검찰이라는 오명을 벗으려면 현 권력에 대한 수사도 진즉부터 병행해서 같이 고강도로 이뤄졌어야 한다는 말입니다…

If he made mistakes, we should arrest him. In order to wipe off the dishonor as the ‘prosecution authority for politicians,’ the prosecution authority should have investigated the current authority as well as him.

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Kazakhstan: Kazakh bloggers against online censorship

Askhat Yerkimbay · 13:48 · Central Asia & Caucasus

lingua → fr · bn · es

The Kazakh Internet regulation amendments which were sent to the Parliament last week have woken up the Kazakh language bloggers' activism. A lot of posts in Kazakh language tried to analyze the influence of the draft law on the future of Kazakhstani segment of the Internet. Some are full of harsh criticism, while the other are not to surprised with the developments.

Janarbek Matay, one of the founders of the popular Kazakh website “Massagan.com” agrees that the Government should regulate the Kaznet, but believes this draft law is a rush project [kaz]:

“This is not the law that I was expecting. It will put barriers to blogs or sites even if they misspell a word. I doubt that it will be able to ban really dangerous sites. We need a law, which will filter porn and pirates”.

“They are going to kill blogs with one bullet”, say Urimtal and Symbat [kaz]: (more…)

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Japan: Marriage Hunting!

Scilla Alecci · 13:42 · East Asia

lingua → fr · es · zht · zhs · mg · it

Since autumn of last year, in Japan, a new term has been floating in the air. It is konkatsu 婚活 (an abbreviation of kekkon katsudô 結婚活動), based on the popular phrase shûkatsu (就活 job hunting), it may be roughly translated as ‘marriage hunting'.
Konkatsu is not merely a new word, it is a social phenomenon that has emerged lately to the point that Japanese have felt the need to ‘name' and recognize it, also representing it in many TV series [ja] and shows [ja].

By Flickr user Kalandrakas

Known as one of the countries with the lowest birth rate in the world, Japan has also been facing another problem, probably because of a wealthier lifestyle: the increasing number of unmarried people, who have no intention to give up their working ambitions and personal whims to create a family.
According to a survey on ‘the state of country' [ja] by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, in fact, in the decades from 1970 to 2000, the percentage of unmarried women (20-30 y.o.) has tripled from 18% to 54% and, similarly, the percentage of single men (30-40 y.o.) has grown from 12 % to 43%.
(more…)

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