Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2009 August 21

21 August 2009

Daily archive · 8 posts

Stories from 21 August 2009

East Timor: Celebrating Global Solidarity for Freedom

Ten years after the referendum, global voices are again spreading the word for East Timor, but this time celebrating the strong international solidarity that back then culminated in the country's recognized self-determination.

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Caribbean: “Gold Rush” in Berlin

Written by Janine Mendes-Franco · Caribbean

If there was doubt in anyone's mind that Jamaica can lay claim to having the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt's 19:19 win in the 200m final must have removed any skepticism. Once again, regional bloggers celebrate with their Jamaican counterparts.

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Zambia: Reactions to Chiluba's acquittal

Written by Ndesanjo Macha · Sub-Saharan Africa

A magistrate in Lusaka acquitted former Zambian President Frederick Chiluba of corruption charges this week in a ruling that has received mixed reactions in Zambia.

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South Africa: Is Caster Semenye a man or a woman?

Written by Ismail Dhorat · Sub-Saharan Africa

Caster Semenye, a young South African runner who recently won a gold medal at the World championships in Berlin has been thrown into the spotlight, and not due to her victory but rather her gender. The question is: Is Caster Semenye a man or a woman? In this post we are summarising bloggers' reaction to the controversy.

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Puerto Rico: Public News Channel Dismantled

Written by Firuzeh Shokooh Valle · Latin America

The newsroom of Puerto Rico's only public channel was practically dismantled recently, allegedly due to budget cuts. The Puerto Rican blogosphere has been loaded with comments.

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Afghanistan: Voting Day

Written by Fred Petrossian · Central Asia & Caucasus

Millions of Afghans defied Taliban threats and voted Thursday in the country’s second-ever presidential elections. Afghan bloggers share their experiences and feelings on this historic day.

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Peru: Proposal Shortens Time for Media to Correct Inexact Information

Written by Juan Arellano · Latin America

The Peruvian Congress has begun to debate a bill that shortens the time for “inexact information” to be corrected by the media. Many journalists and bloggers are wondering who will decide what that term means.

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Hong Kong: School drug testing scheme

Written by Oiwan Lam · East Asia

The Hong Kong government insisted to go ahead in implementing the school drug testing scheme despite a growing concern over its violation of children's rights.

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Updates from 21 August 2009

Russia

Eternal Remont is hoping that “the Moscow Times was recently bought out by The Onion” - and here's why: “According to the Moscow Times, the Russian Justice Ministry recently published an updated and much longer list of extremist materials on the Internet. Among the new materials destroying Russia: Winnie the Pooh wearing a swastika, a self-made template for a future newspaper, comic or other print materials, and a flag with a cross. That's right. Switzerland is destroying Russia. I never bought their “neutrality” cover.”

• Veronica Khokhlova

Hungary

Hungarian Spectrum (here and here) and The Reference Frame report and comment on the Slovak-Hungarian tensions.

• Veronica Khokhlova

Iran

Jomhoriyat writes [fa] that hundreds of young people carried green flags and wore green t-shirts in football stadiums in Isfahan and Shiraz. The green colour is the symbol of Iranian protest movement.

• Fred Petrossian

Nepal

Dhiraj Shrestha posts pictures and writes about the Sadhus (Babas) or the mystic men of Nepal.

• Rezwan

India

Raza Rumi at Jahane Rumi comments on the former Indian foreign minister’s remarks on Pakistan's founding father Mohammad Ali Jinnah: “Jaswant Singh's right-wing worldview can be partially pardoned for he has made an attempt to set the record straight. The vilification of Jinnah to the extent of presenting him as a demon in mainstream Indian discourse has received a severe blow.”

• Rezwan

India

IdeaSmith at Desicritics writes about the wall project, which had invited the citizens of Mumbai to express themselves in color on the city’s walls. The blogger also posts some pictures of the painted walls from Mahim to Dadar (about 4 kms), which was made available by the Municipal Corporation to paint freely.

• Rezwan

Kenya

Sokari writes about a new documentary acknowledging the role of African soldiers in WWII: “One of the greatest omissions of 20th century European and African history are African soldiers who fought in World War I and II.”

• Ndesanjo Macha

Nigeria

Should the former member of Nigerian national team, Austin Okocha return to the team? “I can't believe we are actually having a nationwide debate on the merits or otherwise of having former skipper Austin Okocha return to the Super Eagles!”

• Ndesanjo Macha

Haiti

“Government authorities in Haiti face recent criticism over allegations that they continue to jail political dissidents”: Wadner Pierre says that calls are mounting for the release of Ronald Dauphin, who was an activist with the Fanmi Lavalas movement of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Anguilla

“The object is not to punish the parent. The object is to convince the parent that he or she needs to do more to monitor and supervise…their child”: Corruption-free Anguilla makes a case for why parents should be held accountable for the actions of their children.

• Janine Mendes-Franco