Global Voices · Citizen media stories from September 2009

September, 2009

Monthly archive · 181 posts

Stories from September, 2009

17 September 2009

EU: Russophone Bloggers React to Dairy Farmers' Protest

Written by Veronica Khokhlova · Eastern & Central Europe, Western Europe

LJ user drugoi hosts a discussion of the Belgian dairy farmers' protest over low milk prices.

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Mexico: Spreading the Message of Islam

Written by Eduardo Avila · Latin America

According to recent Census figures, there are 25,000 Muslims in Mexico, which represents .02% of the population. However, this community is using advertisements on public transportation and digital media to help spread their message.

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Nepal: Maternal Health Care Challenges

Written by Bhumika Ghimire · South Asia

Last week, two high profile visits brought maternal health care challenges in Nepal into media spotlight. But it will take more than high profile celebrity visits to bring relief to Nepalese mothers who suffer because of deep seated prejudice and lack of awareness.

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Kenya: CEO of Wildlife Blogging Site Named Pop!Tech 2009 Fellow

Written by Samuel Maina · Sub-Saharan Africa

Pop!Tech is coming again this October and on 9 September they issued a release announcing the 2009 Social Innovation Fellows which was also blogged about by Pop!Tech's Kristen Taylor. Pop!Tech...

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Video: Call for submissions in Democracy Now Challenge

Written by Juliana Rincón Parra · Middle East & North Africa, East Asia

As the winners of the 2009 Democracy Now Challenge enjoy their reward in the USA, the submission period for the 2010 edition of the contest is opened to allow people from all over the world to complete the phrase "Democracy is..." in a video.

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Aceh, Indonesia: Adulterers will be stoned to death

Written by Mong Palatino · East Asia

Bad news for adulterers and homosexuals in Aceh, Indonesia: The Regional House of Representatives has passed a law that imposes a punishment of stoning to death against married adulterers and 100 lashes with a cane and a fine of 100 grams of pure gold against homosexuals.

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16 September 2009

Egypt: Bloggers call for a fun-filled harassment-free Eid

Written by Marwa Rakha · Middle East & North Africa

As Eid Al Fitr approaches, women in Egypt are bracing themselves for even more sexual harassment than what has already become a disturbing norm. Bloggers and online activists are also joining forces to fight the phenomenon, calling for a fun-filled and harassment-free celebration.

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Morocco: Activists Break Fast in Public, Receive Punishment

Written by Jillian C. York · Middle East & North Africa

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating or drinking from dawn to sunset. A group of Moroccan activists was reprimanded for breaking the fast in public, an action that is punishable under the Moroccan criminal code. A divided blogoma reacts to the incident.

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Qatar: Country's woes not expat labor's fault

Written by Shabina Khatri · Middle East & North Africa

Comments ranged from scornful to incredulous upon the release of a government study blaming underskilled expat laborers for Qatar's falling productivity rate. Shabina Khatri taps into the discussion and brings us the latest buzz.

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Brazil: Bloggers on why there is still racism in the country

Written by Diego Casaes · Latin America

Following the discussions on racism brought up a few weeks ago with the story of a black man accused of stealing his own luxury car, Diego Casaes highlights other cases and bloggers' takes on racial discrimination.

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Updates from September, 2009

26 September 2009

Sri Lanka

Concerned Citizen comments on the media freedom in Sri Lanka at Groundviews: “despite vehement denials, it is obvious that the government is guilty of suppression of media freedom and dissent through intimidation, threats, violence and extrajudicial acts which have seriously affected their credibility both nationally and internationally.”

• Rezwan

Afghanistan

Joshua Foust reflects on the fact that the withdrawal of the U.S. military from vast tracts of indefensible bases in Afghanistan is being put into motion.

• Adil Nurmakov

Kyrgyzstan

Aravanski tells his readers how Muslim holiday Eid al Fitr was celebrated in Kyrgyzstan (with photos).

• Adil Nurmakov

Kazakhstan

Vicky reports that that the government of Kazkahstan is now thawing and reversing its position on Borat, a comic character, as tourism rose by 13% last year.

• Adil Nurmakov

Turkmenistan

Annasoltan analyzes the political impact of the visit of Turkmenistan president Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov to the United States, and says that it will be difficult for him to present himself as a reformer who would take Turkmenistan out of present isolationist course.

• Adil Nurmakov

Kazakhstan

Jenia Saikina interviews Nicolas Journoud, the French artist living in Kazakhstan, who prepares to release a comic book about this Central Asian country.

• Adil Nurmakov

Afghanistan

Nick Fielding writes about several videos in German language, threatening an al-Qaeda attack on the country unless it withdraws its 4,000 soldiers from Afghanistan.

• Adil Nurmakov

Disaster

Last weeks' torrential rains triggered disastrous floodings (Fr), killing 159 people and affecting over 600,000 in a dozen Western Africa countries, unprepared to face seasonal rains growing heavier and heavier. (See map). Afropages (Fr) describes the situation in Conakry, Guinea's capital.

• Suzanne Lehn

Guinea

The ReliefWeb, quoting the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reports that recent floods in West Africa have displaced or made homeless 600 000 persons, destroyed schools, roads, hospitals in Burkina Faso,Senegal, Niger,Guinea, and Ghana. Guinea alone account for 40.000 people in need of help.

• Abdoulaye Bah

Guinea

A MISNA (Missionary International Service News Agency) report published on Sept. 25, states that massive street protests took place in Labé, Guinea second largest city, against Captain Dadis Moussa Camara, the military head of the state.

• Abdoulaye Bah