Global Voices · Citizen media stories from May 2011

May, 2011

Monthly archive · 189 posts

Stories from May, 2011

13 May 2011

India: 34 Years of Communist Rule Ends in West Bengal

West Bengal today witnessed history in the making when the Indian state's 34 year long Communist rule was ousted from power by Mamata Banerje - leader of the All India Trinamool Congress. Netizens react to this landslide victory.

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Uganda: Police Paint Protesters Pink

Written by Rebekah Heacock · Sub-Saharan Africa

Ugandan police have responded to the past month's ongoing Walk to Work protests by spraying protesters with tear gas and live bullets. During a demonstration on Tuesday, they took a different tack, firing water cannons filled with pink liquid at demonstrators who were attempting to walk to Constitution Square in the center of Kampala.

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Greece: Wave of Racist Attacks on Immigrants in Athens

Written by Asteris Masouras · Western Europe

In the past days, right-wing extremists in Athens, Greece have launched pogrom-like attacks on immigrants in the downtown Athens area. Dozens have been injured. It began on May 10, one day after a 44-year old escorting his pregnant wife to the hospital was mugged and stabbed to death.

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Uganda: Museveni’s Swearing in Overshadowed by Rival's Return

Written by Rosebell Kagumire · Sub-Saharan Africa

Ugandan netizens discuss the swearing in ceremony of Uganda’s president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni which was overshadowed by the arrival of his rival and three time challenger Dr. Kizza Besigye who had been flown to Nairobi for medical treatment from injuries sustained during a violent arrest last month.

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Ukraine: The Untold Story of the Victory Day Clashes in Lvov

Written by Will Partlett · Eastern & Central Europe

Russian television footage this week showed hooded young Ukrainians attacking World War II veterans, giving Nazi salutes, and chanting nationalist slogans. As they ripped St. George ribbons from people's shirts, it seemed that Ukrainian youth had forgotten the terrible sacrifices made by the Soviet Union to defeat Germany. Will Partlett reports on what the Russian press is not saying about the May 9 clashes in Lvov, Ukraine.

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Mexico: Day 4: 80,000 Citizens Demand Peace, Justice and Dignity Against the War on Drugs

Written by Geraldine Juarez · Latin America

The National Protest for Peace, Justice and Dignity started its final stage early on Sunday, May 8. Geraldine Juárez shares reports, images and videos of the day's events.

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Updates from May, 2011

26 May 2011

Georgia

Shortly after midnight, opposition protests in the Georgian capital were disperse. A policeman was reportedly killed, apparently run over by a jeep belonging to an opposition party leader, after tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons were used to break up the demonstration. Journalists were also beaten up and their materials confiscated. Footage posted on YouTube by Maestro TV showed police used excessive force and was spread widely on Facebook. Человек с киноаппаратом [RU] also posts photos.

• Ana Keshelashvili

Japan

Photographer Francis Harrison published a photo essay [en] that portrays Tokyo in the first few weeks after the earthquake.

• Scilla Alecci

Brazil

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved the controversial new Forestry Code with 410 votes against 63 in an open session. As citizens knew each deputy's choice [pt], they used Twitter to regret the support for the ruralist project, as well as to mourn the murder of the forest defender Zé Cláudio Ribeiro.

• João Miguel D. de A. Lima

25 May 2011

Angola

Luis Bernardo, the president of MRIS (Revolutionary Movement for Social Action) who organized a protest against poverty [pt] in Luanda today, was arrested on the eve of the event [pt]. A few days before, Bernardo had denounced threats against him by the Angolan regime, as reported [pt] on the blog Central 7311.

• Sara Moreira

Mexico

“Fourteen thousand schools shut down in Oaxaca. 1.3 million students left without school, as their teachers are continuing their actions against the state government of Oaxaca, protests that appear increasingly radical,” Aguachile reports.

• Silvia Viñas

El Salvador

In Central American Politics, Mike points out that although May poll numbers show “65% of San Salvador's residents approve of the job that [President Mauricio Funes] is doing” his party, the FMLN, is not doing as well.

• Silvia Viñas

Colombia

Lorenzo Morales blogs for Americas Quarterly about ‘the reasons behind' massive floods during Colombia's rainy season: “Unpredictable forces of nature are in play in Colombia’s current disaster. No one can be blamed for that. But as national and local authorities wash their hands of responsibility, they persist in sponsoring policies and projects that alter (and sometimes destroy) the mechanisms that can both trigger or turn off such forces.”

• Silvia Viñas

Brazil: Communities in Rio Blame Olympics for Evictions

Hi Christa, Thank you for sharing the good news. I am glad that at least one battle has been won by...
Help us bring international visibility to this issue. Please read and share the following link regarding Vila Autódromo's recent win...

Interesting indeed. I don't hear much news from Peru so this information was indeed news and something the world community...
Interesting read. Thanks for sharing!
Great article that addressed the matter concisely and with appropriate supplemental material.