Global Voices · Citizen media stories from August 2011

August, 2011

Monthly archive · 173 posts

Stories from August, 2011

17 August 2011

Philippines: Tokay Gecko Hunting Craze

In recent months, the hunting of Tokay Geckos has become a craze in the Philippines because of reports that online traders have been buying these lizards for a large amount of money. The hunting started when it was rumored that geckos can help cure asthma and HIV/AIDS. It was recently exposed as a hoax and scam.

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Uganda: Minister Claims Opposition Using Social Media to Prepare for War

Written by Rosebell Kagumire · Sub-Saharan Africa

Uganda’s Minister for Security claims that Ugandan activists are using Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to wage a campaign against the country's security forces and to prepare young people for war.

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Tunisia: More Protests, More Police Violence

Written by Afef Abrougui · Middle East & North Africa

Protesters are back on the streets of Tunis and other Tunisian provinces calling for immediate reforms and the establishment of an independent judiciary capable of bringing corrupt officials and the killers of the “Revolution Martyrs” to justice. Afef Abrougui summaries citizen media reactions in this post.

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China and Hong Kong: Citizen Arrested for Wearing Political T-Shirt

Written by Oiwan Lam · East Asia

A Hong Kong man was dragged off and detained yesterday because of the T-shirt he was wearing. The incident happened during a visit to the city by China's future premier Li Keqiang. Today, local bloggers are demanding answers to several questions, starting with concerns over the sanctity of Hong Kong's laws.

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16 August 2011

India: RTI and Wildlife Activist Killed in Broad Daylight

Written by Rezwan · South Asia

Indian Right To Information activist and NGO worker Shehla Masood (39) was shot dead in front of her residence in Bhopal on Tuesday morning. She was also known for campaigning on wildlife conservation. Indian Twitter users react to this tragic death.

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Ecuador: President Correa's Tumultuous Relationship With the Media

Written by Milton Ramirez · Latin America

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa recently won a libel case against newspaper El Universo, for an article in which journalist Emilio Palacio gives an account of Correa's actions during the September 30, 2010 police uprising. The ruling has caused a greater breach between Correa and the press, raising concerns about freedom of expression in Ecuador.

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Updates from August, 2011

26 August 2011

Myanmar (Burma)

Htootayzar posts pictures and videos of the trip made by Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in Bago, north of the country. It was the first time the she travelled outside the capital Rangoon.

• Mong Palatino

Cambodia

Titled “life in 1 square meter”, the blog is allegedly created by a prisoner inside Cambodia's Prey Sar prison. It's no longer online but it has been widely discussed by mainstream media and in online forums.

• Mong Palatino

Cambodia

Licadho creates a map to highlight the overcrowding in Cambodia's prisons. According to the group, Cambodia's prisons are filled to roughly 180 percent of their capacity.

• Mong Palatino

Cambodia

Vutha Tim writes about the worsening traffic jams in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The writer cites the rising population in the capital and the proposed solutions to address the problem.

• Mong Palatino

25 August 2011

India

Swetha Bommerla at Youth Ki Awaaz writes about the corruption in Indian Railways regarding reservation of seats and selling of tickets.

• Rezwan

Colombia

Colombians are invited to cast blank ballots in the regional and local elections to be held on October 30, 2011 through the video “Blank vote, worthy vote” by NachoVelezJim on YouTube. The argument for such a move is that scandals of government corruption have made the country lose billions of pesos.

• Cati Restrepo

Uruguay

Today, August 25, Uruguay is celebrating 186 years of its declaration of independence. Federico Lorenzo shares [es] today's Google doodle on the search engine's Uruguayan version, and comments on the history behind the country's independence.

• Silvia Viñas