Global Voices · Citizen media stories from October 2011

October, 2011

Monthly archive · 215 posts

Stories from October, 2011

8 October 2011

Bahrain: Teen Protester Shot Dead

Written by Mona Kareem · Middle East & North Africa

Protests erupted in Bahrain this weekend as angry mourners buried 16-year-old Ahmed Al-Qattan, who was allegedly 'killed by birdshot' according to the Ministry of Interior Affairs. Netizens dispute this - Mona Kareem reports.

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United States: Alabama Passes Country's Strictest Anti-Immigration Law

Written by Robert Valencia · Translated by Marianna Breytman · North America

On September 29, the state of Alabama passed the United States' strictest anti-immigration law, following in the footsteps of Arizona's already controversial law, which criminalized illegal migrant status. Read reactions from the blogosphere.

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Poland: Facebook Initiative Puts Pressure on Politicians

Written by Katarzyna Odrozek · Eastern & Central Europe

For the past two months, a Facebook initiative with more than 60,000 fans has been crowdsourcing ideas to improve Polish legislation. Ahead of the October parliamentary elections, the organizers promised to endorse political parties who would support the most popular of the netizens’ proposals.

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7 October 2011

Africa: R.I.P Steve Jobs, You Will be Missed

Written by Ndesanjo Macha · Sub-Saharan Africa

The co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011. African bloggers have taken time to pay tribute and remember his contribution to the world of technology.

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Yemen: Celebrating the Bravery of Revolutionary Women

Written by Noon Arabia · Middle East & North Africa

In their eight months of peaceful revolution, Yemenis have been an inspiration to many, not only to Arabs but to the world at large. Despite being the poorest Arab country, Yemeni men and women exhibited their richness in bravery, resilience and steadfastness. Noon Arabia pays tribute to Yemeni women in this post.

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Yemen: Celebrating Tawakkol Karman

Written by Noon Arabia · Middle East & North Africa

Tawakkol Karman, an outspoken journalist and human rights activist, described in the Guardian as a "thorn in [Yemeni President Ali Abdullah] Saleh's back", was today named as Yemen's first Noble Peace Prize winner. She has been a prime example of courage and bravery in Yemen since 2007. The reactions continue on Twitter.

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Updates from October, 2011

19 October 2011

Bahamas

Two new video poems have been posted at tongues of the ocean, here and here.

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Comoros

Violence has erupted during demonstrations against the rising cost of living in Mamoudzou, the capital city of the French overseas departement Mayotte, where one man has died and another is reported wounded [fr]. Events can be followed on Twitter via the #mayotte hashtag. Rue89 has published testimonies [fr] from Mayotte citizens, while Politis accuses France of being indifferent [fr] to the fate of its Indian Ocean departement. Strikes and demonstrations are also underway in the nearby Republic of Comoros [fr], due to the soaring oil price.

• Claire Ulrich

Jamaica

Jamaican bloggers talk about the swearing-in of the country's new Prime Minister, which is scheduled to take place this Sunday.

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Brazil

20,000 people attended the 2nd March Against Corruption in Brasília, on October 12. Youtube user estnagum registered the event. Chanting slogans and the national anthem, protesters held brooms to “sweep away” corruption and impunity. The first march, on September 7 (independence day), was motivated by the secret voting that absolved deputy Jaqueline Roriz [pt], caught on tape receiving a bribe.

• João Miguel D. de A. Lima

France

“The televised debate between (presidential candidates) Hollande and Aubry showed us that, for the most part, the Socialist Party shares the opinions of the right on foreign policy,” writes [fr] the blog Le Petit Blanquiste, for whom the positions of the Socialist Party on Afganistan, Palestine, Iran, nuclear strategy and arms, and ex-colonial French Africa demonstrate a continuation of an “imperialist policy”.

• Suzanne Lehn

18 October 2011