Global Voices · Citizen media stories from November 2011

November, 2011

Monthly archive · 197 posts

Stories from November, 2011

29 November 2011

Zambia: Netizens Weigh in on Fight Against Corruption

Written by Soneka Kamuhuza · Sub-Saharan Africa

Since the Patriotic Front won this year's election, Zambia has been heading in a new direction. What seems to be of great interest is the single-minded focus of the new government in dealing with corruption.

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Brazil: Census “Reveals” Majority of Population is Black or Mixed Race

Written by Paula Góes · Translated by Maisie Fitzpatrick · Latin America

For the first time in Brazilian history, the national census has shown that the majority of the population is black or mixed race. Released on the eve of Black Awareness Day, the figures of 2010's Census give rise to concerns about the situation of the Brazil's black population.

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Mexico: Government Considers Legal Actions Against Citizens Demanding ICC Probe

Written by Geraldine Juarez · Latin America

The Mexican government has rejected war crime allegations and threatened to use legal actions against citizens that filed a complaint at the ICC against the President, top government officials, and drug gang leaders involved in Mexico's Drug War.

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28 November 2011

East Timor: Building One Country Out of Many Languages

Written by Sara Moreira · East Asia

When East Timor became an independent country in 2002, both the Tetum and Portuguese languages were chosen as official for the newborn country. Nevertheless, the number of national languages is up to 16 and dozens of other dialects are used on a daily basis by Timorese citizens.

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Egypt: The Country Votes

Written by Ayesha Saldanha · Middle East & North Africa

Egyptians are voting in parliamentary elections on November 28 and 29, and despite calls for a boycott, it seems that most people have chosen to participate.

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Bangladesh: Climate Change to Increase Hunger and Malnutrition

Written by Juhie Bhatia · South Asia

As governments gear up for COP17, which starts today, experts are warning that among climate change's greatest consequences in developing countries are the risks to the agriculture sector, including an increased risk of food insecurity. Bangladesh is among the top five most vulnerable countries.

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Venezuela: World Meeting of Body Art Takes Over Caracas

Written by Laura Vidal · Latin America

This year, Caracas hosted The World Meeting of Body Art and some of its most striking expressions were shared through citizen media. Among these creations, indigenous peoples of Venezuela were given a special space to showcase their artistic expressions on the human skin.

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Morocco: Islamist PJD Victory in Post-Reform Parliamentary Election

Written by Hisham Almiraat · Middle East & North Africa

Moroccans took to the polls on Friday 25 November, to elect a new parliament. It is the first election since a constitutional referendum in July approved a series of amendments introduced by King Mohammed VI.

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China, Macedonia: Chinese Netizens Outraged by School Bus Donation

Written by Oiwan Lam · East Asia, Eastern & Central Europe

The news of a Chinese government donation of 23 school buses to the Republic of Macedonia on 25 November, has outraged Chinese netizens, who are mourning for the death of 19 preschool kids in a car accident in Gansu province on 16 November.

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27 November 2011

Zambia: Cash Dug Out From Ex-Minister's Farm Shocks Nation

Written by Gershom Ndhlovu · Sub-Saharan Africa

Zambia’s investigative units recently dug out nearly US$ 466,000, buried in the ground at a farm belonging to former minister, Austin Liato. Zambians on various social networking sites have reacted to these and other disclosures of suspected corrupt activities with a sense of shock and anger.

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Updates from November, 2011

30 November 2011

Colombia

According to the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES) Colombia has 5.2 million internally displaced people. Mike Ceaser talked “to several of the displaced people who've been demonstrating daily in Plaza Bolivar [in Bogota], demanding that the government give them land and other benefits.” Read some of their stories in Mike's blog.

• Silvia Viñas

Cuba

“As far as many Cubans here are concerned, it is not necessary to have survey results to verify the high levels of discontent and uncertainty we live under”: Without Evasion explains why she's sceptical of surveys.

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidad & Tobago

Dingolay reviews the new play about Gene Miles (a whistleblower for a political corruption scandal in the 1960s, who subsequently became a social outcast), admitting she was “a bit chilled by the fact that what happened to Gene Miles could happen again today, woman PM or no.”

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Barbados

Barbadian bloggers post their Independence Day greetings, here, here, here and here.

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Bermuda

Respice Finem examines the sensitive issue of the Bermuda police's “stop and search” policy as part of their crime reduction arsenal, saying that the concern of “those advocating caution…is that in our quest to significantly reduce crime…we do not sacrifice the liberties so many fought for for so long.”

• Janine Mendes-Franco

On Oct. 22, Vasyl Pawlowsky wrote about the often “sadistic” ways of getting rid of stray dogs in Ukraine ahead of the Euro 2012 Football Championship. Tell Ukraine to Stop Burning Animals Alive petition now has 496,177 signatures; the goal is 750,000. At least two Facebook groups were set up to draw attention to the issue: STOP KILLING DOGS - EURO 2012 IN UKRAINE and Stop the Animal Killing, Boycott Euro-2012. As a result of these initiatives and the pressure from UEFA and other entities, the Ukrainian government announced “an immediate ban on the killing of stray dogs” on Nov. 17.