Global Voices

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The world is talking, are you listening?

Polandian writes about the reactions to the March 3 deadly train crash in Szczekociny, Poland: “When the comments were gathered from the prominent politicians, one that stood out was [PM] Donald Tusk saying something like ‘…This is the worst disaster since… the last such tragedy'.”

Odessablog writes about the Ukrainian far right's reaction to this year's Eurovision nomination – Gaitana, a Ukrainian singer and songwriter of Ukrainian and Congolese descent: “It doesn’t matter that she was born in Kyiv, has lived there all her life, is a Ukrainian citizen, or that her mother is a Ukrainian. It matters that she is not white and therefore not representative of Ukraine it seems. At least that is the opinion of Yuri Sirotyuk who happens to be highly placed within the [Svoboda party]. In fact he stated she would get ‘Nul points’ because of the colour of her skin.”

Two activists tell on video how they were captured by cars without license and beaten up on a remote area of the capital Luanda. Blogger Gil Gonçalves had reported [pt] on the missing men, both involved in a protest of March 10 against the nomination of Suzana Inglês to head National Electoral Commission (CNE). Elections are expected for 2012 in the country.

Blogger Gil Gonçalves reported about police violence [pt] during demonstration today in Luanda, based on updates of activists on Facebook. Freelancer journalist Louise Redvers tweeted, according to sources on site, that police attempted to disperse crowd with gunshots and clashes. Protesters claim the 2012 election process is strongly biased.

Tthe newly launched trade union in Swaziland hopes to press for democracy: “The new group is expected to discuss how to step up its campaign for democracy in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.Major protests are expected in April and May this year.”

Nlex describes the road to abolishing the death penalty in Malawi: “Malawi’s Legal Aid volunteers sift through a pile of files of those on death row. They are doing everything they can to abolish the death penalty in the country and lessen existing prisoners’ sentences. At least 29 men currently sit on death row in Malawi; however, no one has been executed in the country since 1994. Those sentenced to death are entitled to a mandatory appeal in the Supreme Court.”