Global Voices » Juan Arellano

Global Voices in Sesión de Control

Juan Arellano — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:33:53 +0000

We are pleased to announce that, as of a few weeks ago, Sesión de Control, an online Spanish political affairs magazine, is republishing articles from Global Voices on its website. Sesión de Control is quite a new site launched in November of last year. Although it is mainly focused on local Spanish politics, it also counts on the participation of people writing from Argentina, Venezuela, Peru, United Kingdom, Brussels, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile, to tell first-hand what happens in those countries.

On the information page about the project, the administrators explain that they created the magazine:

“Because we are convinced that, even though the opposite is believed, politics is indeed interesting. Everything is politics if you pay attention: the music you listen to is politics, the social movements make politics, and the movies you watch at the cinema express political ideas… But politics is in crisis. It is in crisis because the political language is obscure, because it´s hard to understand how our institutions work and why things are done that way, because the citizens feel our representatives are more and more distant from our reality and unconnected to our problems, because we don´t trust in our leaders’ honesty and professionalism.”

In a short e-mail exchange with Borja Ventura, project director, he explained to me that his interest in the Global Voices content is part of an opening of the project to diverse content; for example, they also republish the content of prestigious digital friendly publications, such as the scientific Materia, cultural Yorokobu, the platform Qué hacen los diputados (What the deputies do) and the African publication GuinGuinBali.

He also added that he was particularly interested in Global Voices because:

Firstly, the interest of what it says and secondly, the format in which it tells it: avoiding the traditional mass media to give a voice to the direct witnesses of the stories is an idea that connects perfectly with what we want to do in our magazine, to bring politics closer from a less “official” perspective than the traditional one. In addition to the above, the possibility of knowing first hand the reality of different bloggers from all over the world and rely on a “window to the world” through a network that works in several languages and dozens of places on the planet, It's the perfect opportunity to find out what goes on in places where some people don't necessarily want others to find out what happens there.

The content of Global Voices in Sesión de Contol can be found here, but for our readers interested in the Spanish political landscape, we suggest that they visit Sesión de Control and take a look at the different articles they have about that topic. Of course they can also check our coverage on the matter.

Santiago Lopez translated this post.

Analyzing the Salaries of Congressmen in Latin America

Juan Arellano — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:49:55 +0000

After the payment raise scandal [es] of Peruvian congressmen, disguised under the rubric of expenses, in Sesión de Control, journalist Martin Hidalgo makes a comparative analysis [es] of the salaries of deputies in Latin America. “At the top of the highest paid legislators are Chileans, who earn a salary of [...] about $ 30,602 dollars.” “Until November, Peru was in the sixth [place], but the increase has put the country over Colombia.” Martín concludes: “Disapproval of Congress in Peru remains high, with 63%. Everything is even more worrisome if we consider that, according to Proética, 86% believe that there is corruption in Parliament.”

Meet Global Voices Contributor – Janet Gunter

Juan Arellano — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:05:22 +0000

Whenever members of the Global Voices community travel to another country, they usually find a way to meet one or more fellow ‘GVers'. A few days ago, contributor Janet Gunter was in Lima, Peru, and I arranged to meet over some typical Pisco Sours, and talk about her involvement with GV.

Here are some questions and answers based on our conversation; alternatively watch Janet's interview on video (English subtitles available):

Juan Arellano (JA): How did you get involved with GV?

Janet Gunter (JG): Through Sarita [GV Portuguese Language Speaking Countries Editor], and our blogs about East Timor. We actually met in person for the first time in East Timor. Then I met Paula [GV Multilingual Editor] here in London. GV has always been for me about meeting and working with good people. On the GV Portuguese email list, I feel like I have dozens of friends around the world with similar interests and values. That's something really rare for me.

Janet Gunter, photo by pattamanuch.com used with authorization.

JA: So you started collaborating with GV Portuguese as a translator, an author, or both?

JG: As an author – covering Portuguese speaking Africa. Then when people started writing in Portuguese, I started translating their work into English. I mostly translate our African authors.

JA: Tell us about your role in GV's special coverage “Europe in Crisis“.

JG: I'm the instigator / cheerleader! I lived in Portugal for three years and I feel things that are happening there have a personal importance to me. Sara and I thought that there needed to be more coverage of citizen voices with the deepening crisis in Europe in 2011. And so we just started a Special Coverage page, and there has been a tremendous response from authors, translators and from our audience. Plus Greek, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and French GV sites all have very “engagé” [engaged] editors. It's been a real pleasure linking and getting to know everybody across Europe. We're now 60-70 authors and translators collaborating and communicating.

JA: Is there something new you think could be done to improve GV's coverage of Europe (in crisis)?

JG: We need an RSS feed, and ideally we need an editor but we are looking for institutional sponsorship for this.

As a freelancer you work with NGOs whilst at the same time keeping another foot in other areas. How do you reconcile these sometimes very different worlds?

JG: With 30 columns on my Tweetdeck and having no “personal life”! In all seriousness, I realize that a lot of my activist skills – especially around networking and communication, are useful in my professional life. In the “professional sphere”, many respond increasingly favorably to my description of myself, which is very real about what motivates me and what kind of person I am. The person and professional are mutually reinforcing. If that makes sense. (This really came out when I “mapped” my interests.)

JA: Two questions then: What really motivates you? And, what challenges have you faced in your different jobs?

JG: What motivates me? First, other people! I want to work with dynamic, good people. Beyond people, a combination of reacting to injustice, creativity, and wanting to be out in the world. Challenges are dealing with burnout, systems that are not responsive or made for real people, convincing management and institutions to take risks.

JA: You say you're a bad tourist but at the same time you have travelled a lot. Tell us something about this.

JG: The only reason to accumulate money or wealth is to then spend it on experience! I don't own a house, don't have a car, don't own much at all. I travel a great deal for work. But I also enjoy slow train journeys and visiting my many friends in far flung places.

JA: Can you share some of those great travelling experiences with us?

JG: Too many – that would be a book in and of itself! Last winter I took the train from Los Angeles to New Orleans, departing from my California family, stopping in the west Texas plain for a couple of days and ending up with friends in New Orleans. It was slow, magical, meditative. I love empty spaces, so west Texas was a perfect interlude. There is nothing like travelling alone in short spells, then arriving to friends or family. In New Orleans I finally reconnected with a long lost friend, and New Orleans meant so much more to me, after having worked and travelled in Brazil and other places. Then I went to see my 94 year-old grandfather who was born in New Orleans, and drove two days back to my hometown of St Louis, with my dad, dodging tornado warnings and listening to country music on AM radio, arriving in time for my mother's warm soup for dinner. This is the kind of trip I love.

Apart from all the things she is currently doing, Janet finds time to work on a personal project: the restart project. She talks about this project in the following video:

You can find Janet online here and also on Twitter (@JanetGunter).

Peru: “Get out of here, King of Jordan”

Juan Arellano — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:17:40 +0000

During his visit to Peru for the Third Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA) from October 1-2, 2012, the King of Jordan, Abdullah Bin Al-Hussein, took a leisure trip [es] from Lima to Cusco on his motorcycle. During the trip, two vehicles from the king's convoy forced a team of reporters to stop and tried to confiscate their cameras. A representative of the monarch later tried to apologize. The blog Andares writes about the episode and concludes [es]: “Get out of here, King of Jordan.”

Peru: 14 Shamans Murdered in Amazon Town

Juan Arellano — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:28:23 +0000

Peruvian bloggers Juan Arellano [es] and Paco Bardales [es] report on the murders of 14 shamans in the amazon town of Balsapuerto. The main suspect is the mayor of Balsapuerto, Alfredo Torres, and his brother, who are reportedly evangelical Christian and see these shamans as “devils”.

Peru: The Media's Role During the Presidential Elections

Juan Arellano — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:13:35 +0000

Ibis Liulla at CiComunica asks [es]: “How can the media help citizens make an informed vote, if they are polarized and so outrageously biased in favor of a candidate at the expense of the other?” in relation to the Peruvian run-off elections next June.

Colombia: Fractal, a Sci-Fi event in Medellín

Juan Arellano — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:58:37 +0000

Juan Diego Gómez posts in his blog about Fractal'11, an event about fiction, art, science and technology that will take place in Medellín, Colombia, on April 8-9, 2011. Juan Diego introduces [es] some of the speakers: awarded Science Fiction writer Kij Johnson (@kijjohnson), cyborg anthropologist Amber Case (@caseorganic), researcher Johanna Blakley (@Mojojohanna), creative technologist James Alliban (@jamesalliban), and musician Sam Pool aka SPL (@SPLSamuel).

Peru: Facebook Campaign Against Journalist for Homophobic Comments

Juan Arellano — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:16:06 +0000

Jonathan Sánchez examines [es] how the media should face a viral campaign against them, in connection with a recent Facebook campaign [es] organized against Philip Butters, a journalist at Capital Radio who aired some statements that were considered homophobic during his radio program. Jonathan indicates that the radio's Facebook page [es] is full of messages about this incident.

Colombia: Inspiring videos

Juan Arellano — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:46:27 +0000

@coloresmari posts in her blog [es] that she feels inspired when she watches videos by @juancanola and says: “I see people from different communities and regions in Colombia really working, taking advantage of the possibilities that digital media gives them.”

Featured Translator: Adriana Gutiérrez

Juan Arellano — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:29:17 +0000

The team of translators at Global Voices in Spanish is the largest of the various Lingua teams, and yet little is known about the people who make up the group. At this point I must make the appropriate mea culpa, admitting responsibility, and of course, remedying the situation. Thus, I present, with more than 1800 translated posts, one of our star collaborations. I had the opportunity, as several other GVers, to meet her in person in Santiago during our Summit this year, and as expected, the first time we met we treated each other as life-long friends. For those who do not have that privilege, here is Adriana Gutiérrez [es]:

Adriana Gutiérrez

Hi Adriana, people say that a good translator must go unnoticed, but we'd really love to know more about you.
Well, I am Venezuelan by birth and habit. For the last 10 years I've been a graphic designer, a freelancer for 1, married to another graphic designer for 18 months and a loving fan of my dog, music, internet and film… in that order. I also like reading, mainly novels of epic fantasy, suspense and magic realism (the latter has always seemed very typical of Latin America to me). I have few friends, perhaps because I'm shy, perhaps because I'm unfriendly (or both), but do not be fooled by appearances, there is no “seriousness “about me.

Tell us about your experience as a designer.
As a designer I have been closely linked to the advertising area. Since I graduated I've had plenty of work, thankfully, and most of the time in advertising agencies in the city where I live. Eventually these jobs ended up boring me (they are cyclical and most agencies work in the same way), so over a year ago my husband and I decided to risk creating our own design studio and although it has been a little hard (like every beginning), we've also had plenty of work as independent designers. Go and check out our Facebook page and see some of our work… please don't be too cruel with the criticism hahaha.

What about your blog and other things you have online?
My blog is Bitácora Invisible [es] (Invisible Blog) (since 2005) and is a personal space where there is a little bit of everything (literally), anecdotes, thoughts and photographs, and I write mostly in Spanish. That space was on stand-by for a couple of years, coincidentally during the time when my Twitter account (@Adri021) and Tumblr began to grow… but recently I wanted to take up the habit of writing on it and already have a few new entries. I have a podcast about movie soundtracks, also in Spanish, but because of my work it got stuck on the 28th episode and the 29th is still one of my pending tasks. And there's my Flickr, as varied as my blog. Ah! Sometimes I also collaborate with some friends who are slowly engaging in the production of viral videos, and there are a couple of pieces on YouTube as El Jefe se entera… ["The boss finds out...", a parody of Hitler finds out about a video meme, in Spanish] and CollowFriday [a parody of the FollowFriday videos on Twitter, in Spanish].

Being a professional designer, where do you get your interest and skills as a translator?
I liked languages since I was a child, while taking English classes I liked to translate (short) texts or songs to learn more and every time I increased the amount of translated text. Then, knowing blogs around the world, sometimes I wanted to share some things I read, but I knew that some of my contacts didn't understand English, so I translated the articles… then I got to GV… the rest is history.

Would you share that story with our readers?
Sure. Since I started my blog I was fascinated by the potential of communication and expression of the media, then in 2007 I found out about Global Voices Online thanks to Luis Carlos Diaz, where he worked as a writer and translator for the Spanish version. He echoed a call from the editor to capture volunteer translators and I heeded his calling, attracted by the idea of taking all this compilation of local stories to a wider audience. Since then I have not stopped working with the project, I may have come down a bit in frequency, but the truth is that my interest in GVO/Lingua has not diminished one cubic millimeter… I think it is as Leonard [Chien] says, the relationship between Lingua and its translators is like a love story. The issues I translate have always been very varied, but although I'm attracted to posts on the Environment, Culture and Cyberactivism, I prefer to give some diversity to my translation “time line” and carry different types of stories to readers at GV in Spanish.

You've been translating for GV for over three years, what would you say to those just starting out?
Tough question, let's see… I'll speak from my own experience to better illustrate what it has been like working in GV (and what it could be like for beginners): For me, GV/Lingua has meant having the world closer, and I don't mean it as a physical space but as being closer to people, leaning about the realities of different places at once, told by the main characters themselves, without “makeup” or other interest to express what they're living/feeling. At first I began to translate with a “selfish” idea: What would I like to read in a site like GV? and starting from there I chose the entries to translate, each of these translations were making me want to know more and more about those stories, as I said, the reality of other places… somehow, knowing that my own interest in learning helps certain stories reach a wider audience, is a special added value. So far I don't see GV as an obligation, it is difficult to see it that way when I can devote to it on my own terms, without schedules or a tight agenda and with a peer group always willing to contribute something more to the work of others.

Adriana Gutiérrez

Venezuela has become a little bit of a “complicated” country, how do you see it from within?
More complicated (because I live here)! In Venezuela, from my view, a very negative social and ideological division has grown and it largely prevents reaching agreements for the majority and has helped citizens become reactionary and even violent. There is also the lack of organization and balance in the current administration, there is often no consistency between what is said (which in theory seems very positive) and what is done. Offering opportunities for advancement and growth to those who historically didn't have them (this is very good), but doing it in a messy way, uneven and not very transparent, so the results end up being insufficient or even harmful for most… repeating the vices of the previous administrations, which they criticize. Venezuela remains a beautiful country with people who want to do things right, only that for the moment we're walking uphill…

Tell us about the city you live in.
Barquisimeto is the city of twilight (that's why there are so many pictures of twilight skies in my Flickr account), a growing city that has so far managed to balance concrete and nature. In Venezuela it is known as the “music city” because of the many talented musicians that come out of its land (the most recent and notorious example is the master Gustavo Dudamel, Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic) …in fact, one of the best training academies of the System for Children and Youth Orchestras of Venezuela, recognized and replicated throughout the world, is in Barquisimeto. If there is something that the city has is that, although many of us weren't born here (I was born in Merida, a city of the Venezuelan Andes and several of my friends are from other cities too), we feel so “guaros”* as anyone born in this locality. (*) In Venezuela, they call “guaro” people born or living in the Lara State, whose capital is Barquisimeto.

What can you mention about Barquisimeto that is particularly attractive or that you like?
Although many people here say that in the city there is nothing to do, I think that is a baseless complaint. Barquisimeto and the surrounding area has it all: Nightlife, constant cultural shows, many restaurants (the traditional food from El Roble is special), parks and places to spend the day outdoors… my current favorite place is La Flor de Venezuela [es], a pavilion designed by architect Fruto Vivas to represent Venezuela at the 2000 Hannover Expo, which combines architecture, flora and fauna, as well as cultural information about the country, and within its space is a small restaurant with delicious crêpes. You also have the town of Santa Rosa, where its church houses the religious patron of the region, the Divina Pastora, a history museum, a viewpoint from which you can see Cabudare (sister city of Barquisimeto) and other of my favorite places: a bakery with delicious desserts where they let you draw on paper placemats while waiting for what you ordered.

And how would you describe Venezuela to a foreigner?
Venezuela is a country of contrasts, with very cold or very hot areas (with its intermediates), extreme wealth or poverty, idyllic and unforgettable landscapes, and despite my comment on the “aggressiveness” of our citizens there are still many people with the ability to make a good impression on our visitors… I think there are no “foreigners” here, because from the moment you step on Venezuelan soil (to visit or to stay) you will find people who will treat you as “one of the family”.

I hope to someday test that out Adriana, thank you for the interview.
Thank you.

Other team members of Global Voices in Spanish in this section:
Gabriela García-Calderón

The first picture is from Flickr user oso reproduced with an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic CC license.

Translated by Adriana Gutiérrez

Peru: Book About Social Conflicts in Peru

Juan Arellano — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:27:27 +0000

Silvio Rendón from GranComboClub analyzed [es] the book “Between economic growth and social dissatisfaction. Social protests in contemporary Peru” [es] by Romeo Grompone and Martin Tanaka. Aside from reviewing the interesting material on the case studies presented, Silvio thinks the conclusions the book reaches try to distort the social conflicts it presents by treating them as isolated events and does not analyze the relationship between the state and local or transnational economic power.

Blog Carnival: Colombia, Women and the Web – A Summary

Juan Arellano — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:45:06 +0000

There seems to be a concern among Colombian women about defending their rights and about increasing the number of women who can use the Internet and new media to express themselves and take advantage of the benefits this medium offers, like other women do in other countries. This is evident after going over 21 posts submitted for the first blog carnival organized by Global Voices in Spanish: Blog Carnival: Colombia, women on the net [es].

What is a blog carnival? It is a virtual event where a host, Global Voices in Spanish in this case, calls on other blogs to write about a specific topic. The carnival tends to last for a determined length of time, and once it is over, a post summarizing the participation is published.

Young women participating in a digital inclusion workshop in Medellín, Colombia.

Let's begin the journey through these blogs with Kathy Gámez who, from Santa Marta, publishes the blog Lo que no voy a callar (What I Won’t be Silent About), and presents the post, Y tu mujer?? como usas el internet?? [es], (And You Woman?? How Are Do You Use the Internet?) where she gives us her personal view on Colombian women and the Internet. She points out a few advantages and disadvantages about the use of the Internet, but also mentions that women are now “taken into account, so let’s give ourselves the opportunity to offer something else, something many will remember, this is an invitation to make good use of the Internet, in my network, in your network, in our network..” she also says:

… internet en nuestras vidas juega un papel muy importante sobre todo para las mujeres que trabajamos y que no podemos dejar nuestras obligaciones laborales para ejecutar determinada actividad, hoy en dia nuestras vidas se ven resueltas y pueden girar en torno al sin numero de aplicaciones web de diferentes entidades que nos permiten movernos en este mundo virtual sin necesidad de dejar tirado lo que estamos haciendo en nuestro mundo real, podemos pagar nuestras cuentas, enviar cartas, comunicados, actualizar informacion, enviar hojas de vida, asistir a conferencias e incluso vigilar lo que sucede en nuestras casas mientras no estamos presentes. Lastimosamente y por el poco apoyo de las entidades gubernamentales de algunos paises, por escaces de recursos o por la poca formacion o sensibilizacion acerca del adecuado uso que podemos darle a esta herramienta solo algunas tenemos la posibilidad de acceder a este mundo 2.0.

…the Internet in our lives plays a very important role, especially for women who work and can’t abandon our job obligations to engage in other activities, nowadays our lives are resolved and can revolve around the numberless web applications from different entities that allow us to move around this virtual world without having to discard what we are doing in our real world, because we can pay bills, send letters, memos, update information, send resumes, attend conferences and even keep an eye on what happens in our home while we are not there. Unfortunately and because of the little support from government entities in some countries, because of a lack of resources or because of little education or sensitivity about the adequate way we can use this tool, only a few of us have the possibility to access this 2.0 world.

In the blog Opinopongo, Mrs. Colombia, from a place “close to the city of the wind” in The United States, participates with the post Bloggueras con impedimentos [es] (Women Bloggers with Impediments) where she compares the Colombian Internet with other realities in other places, and despite the differences points out that “there is no valid motive for Colombian women to not contribute more posts on the web.” Nevertheless, she is aware of reality:

Colombia: un país en el que el treinta y ocho por ciento de la población tiene acceso a internet, el tercer lugar en penetración en América Latina después de Brasil y Argentina. Nada mal para un país que lucha diariamente con problemas mucho más graves que darle acceso a la red a todos sus habitantes. Sin embargo, la mayoría de las mujeres colombianas aún no han logrado adoptar este medio como una forma de expresarse a sí mismas o de luchar por sus derechos y sus ideales. … Colombia es un país, en el cual no sólo es el acceso físico a la red, sino más que todo la sociedad la que regula lo que escribes, cómo escribes y para quien escribes. Especialmente en el caso de las bloggueras, la sociedad es un impedimento real para decir a calzón quitao lo que se piensa de un tema en particular.

Colombia: a country where thirty eight percent of the population has access to the internet, the third place in penetration from Latin America after Brazil and Argentina. Not bad for a place that fights daily with problems a lot more serious than giving web access to all its citizens. However, the majority of Colombian women have not been able to adopt this medium as a way to express themselves or fight for their ideals…Colombia is a country, in which not only physical access to the web, but most of all society regulates what you write, how you write and for whom you write. Especially in the case of female bloggers, society is a real impediment to boldly say what one thinks about a particular issue.

Self-enforced impediments, among other things, is what the young Lina Marcías talks about in her blog Angelesituango's blog, from the small city of Ituango. She published the post La mujer en la red [es] (Women on the Net) where she says:

(las) mujeres aceptan y son testigos del avance tecnológico, pero se inhiben a participar de él, poniendo como escusa su edad, diciendo que la internet y otros adelantos son hechos para los jóvenes. Pero “como todos no pensamos igual”, son muchas otras las mujeres que se atreven a hacer parte del desarrollo tecnológico, sin importar su edad, descubren las infinitas posibilidades que la red ofrece: saber de sus viejos amigos, investigar, jugar… otras se proponen cambiar los estereotipos que hay de la mujer, hacer respetar sus derechos, reclamar por sus violaciones, formando en la red una comunidad de apoyo hacia la mujer, causa a la que muchos hombres se le unen.

Women accept and are witnesses to technological advances, but they inhibit themselves from participating in it, putting their age as an excuse, saying that the Internet and other technologies are made for young people. But since “we don’t all think alike,” there are other women who dare to take part in this technological development, despite their age, and discover the infinite possibilities the web has to offer: learn about old friends, research, play… others aim to change stereotypes about women, have their rights respected, complain about violations, forming a community of support in the web for women, a cause which many men also join.

And speaking of men, a gentleman from Bogotá, Luis Angel Pérez, through his post Mujeres conectadas [es] (Connnected Women) from his blog El blog de Luis gives us the names of various women who presently lead in the fields of Free Software, and Free Culture in Colombia, and not only that, also [talks about] their growing presence in the expression of various opinions through blogs and Twitter. This is what he says:

Tomo como base lo que al principio fué el FISOL (Festival de Instalación de Software Libre), cuando asistí a este evento por primera vez en 2003 todos eran hombres, en la logística y como instaladores. Hoy la situación es muy distinta. Las mujeres han liderado en los últimos años el capítulo del FLISOL (Festival Latinoamericano de Instalación de Software Libre) en Colombia un evento internacional desde el aspecto organizacional y también en la creación de proyectos y productos relacionados al software libre. Desmintiendo con hechos el mito de que la informática era un campo exclusivo para los hombres nerd.

I base [my argument] on what once was FISOL (Festival of Free Software Installation), when I attended this event for the first time in 2003 there were all men in attendance, in logistics as well as in the installation. Today this is very different. Women have led in the last years in the chapter of FLISOL (Latin American Festival of Free Software Installation) in Colombia it is an international event from its organizational aspect as well as the creation of projects and products related to free software. Denying the myth that IT is a field exclusively for nerdy men.

Acting as a testimony to this, madame web from the blog La lógica de mi papa (My Father’s Logic), from Pasto, asks ¿La Mujer y la Red? [es] (Women and the Web?) where she considers her recent experience at Campus Party and poders:

Este año asistieron mas mujeres que en versiones anteriores, pero ¿a que se debe que no haya una igualdad en la asistencia? acaso las conferencias, talleres y concursos que se desarrollan en Corferias durante estos días no son lo suficientemente atractivos para las mujeres?. Seria muy atrevido generalizar y decir que todas las mujeres tienen acceso a un computador, mas aun cuando yo trabajo en un proyecto de Inclusión Digital en la zona rural y se que no es así. Si, Internet te acerca a todo, pero también te aleja de la realidad.

This year more women attended than in previous versions, but what is the reason for a lack of equal attendance? Are the conferences, workshops and courses that are developed in Corferias during those days not attractive enough for women? It would be very bold to generalize and say that all women have access to a computer, even more when I work in a Digital Inclusion project in a rural area so I know that is not the case. Yes, the Internet brings you closer to everything, but it also alienates you from reality.

Reality is something that Maria Eugenia Alonso, from Bogotá but living in Cali, takes into consideration in her blog La Mariposa (The Butterfly) and asks ¿Por qué creé un blog? [es] (Why did I Create a Blog?). This introspection leads her to remember some criticism she got for blogging, in the sense that she was doing it because she had nothing better to do, to which she answers enumerating all of her domestic duties as a woman, wife and mother, and also adds:

ahh… fuera de eso me queda tiempo para tomar fotos, encontrar gente que hace 40 años no veo y hacer dibujos en computador para un proyecto. Dios si eso es no tener qué hacer y es tanta mi depresión que tengo que llenar mis vacíos con el blog y estar 24 horas frente al pc sin ningún objetivo, entonces sí es pérdida de tiempo, pero si me sirve para salir de mi supuesta depresión y ayudo a mi vejez porque no tengo que tomar ativan, ni bon sleep, ni valeriana para conciliar el sueño, ayudo con mis sugerencias y comentarios… Entonces NO es pérdida de tiempo.

Ahh…apart from that I have time to take pictures, find people I haven’t seen in 40 years and make drawings on my computer for a project. God if that is not having anything to do and my depression is so bad that I have to fill my free time with a blog and spend 24 hours in front of the PC without an objective, then it is a waste of time, but if it helps me get out of my supposed depression and help my old age because I don’t have to take ativan, or bon sleep, or valeriana to fall asleep, I help [others] with my suggestions and commentaries…So it is NOT a waste of time.

Citizen Journalism workshop, Medellín.

And Entre nosotras… ¿para qué sirve la red? [es] (Between us…What is the Web Good For?) is the question with a double meaning that Sonia.Ro asks in her blog Hazlo poco pero bueno (Do it a little bit but do it well). She not only takes on the Internet, but also talks about society to reveal the “supposed advances” of women in modern times. But despite the criticism she has towards the position of women in society, she thinks the Internet is good for something that is very important to women: communicate.

Contándonos historias tejemos nuevas redes, de confidencias, de afectos, de ayudas, de intercambios, de generosidades. Y entre las historias que nos contamos, vemos que vivimos lo mismo, en nuestros hogares, nuestras escuelas, nuestro barrio, nuestras ciudades. Y que los problemas que tenemos no son sólo de nuestra comunidad, no es el profesor del colegio, o el pastor de nuestra iglesia, o el alcalde de nuestra ciudad. Porque del otro lado del mundo sucede igual, y nos llegan las mismas historias. Y si sucede igual allá, entonces el problema debe ser más grande, su raíz más profunda… Por eso creo en la red que conecta.

Telling each other stories we weave new webs, of confidences, of affection, of help, of exchanges and generosity. And among the stories we tell each other, we see that we have lived through the same, in our homes, our schools, our neighborhoods, our cities. And that the problems that we have are not only from our community, it’s not the school teacher, or the priest from our church, or the mayor of our city. Because on the other side of the world the same thing happens, and we get the same stories. And if the same thing happens there, then the problem must be bigger, its root cause deeper…That is why I think the web connects.

Andrea Juliana Enciso who blogs in Anotaciones para solitarios profesionales :escritos (Annotations for lonely professionals: writings) is also critical in her post with a long title, No me compres una olla a presión cuando sea grande: los susurros femeninos en los blogs en la democracia del simulacro de internet [es], (Don’t Buy Me a Pressure Cooker When I’m Older: the Feminine Whispers in Blogs in the Democracy of the Simulation of the Internet) she thinks about female readers, as well as writers, wondering what has changed and whether new technologies are being used to stall progress, but at the end shows some hope:

No me quejo de internet, creo que la mayor parte de mi tiempo estoy conectada, pero creo que el asunto no es solo el espacio abierto de lo otro, es también, pensar como esos otros que no están en la vitrina de la buena simulación, son válidos como lecturas posibles más allá de lo freak o lo especial, en que irónicamente lo común- los trece kilos de sobrepeso, el hombre que no supera los 1.70, la mujer que pelea todos los días con su armario- puede ser un lugar seductor en estás épocas de tantos disfraces y exceso de representación.

I’m not complaining about the Internet, I think that I spend most of my time online, but I think that the issue is not only the space it opens about other people, but also, thinking about how those who are not in the spotlight, are valid as readings that go beyond what is weird or special, where ironically the ordinary –the thirteen kilos of extra weight, the man that is not taller that 1.70 [m], the woman that fights every day with her closet—can be a seductive place in this era of so much disguising and excessive presentation.

Representations and stereotypes is precisely what Johanna writes about on her blog Licuc in the post La princesa rosada que olía a fresas [es] (The Pink Princess that Smelled like Strawberries) where she appeals to sarcasm to describe a certain type of woman that, “accesses technology because it’s fashionable, not because of necessity”:

No le interesa tener un blog, ni cuenta en Twitter. El tiempo que gastaría averiguándolo preferiría invertirlo depilándose o en cualquier otro tratamiento de belleza. En su mundo la etiqueta multitarea se aplica a leer una revista de farándula mientras le arreglan las uñas, no a recibir correos electrónicos al tiempo que habla por teléfono.

She doesn’t care about having a blog, or a Twitter account. The time she would spend finding out about it she would rather spend waxing or getting any other beauty treatment. In her world the multitasking label applies to reading a gossip magazine while she does her nails, not to receiving emails and talking on the phone at the same time.

In this similar mood we find the post Reinas como hormigas [es] (Queens like Ants) that Maria Paz Ruiz published on her blog Compota de historias (Story Composte) and that she submitted for the blog carnival. Overall, the subject of gender has been a popular focus for the carnival. For example Juliana Rincón fron the blog MedeaMaterial offers the post Mujer en la Red: ¿género? [es] (Woman on the Web: Gender?) where she tells us how gender is something that can’t be ignored on the web, but that it is not the only thing that defines us as a person:

Porque de la misma manera como nos define ser mujer, también nos define nuestra edad, dónde vivimos, cómo nos vemos, cómo nos expresamos, el vocabulario que usamos, nuestros referentes culturales. Ésas son las cosas que van armando el avatar que nos representa en la red, esa idea nebulosa que quienes me leen se hacen a través de la distancia, de donde agarran pedacitos de cada post o de frases y arman una imagen de cómo debo ser según lo que escribo.

Because in the same way we are defined by being a woman, we are also defined by our age, where we live, how we look, how we express ourselves, the vocabulary we use, our cultural references. Those are the things that make up the avatar that represents us on the web, that nebulous idea that those who read what I write do so through the distance, where they can grab small pieces of each post or phrase to construct an image of who I must be depending on what I write.

Catalina Urquijo from Medellín provides a similar approach to the issue, and from her blog $ujetate (Unknown II) [es] publishes the post Mujeres en la red ¿Un espejo de nuestra realidad? [es] (Women on the Web: A Mirror of our Reality?) where, among other things, she tells us:

esta red no es más que un pequeño reflejo de las muchas cosas que ocurren en nuestra realidad, acá también hay machismo, prostitución,anorexia, bulimia… Pero, afortunadamente, esto es solo una parte de la realidad, pues en esta red colombiana existen muchas mujeres que con un buen uso de estas herramientas ayudan a eliminar muchos estereotipos, y ejemplos de ellas (que) hay por todos lados … nos permiten afirmar sin temor a equivocarnos que esta red, desde el lado del prisma en que se le mire/use, ha permitido mostrar también esa otra cara de la realidad, esa dónde la mujer también busca sus oportunidades, un mejor futuro, igualdad, defender sus derechos, eliminar estereotipos ó simplemente interactuar y compartir con otros sus ideas, como el ser pensante que es.

The web is no more than a small reflection of what happens in our reality, here [ìn the web] there is also sexism, prostitution [es], anorexia [es], bulimia [es]…But, fortunately, this is only part of reality, because on the Colombian web there are a lot of women who with the good use of these tools can get rid of a lot of stereotypes, and examples of these women are everywhere…they let us affirm without the fear of being wrong that this web, from either the side of the prism that it is looked at, has allowed us to show another face of reality, where women also seek for opportunities, a better future, equality, defending their rights, eliminating stereotypes or simply interacting and sharing with others their ideas, like the intelligent being that she is.

Cristina Parra Lozano also shows optimism and hope in the post MUJER COLOMBIANA: La red es nuestra [es] (COLOMBIAN WOMAN: The Web is Ours) from her blog Pensando sin Efectos Secundarios (Thinking Without Side Effects). She explains what being a Colombian woman on the web should mean, but above all she thinks that:

No es simplemente el que participemos mayor número de mujeres en muchos espacios. Es que legitimemos el estar en estos espacios nombrándonos y autoreconociéndonos en nuestras diferencias. Vá más allá de espacios dedicados a nosotras,o exclusivos para hablar de temas femeninos. Reconocernos pasa por saber cómo nos estamos involucrando en los procesos y qué tanta visibilidad le estamos dando a los temas donde somos las mujeres las más vulneradas como en el caso de las víctimas de la guerra, o donde somos las mujeres quienes damos ejemplo, o quienes mostramos nuevas formas de colaborar, de ayudar, de trabajar… de construir.

[The issue] is not simply that a greater number of women participate in a lot of spaces. It is that we legitimize being in those spaces naming ourselves and getting to know ourselves in our differences. It goes beyond the spaces dedicated to us, or exclusively made to discuss female issues. To recognize who we are means knowing how we are getting involved in the process and how much visibility we are giving to the issues where women are the most vulnerable like in the case of war victims, or where we are the ones who give the example, or who show new ways of collaborating, helping, working…or creating.

During a workshop for young women in Medellín.

Inspired on an advertisement she heard on the radio, Cristina Mazo makes a short but interesting reflection on how women are being represented on the web in the post La mujer y sus dos caras en la web [es] (Women and Their Two Sides on the Web) in her blog Pensando el Mundo (Thinking the World)

Las mujeres en la red son una ambivalencia, quienes sólo buscan lo superficial de ellas o las que sólo quieren mostrar su lado meramente sexual tienen su espacio y para aquellos y aquellas quienes se quieren instruir, conocer y vivir experiencias únicas donde sólo las mujeres son la principal fuente del conocimiento, la mayor inspiración para tan bellos poemas, cuadros y demás maravillas que se hacen en honor a la mujer, para todos ellos y ellas que buscan en la mujer la mayor fuente de deseo está la WEB.

Women on the web are an ambivalence, those only looking for the superficial in them or those who only want to show their sexual side have their space and for those looking to learn, get to know and live unique experiences where only women are the main source of knowledge, the greatest inspiration for such beautiful poems, paintings and other wonders that are made in honor of women, to all those who seek in women the greatest source of desire there is the WEB.

And Darío Gómez also explores the subject of ambivalence and of multiple functions with the poem Mujer, ¿Cuál es tu red? [es] (Woman, What is Your Web?) in his blog Con la pata al suelo (With the Foot on the Ground) from which we select this small part:

Exhuberante mujer vestida con prenda de malla para atraer
Tímida mujer con el pelo recogido en redecilla para llorar
Mujer, ¿Cuál es tu red?

Exhuberant woman dressed with that net to attract
Shy woman with your hair in a net to cry
Woman, What is your web?

From multiple functions to multiple personalities there could only be one step. Manuela Londoño Hurtado, also known as “MALHU -y su parche” (MALHU –and her friends) offers a humurous post for the carnival, Monólogo a cuatro manos (no es que seamos mancas, es que solo tecleamos con una [es]) (Monologue by four hands (not because we are one-armed, it’s just that we type with one [hand]) where she says:

Que no tenemos que saber de ingeniería avanzada para manejar un blog
Que somos tan buenas (y mas) manejando estos aparatos tecleados
que no consideramos esto una pérdida de tiempo
Que escribimos mejor de lo que cocinamos

That we don’t have to know advanced engineering to handle a blog
That we are as good (and better) handling those keyboards
That we don’t consider this to be a waste of time
That we write better than we cook.

And now moving on to more specific cases of women on the web, we have the parcicipation of Astrid Uribe who on the post La mujer y su conexión con el mundo a través de la web [es] (Women and Their Connexion to the World Through the Web) from her blog astriduribe, sees libraries as important promoters of access to new technologies:

vemos que aún hay muchas personas, entre ellas, una considerable cantidad de mujeres que no tienen conocimiento frente a estas herramientas y se están perdiendo de grandes oportunidades que allí se ofrecen; y aunque hayan en el momento grandes esfuerzos por parte de algunas organizaciones, colectivos de mujeres, redes de personas, entidades gubernamentales, entre otras, para mejorar esta situación, se debe pensar en un trabajo más elaborado si bien por todas estas organizaciones, redes, entidades y demás, con las instituciones educativas, más específicamente con las bibliotecas.

We see that there are still a lot of people, among them, a considerable amount of women who don’t have the knowledge about these tools and that are losing great opportunities that are offered there, and even though at the time there are great efforts from some organizations, women groups, networks of people, government entities, among others, to improve this situation, they must think about a more elaborate effort by all these organizations, networks, entities etc., with educational intuitions, more specifically with libraries.

Yesenia Corrales in her blog Yeskenia shares the post Mujer rural: “Desafìo del herramientas de campo, un hecho que marca la historia en la tecnologìa” [es] (Rural Women “The Challenge of Tools of the Countryside, a Fact that Marks the History of Technology”) where she tells us about Susana’s experience, from the “vereda ‘San José de la Montaña'” from the township of San Cristóbal (Medellín, Colombia), an active member of the Women’s group “Siempre vivas” (Always Alive):

La vida campesina cambia y el rol de la mujer en éstos escenarios se vuelve importante porque hay toma de decisiones propias … se vuelven negociadoras pues el choque de las actividades del campo, con la dinámica de ciudad exige que aprendan y que tengan conocimientos básicos en la áreas de: emprendimiento, administraciòn y contabilidad. Cuando la mujer rural enfrenta estos cambios, enfrenta también una realidad que es inherente a los ojos: “La tecnología”, ¿còmo entra la tecnologìa en la dinámica de ruralidad?

Life in the countryside changes and the role of women in these scenarios becomes important because they involve women making decisions… they become negotiators because the crash between countryside activities, with the dynamic of the city requires that they learn and have basic knowledge in the areas of: entrepreneurship, management and accounting. When the rural woman faces these changes, she also faces a reality that is visually inherent: “technology” , how does technology enter into the dynamic of a rural life?

But we also received first-hand testimonies, like one from Johanna Reyes from Red Mujeres Ciudadanas (Network of Citizen Women) and WiKiCiudadanía, who on the post Mujeres hiperconectadas y visibles [es] (Hyper-connected and Visible Women) summarizes the projects she works on:

Durante 2008 y 2009 creamos dos proyectos importantes en la Web que visibilizan el rol y los proyectos liderados por mujeres, aprovechando el potencial de las redes sociales, creando recursos, aportando ideas y opiniones, haciendo valer el ingenio y creatividad en temas sobre comunicación participativa, e-democracia, periodismo digital y uso de la tecnología para la transparencia de lo público: 1. La iniciativa -Yo Cuido mi Voto- y 2. WIkiCiudanía, el proyecto bandera de la Red Mujeres Ciudadanas.

During 2008 and 2009 we created two important projects on the web which visualize the role and the projects led by women, taking advantage of the potential of social networks, creating resources, contributing ideas and opinions, asserting ingenuity and creativity in subjects about participative communication, e-democracy, digial journalism and the use of technology for transparency: 1. The inciative Yo Cuido mi Voto (I Take Care of My Vote) [es]- and 2. WIkiCiudanía [es], the main project from the Network of Citizen Women

We could call the blog Mi Bypass Gástrico (My Gastric Bypass) by María Fernanda Quintero a personal crusade, where she tells “my story, of a person with morbid obisity in Colombia, to make it simpler, it is the story of a human being rejected by society because of her weight. I know it sounds dramatic, but only those who have gone through these trials with excesive weight know what I’m talking about.” For our carnival, María Fernanda wrote the post Un testimonio, un beneficio para todos [es] (A testimony, a benefit for everyone):

En dos años y medio de compartir este espacio, no solo se han abierto lazos de amistad, sino que he logrado interactuar con pacientes que ya cuentan con mas de 5 años de experiencia … me he dado cuenta que el 85 % de mis lectores son mujeres, que encuentran en el blog la manera mas sencilla de expresar sus temores y complejos … No tengo el numero exacto de a cuantas personas o de a cuantas mujeres les ha sido nfo la nformación del blog, las estadísticas solo sirven para medir el trafico, no para medir el impacto de mi testimonio en la comunidad … de las mujeres colombianas que gracias a este humilde espacio tomaron la decisión de seguir adelante en su lucha por una vida digna llena de sueños.

In two years and a half sharing this space, I have not only created bonds of friendship, but I’ve also managed to interact with patients that have more than 5 years of experience… I have noticed that 85% of my readers are women, who find in the blog a simple way to express their fears and complexes… I don’t have the exact number of how many people or how many women have benefited from the information of the blog, statistics are only good for measuring traffic, not measuring the impact a testimony has on a community… of the Colombian women who thanks to this humble space made decisions to move forward in their fight for a worthy life full of dreams.

I will finish the journey through these blogs with the post G [es] from the blog loquera. It is about a man and technology isn’t mentioned, but it is a daughter writing about her father in a blog. Reading what she says and the way she says it touched me. It is an excellent example of how a woman can express herself on the web.

Young women in a digital photography workshop in Medellín.

The images from this post come from Flickr account Mujeres e Inclusión Digital [es] (Women and Digital Inclusion), as part of a project [es] with the same name that our GV author, Cati Restrepo [es], is working on in Medellín, Colombia, with the support from the Mayor's office from that city. Cati won the competition Mujer Talento [es] (Women and Talent) last year, and she has been a great help with this blog carnival.

And finally, we are very thankful to all those who participated, maybe taking time off from other activities to do so; also to those who supported us in spreading the carnival, of whom I especially remember Equinoxio [es], CCeN [es] and La Verdadera Vida de Un Gerente [es] and the Twitter users who re-Tweeted [es] our call. Thank you all! But I also thank in advance all those who have the time to read this post and enjoy a series of very diverse but high-quality blogs. I encourage a trip through all of them, a great sample of the Colombian blogosphere that might be going unnoticed by many. See you in the next carnival in August!

This post translated by Silvia Viñas

Peru: The Return of the Indigenous Leader Alberto Pizango

Juan Arellano — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:39:59 +0000

As announced [es] earlier, the exiled indigenous leader Alberto Pizango returned to Peru on May 26. The former head of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (or AIDESEP for its initials in Spanish) spent more than 11 months in exile in Nicaragua after leaving the country following the events and conflicts in the region of Bagua. He had been facing an arrest order during this time, but he finally decided to return to the country, despite certain skepticism from his own organization.

Following news of his return, Peruvian President Alan García stated [es] that he would guarantee that Pizango would be treated fairly during his judicial process for the events in Bagua, which is also known as the “Baguazo.” However, the Minister of Women Affairs, Nidia Vílchez said [es] that Pizango's return appeared to be a provocation on his part.

Protest sign reads "Bagua, I don't forget and I don't forgive. Sanction the person guilty of genocide, Alan García." Image by Javier Fernandez, Flickr User javi270270, used with photographer's permission.

During the early morning hours of May 26, teams of journalists made their way to the airport to cover Pizango's arrival. Families of the police officers who were killed during the Bagua conflict went to demand an arrest and to place responsibility of the death of their loved ones on Pizango. Finally, Pizango arrived at approximately 3:45 pm accompanied by Daysi Zapata the current president of AIDESEP, and the actress Q'orianka Kilcher. As expected, he was first held [es] in the offices of immigration and later arrested and taken to the police station in the area of La Victoria.

Following his arrest, it was announced that Pizango would go on trial [es] for the events in Bagua and face charges of sedition and homicide, as well as charges for attacking the Armed Forces. At the same time, protests have been planned calling for his release.

The next day, on May 27, the judge announced that the arrest order will be changed to a restrictive order [es], meaning that he will have to fulfill the restrictions placed by the judge, including that he cannot leave the country, that he must report on all of his activities each month, and that he cannot change residences without informing the judge.

In the blog Prensa Alternativa [es], there is a brief summary of the reason why the arrest order was changed:

Con inocultable alegria fue recibida la noticia de la liberación del lider indigena amazonico el Apu Alberto Pizango Chota. La orden que hace casi un año fuera emitida por una jueza debido a presiones politicas, que lo acusaba de ser responsable de los sangrientos acaecidos en el llamado “Baguazo”, en donde perdieron la vida 34 ciudadanos peruanos debido a un enfrentamiento entre indigenas amazonicos y policias miembros de fuerzas especiales.

The news of the release of the Amazonian indigenous leader Apu Alberto Pizango Chota was met with unhidden joy. Last year's order was emitted by a judge due to political pressures, who accused him of being responsible for the bloody events called the “Baguazo,” and where 34 Peruvians lost their lives in a conflict between Amazonian indigenous and the special forces police.

The blog Transparencia Nacional Perú [es] doubts Pizango's declared intentions for his return and writes the following:

El retorno de aquel instigador que no informo debidamente a la gente de lo que ocurria, que se lavo las manos luego de los sucesos sangrientos, que lucho por intereses fuera de la realidad, no es un regreso para solo enfrentar a la justicia por los cargos de cuatro delitos por el Baguazo, sino como lo dijo Deysi Zapata lider de AIDESEP, que el regreso de Alberto Pizango es para ser Candidado Presidencial del Peru en el 2011, aun cuando luego lo negara sabemos que es asi.

The return of that instigator that didn't properly inform people what was happening, that washed his hands after the bloody events, that fought for interests beyond reality, is not a return to only face justice for the charges of four crimes in the “Baguazo,” but like Deysi Zapata, leader of AIDESEP, said, the [intention] of the return of Alberto Pinzango is to become a presidential candidate for Peru in 2011, even though he might deny it we know it is true.

Twitter users commented on Pizango's return, some showing support for the indigenous leader, and others denouncing him. David Grandez (@davidgrandez) says [es] that Pizango got what he wanted:

Te saliste con la tuya Pizango, 11 meses como prófugo de la justicia y te dan comparecencia [...]!

You got away with it Pizango, 11 months like a fugitive from justice and now you get the right to an appearance [...]!

John Rivas (@johnidem) tweeted [es] his observation on the whole ordeal:

Muy raro lo de Pizango, justo a casi 1 año de lo que hizo, regresa y no pasó nada. Y los caviares en silencio.

The Pizango issue is very weird, almost 1 year from what he did, he returns and nothing happens. And the caviares [leftists with moderate economic views] are silent.

Twitter user Ansuanet tweeted [es] in support of Pizango:

El colmo hubiera sido #Pizango en la cárcel y Meche en el Spa, relax, libre de culpas por el #Baguazo… y Alan está pasando piola…

It would have been pathetic that #Pizango go to jail and Meche [Meche Cabanillas, the Minister of Interior during the Baguazo] in the Spa, relaxing, free of guilt for the #Baguazo…and Alan [Peruvian president Alan García] is going unnoticed….

Ollanta Humala Tasso (@OllantaHumalaT_), founder of the Peruvian Nationalist Party, also tweeted [es] about Pizango, saying that the Government needs to take responsibility for the “Baguazo”:

El Gobierno debe responder por la matanza en Bagua, no el Sr. Pizango.

The Government needs to respond for the killings in Bagua, not Mr. Pizango.

Following his release, Pizango held a press conference [es]. In the blog Mariátegui [es] they publish some of his statements:

“He vuelto no solamente para ponerme a derecho sino también para contribuir a la necesaria reconciliación entre peruanos y peruanas”. “A los deudos de los policías e indígenas, les envio mi sinceras condolencias y exijo una exhaustiva e imparcial investigación para llegar a la verdad”.

“I returned not only to defend myself, but to help contribute towards the necessary reconciliation between Peruvians. To the relatives of the [dead] police and indigenous, I send my sincere condolences and I call for an exhaustive and impartial investigation to find out the truth.”

Peru: The Preference for Afro-Peruvians at Funeral Services

Juan Arellano — Sun, 23 May 2010 15:19:54 +0000

Peru is a country with such ethnic and cultural diversity that one might think that Peruvians are accustomed to seeing different faces and customs than one's own, and that there is an adequate level of respect and tolerance towards others. However, the reality is quite different and in Peruvian society, there are examples of underlying, as well as overt racism, many of the examples have been covered on Global Voices.

However, there are often strange situations that upon first glance appear to be racism, but upon further investigation, may not necessarily be. A recent debate has emerged as a result of a communique released by the Ministry of Women and Social Development [es] (MIMDES for its initials in Spanish), which as directed towards funeral companies so that they change “their policies of only hiring people of the black race for the jobs of casket carriers, because they are performing a clear act of discrimination [es],” as informed by the newspaper El Comercio [es].

This issue, as any Peruvian who has had to hire these types of services or attended a burial knows, is that it is the clients and not the businesses that prefer that these individuals who provide these services are of the black race. The blog Living in Perú publishes the statements by business owners of this field “Minister Vilchez is wrong. We do not practice racial discrimination. It's our clients who ask us to provide black pallbearers for their funeral ceremonials” and later states: “We cannot antagonize our clients. If they want either black or white pallbearers, we do need to meet their requirements.” In fact, funeral agencies in Peru charge higher fees for ceremonials with black pallbearers.

Why do so many Peruvians prefer Afro-Peruvians as the ones providing this service? Chuto of the blog Choledad Privada [es] may have a theory and presents the following questions:

¿cuál es mensaje que se quiere transmitir a los presentes al velorio con esa imagen racistoide acompañando el dolor de los “blancos”? ¿Será acaso que se mezcla cariño y paternalismo racial con una necesidad de que los OTROS sean los que se encarguen de mis pompas fúnebres (o en un velorio de puro negro también hay negros cargando al muerto?)? ¿Será que esta costumbre está inspirada en el luto que sigue a la pérdida de cualquier ser querido? Quizás inconscientemente pero bien intencionalmente nos sentimos aliviados si no sólo contamos con un perucho de clase/raza considerada inferior lustrándome los zapatos, sirviéndome el café en el Club Nacional, abriéndome la puerta en el Casino Atlantic City o con un gran sombrero de portero en el Hotel Sheraton, sino que además queremos que sean nuestros carontes de a pie que nos lleven hacia el otro mundo cargado en hombros?

What is message to be conveyed to those attending a wake with that racist image alongside the “white” pain? Could it be a mix of love and racial paternalism with a need that the others are the one who take care of my funeral (or in a wake where those who are purely black be the ones carrying the dead?) Is this practice inspired by the mourning that follows the loss of any loved one? Either intentionally or perhaps unconsciously, but we are relieved if we have an Peruvian of a class/race considered inferior that polishes our shoes, serves coffee in the National Club, opens the door to the Atlantic City Casino or a great bellboy at the Sheraton Hotel, but we also want to them to be the ones carrying us on their shoulders taking us into the next world?

Regardless of the real reasons, it is a commonly seen practice. So many are left wondering, where is the racism? On the part of the businesses, the clients, or both? Has the Ministry intruded in the affairs of the free market? Some bloggers are asking the same questions. Martín Soto of the blog sNm writes about this issue:

No me parece que este sea un tema de discriminación hacia afroperuanos, y si un desacierto ministerial (oficiar a privados, pidiendoles “modificar” el asunto?). … que el MIMDES, en cabeza de su ministra (nada más, nada menos) oficie a algunas agencias funerarias no resuelve ni por asomo ningún problema vinculado a la comunidad afroperuana; que se ocupe sobre el oficio de los cargadores de ferétros y le reclame modificaciones a la empresas privadas, sólo escapa a sus funciones y competencias, sino que es un claro sin sentido, una pérdida de recursos públicos en temas menores.

I don't think that this is an issue of discrimination against Afro-Peruvians and it is a ministerial miscalculation (officiate private companies asking them to ‘modify’ the issue?… that MIMDES, through its Minister (nothing more, nothing less) officiate some funeral companies does not resolve the problems linked to the Afro-Peruvian community; worries about the work of the pallbearers and calls for modifications by the private companies, not only goes beyond its duties and responsibilities, but it is a clear sense of a waste or public resources on minor issues.

And finishes the post with a reflection:

qué “clase” o “tipo” de personas deberían ser empleadas en este oficio?, es el oficio indigno?, es la persona la que hace indigno al oficio?, de qué hablamos cuando hablamos de discriminación aquí?

what “class” or “type” of persons should be hired in this field? is the work undignified? does the person make the work undignified? what are we talking about when we talk about discrimination here?

Álvaro Zapatel of the blog El Gato del Hortelano [es] provides some notes about racism:

Las funerarias ofrecen un servicio en respuesta a la demanda de los consumidores. Los consumidores, arguyen los “funerarios”, prefieren por lo general que los cargadores sean afroperuanos. Se podría hablar de un acto discriminatorio de los consumidores, mas no de las funerarias quienes ofrecen un servicio en función de lo que la demanda pide.

queda claro que el afroperuano que entra a trabajar como cargador, está ejerciendo su libertad para trabajar como tal. Es obvio que en contra de aquel argumento se hablará de la falta de oportunidades que los afroperuanos tienen para acceder a un trabajo en nuestro país, y que, lamentablemente por necesidad y falta de oportunidades en otros rubros entran a trabajar de cargadores en las funerarias. Entonces, a mi parecer, el problema ya no compete al MIMDES sino más bien al Ministerio del Trabajo.

The funeral companies offer a service in response to the demand of the consumers. The consumers argue with the funeral companies, and generally prefer that the pallbearers be Afro-Peruvian. One could talk about the discriminatory act by the consumers, but not of the funeral homes that offer a service based on what demand calls for.

It is clear that the Afro-Peruvians that work as carriers are exercising their freedom to work a such. It is obvious that against that argument, the response will be the lack of opportunities for Afro-Peruvians who want to work in our country, and that, unfortunately out of necessity and a lack of opportunities in other areas, they work as pallbearers in the funeral field. In my view, it is not MIMDES responsibility, but the Ministry of Labor.

It also noteworthy that the job of pallbearer is not the only job “apparently” exclusive for Afro-Peruvians, but the job of hotel bellhop, of which black Peruvians are often found. These individuals often take these part-time jobs while they finish their university education, so speaking about “a lack of opportunities” could be incorrect in these cases. Zapatel continues to provide his opinion:

los empresarios fúnebres sostienen que el servicio funerario llevado a cabo por afroperuanos es de mayor costo que el ofrecido con peruanos de otros rasgos étnicos – léase, no afroperuanos. … En este caso, podríamos asumir que se considera un “servicio de lujo” puesto que a medida que su precio aumenta, la cantidad demandada aumenta también. Claro que, si nos remitimos al tema de que este incremento en el precio se deba únicamente a una característica física, esto es totalmente condenable. Pero ojo, ¿condenable en qué sentido?

¿No estamos frente a un caso de “discriminación inversa”? Si el tema en cuestión es el racial, ¿por qué el servicio fúnebre ofrecido por afroperuanos cuesta más que el ofrecido por no afroperuanos? Aquí más bien podríamos incluso hablar de un sector del mercado “copado” por afroperuanos y que, en realidad, está discriminando a los que no son afroperuanos. Si un asiático-peruano entra a trabajar como “cargador” y percibe que su trabajo es considerado “de menor valor” al de aquel que es ejercido por afroperuanos solo por una cuestión étnica, mas no por habilidades, creo que el tema discriminatorio iría no solo para el afroperuano sino para aquel asiático-peruano.

The funeral companies say that the funeral services carried out by Afro-Peruvian are more expensive than the services carried out by Peruvians of other ethnic features – in other words, those who are not Afro-Peruvian.. I this case, we can assume that it is considered a “luxury service” in that the price increases, the demand also increases. Of course, if we only refer to this issue that the price increases only because of the physical characteristic, then it is totally condemnable. But, condemnable in what sense?

Are we facing a case of “reverse discrimination?” If the issue in question is racial, then why are the funeral services offered by Afro-Peruvians cost more than those services offered by non-Afro-Peruvians? Even more, we could even discuss this market “cornered” by Afro-Peruvians and that in reality, are discriminated against those non-Afro-Peruvians. If an Asian-Peruvian begins to work as a “pallbearer” and perceives that his/her work is considered “less valuable” than the work done by Afro-Peruvians only because of ethnicity and not because of abilities, then the issue of discrimination would not go against the Afro-Pervuian, but against the Asian-Peruvian.

In regards to this issue, Juan Arellano of the blog Globalizado [es] writes:

Acá la suspicacia me gana y me pregunto si no estaremos simplemente frente a una movida de las empresas funerarias deseosas de reducir costos y dejar de pagarles más a sus empleados afrodescendientes. Con lo que al final la supuesta medida en contra de la discriminación terminaría perjudicando a los “discriminados” pues reduciría sus ingresos y limitaría sus opciones laborales… todo un contrasentido!

Here suspicion wins and I wonder if we are not simply facing a movement by the funeral companies to cut costs and stop paying more to their African-descent employees. Thus, in the end, the measure against discrimination will stop harming the “discriminated” because it will reduce their wages and limit their work options… it is all a contradiction!

It is obvious that there may or may not be racism in these commercial practices and it remains a sensitive topic for many Peruvians, regardless if they are of Afro-Peruvian descent. It will continue to be a debate in Peruvian society and whether or not it is the business of the government to stop something that is deeply-rooted in society.

Translation by Eduardo Ávila

Peru: Ongoing Mining Strike

Juan Arellano — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:45:18 +0000

On Sunday, April 4th, a Peruvian Twitter user, Jhon Cornejo (@ionCornejo) wrote angrily and sarcastically about the tribute made by President Alan García to the recently deceased Peruvian singer Jesús Vásquez:

Alan canta en velorio de Jesús Vásquez (lamentable perdida para el Perú). Ojalá tambien cante en el velorio de los muertos en Chala.

Alan sings at the wake for Jesús Vásquez (unfortunate loss for Peru). Hopefully he sings at the wake for the dead in Chala.

This reference to the dead in Chala was for those who died in the clashes between the police and miners, who had been blockading [es] the South Panamerican Highway near the community of Chala in the Arequipa region. This blockade was part of the National Miner's Strike organized by the Mining Federation of Madre de Dios (FEDEMIN for its initials in Spanish) and the Artisan Miners of Peru (FENAMARPE for its initials in Spanish). The blog La Vanguardia [es] writes about the strike's demands:

La comunidad minera exige la derogatoria del Decreto de Urgencia N° 012 – 2010, del Decreto Supremo Nº 019-2009, que la hidroeléctrica de Inambari no sea construida y la destitución del Ministro del Ambiente, Antonio Brack Egg.

The mining community demands the repeal of Urgent Decree N° 012 – 2010, Supreme Decree Nº 019-2009, that the Inambari hydro-electrical project not be constructed and for the removal of the Environmental Minister, Antonio Brack Egg.

The blogger adds the context of the protest and the reasons:

es necesario que se informe a la población sobre futuros proyectos en territorio peruano … la población jamás va a estar tranquila con la idea de que un amplio tramo de la Carretera Interoceánica … sea inundado. Tampoco aceptaría el desplazamiento de las poblaciones cercanas al proyecto y la deforestación … La población sentirá los efectos negativos en sus actividades agrícolas a menos que, se vean frente a la oportunidad de una verdadera mejora en la calidad de vida.

en tanto a la derogatoria del Decreto de Urgencia 012 – 2010, … intenta formalizar la pequeña minería y la minería artesanal en el departamento de Madre de Dios; … plantea la recuperación de zonas degradadas por la minería informal. De esta manera, se crea el establecimiento de zonas de exclusión minera y zonas donde sí se puede realizar esta actividad.

El Decreto de Urgencia 012-2010, al igual que el Supremo 019-2009, buscan la protección de nuestras áreas naturales. Sin embargo, mientras tanto ¿Qué van a hacer los trabajadores mineros de este departamento?

It is necessary that the population is informed about the future projects on Peruvian territory … the population will never agree with the idea that a large stretch of the Inter-ocean Highway … end up flooded. In addition, they will not accept the displacement of the population living near the project and deforestation … The population will feel the negative effects in their agricultural activities unless they see an opportunity for a truly better quality of life.

Regarding the repeal of Urgent Decree 012 – 2010, … it attempts to formalize small-scale mining and artisan mining in the Madre de Dios department; … it proposes the recuperation of the zones degraded by informal mining. In this manner, areas of mining exclusion and areas where this type of activity will be created.

Urgent Decree 012-2010, as well as Supreme Decree 019-2009, searches for the protection of our natural areas. However, what will the miners in this department do in the meantime?

Martín Soto Florián from the blog SNm [es], writes that he was recently in the city of Puerto Maldonado where he could see some of the aspects of this strike:

1. Existe gran temor entre la población, esto alcanza a tirios y troyanos, incluídos funcionarios públicos (se recuerdan los antecedentes de 2008, quema del Gobierno Regional, y 2002, quema de la sede del Ministerio de Agricultura).

2. Se estima un Paro de grandes dimensiones, constituyendo puntos críticos los siguientes: Inambari, Puerto Maldonado y el Aeropuerto, también fue mencionada la posibilidad de toma de edificios públicos y de quema del Poder Judicial de Puerto Maldonado.

He estado allí, donde verdaderamente impera la ley del más fuerte …He visto y escuchado las historias, he observado los movimientos de alimentos, de utensilios, y también de gente. Los mineros habitan en pueblos fantasmas, que me recuerdan las pelas del lejano oeste y los sueños dorados, operan con gran maquinaria, contaminan y tienen un gran poder adquisitivo: se juegan la vida por su oro. Pretender retirarlos de la minería sin tentar otras puertas, es una sincera invitación a la violencia. Creo que no estamos preparados para lo que se viene, y creo que no nos importa porque –seamos honesto- esto va a suceder harto lejos de aquí.

1. There is a lot of fear among the population, reaching Tyres and Trojans, including public workers (remember the antecedents of 2008, the burning of the Regional Government, and 2002, the burning of the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture).

2. It is estimated that the Strike is on a large scale, including critical points in the following areas: Inambarí, Puerto Maldonado, and the Airport, there was also mention of the possibility of the taking of public buildings and the burning of the Judicial offices in Puerto Maldonado.

I was there, where survival of the strongest prevails … I have seen and heard the stories, I have observed the movement of food, utensils, and also of people. The miners live in ghost towns, that remind me of the fights in the old West and the golden dreams, where large machinery operates, contaminates, and have great purchasing power: they risk their lives for their gold. They try to take them out of mining without opening other doors, it is a sincere invitation to violence. I think we are not prepared for what is coming, and I don't think it is important to us because – let's be hones – this will take place a long way away from here.

There were some Twitter reports by those who were passing through the city of Puerto Maldonado:

Etni Flores Barriga (@etnof):

Hoy hubo inusitado transito aereo en Puerto Maldonado, al parecer esta llegando contigente policial, para cautelar el orden en esta ciudad.

Today there was unusual air traffic in Puerto Maldonado, apparently a police contingent is arriving to maintain order in this city.

Fauna Forever (@faunaforever):

Emeterio Nuñoncca (CICRA): Pasaron 17 embarcaciones llenos de personas a Puerto Maldonado (por el paro minero).

Emeterio Nuñoncca (ICRC): 17 boats passed by full of people to Puerto Maldonado (for the miner's strike).

Enso A. Pita Mejia (@ensopita):

me llamaron de puerto maldonado, los mineros se estan reuniendo en la feria agropecuaria, y al parecer son mas de 10 mil.

They called me from Puerto Maldonado, the miners are gathering in the Agricultural Fair, and it appears that there are more than 10,000 (miners).

RPP News (@RPPNoticias):

Reportan que miles de mineros informales marchan por calles de Puerto Maldonado

There are reports that thousands of informal miners are marching through the streets of Puerto Maldonado.

Then came the news via traditional media regarding the miner's march in Puerto Maldonado, as had been reported by RPP [es], that despited the feared violence, it did not take place in the city. It was also reported that the strike began in the cities of Apurímac and Arequipa [es]. Unfortunately in the town of Chala, there were reported deaths, as alluded to at the beginning of this article- 3 miners and 1 motorcycle taxi driver, possibly due to the police actions for attempting to remove the blockades on the South Panamerican Highway [es].

El Comercio newspaper reported that the miners in Puerto Maldonado had organized themselves for the protest by financing it with contributions in gold [es] that had totaled US$60,000 in value. The newspaper La República reported that even though President García did not want to talk about the deaths in Chala, he defended the measures of force that were taken [es], “We want for there to be work for the miners but it should be formalized, what is happening in Madre de Dios is an atrocity: the rivers are the color of mercury, of arsenic, it is dramatic … those truly guilty are the midsize miners who allow for dredge mining. What we are trying to do is show that the State has the backbone and seize these dredges.

Another newspaper, Perú 21 reported that in addition to the 4 deaths, there were at least 17 wounded in Chala, Arequipa [es]. They also cited Peruvian Prime Minister Javier Velásquez who stated that: “Russian and Brasilian businessmen are financing the strike (…) in order to leave the decree that orders the mining activity without effect … these people will be located, they will be impeded from entering the country and judicial proceedings will begin.

In a new report published by the newspaper La República, chronicling the events of Chala, it appears that the situation is far from resolved [es], since “the protesters said they will not lay down their protest actions until the State formalizes their work. They also said they would “charge for each of the deaths.”

Translation by Eduardo Ávila