Stories about French from August, 2011
Senegal: Grants for Pilgrimage to Mecca and Rome
Mamadou Sarr on assirou.net reveals [fr] how much money Senegal provides for pilgrimages: “The Senegalese government subsidizes the pilgrimage to Mecca to the tune of 1 billion 350 million CFA Francs [around 2.8 million USD] on years when no Christian pilgrimage to Rome is organised, and 1 billion CFA [around...
Central African Republic: Violence Marks Lead Up to Elections
The Central African Republic is set to hold partial parliamentary elections on September 4, yet tensions have arisen after an opposition party rally was marred with violence. The country is still recovering from violent conflicts that started in the late 1990s. Lova Rakotomalala reports.
Madagascar: Minister of Population Ramaroson and 10 others Drown in a Boat Accident
Minister of Population and Social Affairs Nadine Ramaroson and 10 other people died on Sunday in a boat accident near the island of Saint-Marie (North East of Madagascar) during a whale watching event. Although not always in agreement with her political stand, Blogger Aryel Elyah pays tribute to Mrs Ramaroson's...
Cameroon: Deeply homophobic laws
Talking about risk of toughening the law on homosexuality in Cameroon, the bonaberi.com site reveals [fr] that: “While the first paragraph of Section 347-1 of the penal code banned homosexuality, the second and third sections state sentences of up to eight years for homosexuality committed by minors between 16 and...
Mauritania: 13 Activists against Child Trafficking Arrested
Four advocacy organizations against human trafficking note that a peaceful sit-in outside the Bureau of juvenile affairs was organized [fr] by l’Initiative pour la Résurgence du mouvement Abolitionniste (Ira) to denounce the insufficient measures taken against child trafficking in Mauritania. 13 members of the association were arrested following the protest....
Togo: 3rd BarCamp Selects the Translation for “Blog” in Ewé Language
In its presentation of the third edition of BlogCamp Togo, togocouleurs explains that [fr] the Togolese blogosphere coined a new word for “blog” in the Ewé language (spoken in Togo, Ghana and Benin) : “with the vote taking place directly on the ETTIC [fr] (‘Togolese Space for Information and Communication Technologies’)...
Cameroon: Strength in Diversity
Africavox published [fr] a dossier on the differences between the 250 ethnic groups in Cameroon. It states that “mixed marriages, cultural adaptation to their neighbors’ practices and a relative appeasement of the political climate have led to greater tolerance and understanding among Cameroonians. While ethnic diversity is now widely seen...
Nigeria: Two Satellites Launched
Wadr.org reports [fr] that ” Nigeria announced on Thursday that it had launched two satellites to monitor natural hazards, such as drought and floods, as well as to improve agriculture and security”.
Madagascar: Expectant Mothers, Beware
In an interesting post on “Fady” (cultural taboos) in traditional Malagasy society, blogger Ariniaina lists a few “do not” tips for pregnant women [fr], for example: “Do not carry fish in a basket on your head (and do not eat it) otherwise, your baby could grow scales on its skin”.
Guinea: Slow Blogging
After a year of blogging on blog platform Mondoblog, Sow shares [fr] how difficult it is to connect from his hometown in Guinea, located 500 km from the capital Conakry: “This country is plagued with a standard access to the Internet that breaks every record of slowness. If you add...
Somalia: Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan In Mogadishu
afrik.com reports [fr] on Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's visit in Mogadishu: “The prime minister, his wife Emine and other [Turkish] political and business leaders, as well as artists, are in Somalia to meet the victims of the drought and famine raging in the country.”
Tunisia: More Protests, More Police Violence
Protesters are back on the streets of Tunis and other Tunisian provinces calling for immediate reforms and the establishment of an independent judiciary capable of bringing corrupt officials and the killers of the “Revolution Martyrs” to justice. Afef Abrougui summaries citizen media reactions in this post.
Vietnam: Blogger Pham Minh Hoang Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison
On August 10, 2011, Pham Minh Hoang, a math teacher and political blogger, has been sentenced to 3 years in prison and an additional 3 years of house arrest; he was charged with “attempt to overthrow the [vietnamese] goverment” reports Reporters Without Borders [fr]. Hoang, who has been in pre-trial...
Africa: The Looting of African Fishery Resources
The first chapter of the Greenpeace project SOS Oceans is entitled: “How Africa feeds Europe “. The website introduce the project with the following statement [fr] : “After depleting the reserves of fishes in their own waters, European fish boats are now on the move to target other oceans to fish in.”
Senegal: Mayor Becomes the Oldest Elementary School Graduate
Assane Diallo celebrates the uncommon achievement of the mayor of Tambacounda in Senegal : ” Among the 2 233 candidates for the Year End Elementary School Diploma was the mayor of Tambacounda, Mr Oury Bâ. The 67-year-old elected official successfully earned his first diploma, a testimony to perseverance and the value he gives to education....
Madagascar: Sanctions Result in Economic Decline and Food Insecurity
After two and a half years of transitional government, Madagascar has experienced a slow, seemingly unstoppable decline of its fragile economy that has put a strain on the lives of millions. With an economy ranked worst in the world and a food crisis looming, Malagasy citizens debate the merits and impacts of international sanctions
Madagascar: The Evictions of Families of Malagasy Farmers from Lands on the Rise
The Collective Body for the Defense of Malagasy [fr and mg] - (TANY) states that : “the procedure to obtain land titles in Madagascar necessitates on average 24 steps, 6 years and up to $500 USD. Yet the evicitions of farmers’ families [fr] from lands they have cultivated for several...
Syria: World Cities Rally Against and For Bashar
Events in Syria are being echoed around the world. Syrians in the diaspora rallied in the majority of the cities in the world, either asking to overthrow Bashar Al Assad and his regime or chanting their love to their leader. Check out this video round up for footage from demonstrations worldwide.
Tunisia: “The People Want an Independent Judiciary”
“People want independent judiciary" is a slogan that has been recently raised in the streets of Tunisia. Afef Abrougui takes a look at the reactions of bloggers following the release of two former ministers as well as a close ally of the former Tunisian strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, whose freedom has sparked calls for more protests.
Mauritania: Discrimination Plagues Census
adrar-info.net publishes an article on Mauritanian demonstrations in Paris and Mauritania, related to the current population census in Mauritania. Black Mauritanians apparently have a difficult time getting their name registered [fr]. According to Haimout Ba, the Paris based representative of UFP (Union of Forces of Progress, an opposition party), “they...
Togo: Journalists Rally to Protect Free Press
On August 6, journalists in Togo rallied in the streets of Lomé to protest against threats to their colleagues. The protest was launched by the association 'SOS Journalists in Danger', who believe that the threats originate from the national intelligence agency. Sylvio Chombey explains further.
