Stories about Politics from August, 2011
India: Reaction To The Kashmir Mass Graves
Dilip D'Souza at Death Ends Fun reacts to the news that more than 2,000 bullet-riddled bodies were found in mass graves in Kashmir.
China: Who Could Have Known The Libyans Hate Gaddafi?
One of China's top military analysts at home, has turned the official line on Libya into something of a joke, and abroad, China's nominal support for Gaddafi may end up costing the country oil contracts and much more. Netizens look at the lessons Beijing could stand to learn.
Cuba: Sixth Sunday vs. Women
“This Sunday August 28th was the 6th consecutive Sunday in which dozens of dissidents -mainly women- have been violently attacked by the regime’s forces. And, each passing day, the methods of repression are more ‘sophisticated’”: Pedazos de La Isla explains.
Trinidad & Tobago: Missed Opportunity re: Teen Video?
Another blogger weighs in on the Granny Quila video: “Yes this girl did a pile…having said that, it would have been a perfect opportunity to show the compassionate side of the State of Emergency, and used as an chance to reach out to disaffected youth.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Saving a Life
Tattoo puts out a moral test because of recent events that allegedly led to the current state of emergency.
Cuba: Las Damas & the Archbishop
Uncommon Sense says that the fact that the leader of The Ladies in White has had to approach Havana's cardinal “to intercede…to halt the summerlong repression of the Damas and their allies…reveals everything there is wrong with the prelate.”
Brazil: Bank Account of Google Blocked Due to “Offensive” Blogs
The courts in the Brazilian state of Ceará blocked access to $140,000 in the accounts of Google Brasil after the company refused to take down a series of blogs deemed offensive toward the mayor of Várzea Alegre, José Máximo de Carvalho, reports the blog Journalism in the Americas .
Russia: Bloggers React to the Storming of Tripoli
Compared to April 2011, when Global Voices first analyzed Russian reactions on the conflict, opinions seem to be more polarised now; bloggers had divided into two distinctive groups of supporters and opponents of Colonel Gaddafi. Alexey Sidorenko investigates.
Brazil: Mozambique Cedes Land to Brazilian Agribusiness
Mozambique is ceding 6 million hectares of land to Brazilian farmers. The idea is to draw on the Brazilian experience in the Cerrado, a biosphere similar to the African savanna, where industrial cattle grazing and soy plantations have already devastated 80% of the richest grasslands in the world.
Philippines: Family of Slain Journalist Launches Signature Campaign
The family of slain journalist and environmentalist Dr. Gerry Ortega has launched a one million signature campaign in the internet to protest the recommendation of the government panel to exonerate the main suspects who were implicated in the crime.
Russia: Content Analysis of Party Manifestos
LJ-user schegloff analyses [ru] party manifestos of the Russian parties using Wordle word clouds. “Opposition can be identified by the word “must,” patriots by the word “Russia,” ruling party by the word “Unity,” concludes the blogger, speaking of the word frequency in each document.
Malaysia: Generation 709 Calls for Political Reforms
Following the Bersih democracy rally last July 9, a group of young Malaysians has come forward to continue the demand for free and fair elections, calling themselves ‘Generation 709’. The group hopes to reach out to more young people and mobilize them for political and civil rights through active use of social media
North Korea Plans to Buy Military Jets from Russia?
GI Korea from ROK Drop blog commented on latest allegations that North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il's recent visit to Russia was to buy new fighter jets.
Russia: Shark Attacks in Vladivostok
Russia is not known for sharks attacks, but this summer a number of incidents have occurred. Masha Egupova reports, and examines the blogosphere's response to the recent spate of shark attacks in the Russian Far East.
Trinidad & Tobago: Thoughts on the SoE
Outlish puts forward four reasons “why…the state of emergency should not be extended”, while KnowTnT.com sums up the first week of the SoE “from a few different angles.”
Spain: Racism and Intolerance Advance Relentlessly
In Europe, xenophobia advances at an immense rate. Author Ana Lucía Sá writes about the situation of immigrants in Spain, the invisibility of the issue of racism and hate crimes in public discourse, and offers comments and analysis from bloggers and organizations that work against racism.
Trinidad & Tobago: The “Granny Quilla” Video
Railing against the current state of emergency, a teen posts a video on YouTube; the government interprets it as racist and containing threats against the Prime Minister - Jumbie's Watch agrees, but B.C. Pires says: “The video is OBVISOULSY [sic] an attempt at comedy…doesn’t work very well…but that doesn’t mean...
Ecuador: Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Defamation Flees Country
The Knight Center's Journalism in the Americas Blog reports that Emilio Palacio, a journalist from newspaper El Universo “sued for criticizing President Rafael Correa, arrived in the United States Wednesday, Aug. 24″. The post adds: “Meanwhile, the newspaper El Universo published a letter directed at President Correa asking him to stop the legal...
Ghana: Ghanaian Political Lexicon for the Aspiring Politician
Abena discusses new additions to the Ghanaian Political Lexicon for the Aspiring Politician. The entries have been drawn mainly radio and television emanating from the Beacon of African Democracy (BAD).
Sudan: Sudan's Desire to Join the East African Community a Headache
Flight Africa notes that Khartoum’s application to join the East African Community is causing a diplomatic headache the member states: “No longer having any direct borders with any of the East African Community, the regime in Khartoum is thought to have placed their membership application to not only spite the...
Japan: Noda elected as leader of ruling party
Finance minister Yoshihiko Noda has been elected leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, and will become the next prime minister. On the Agora blog, Hiroshi Ohnishi calls [ja] it a safe, if low-key choice, while Seki Obata claims [ja] Noda's virtuous personality is the only way of survival for...