Global Voices Digest

Bangladesh: Development Against All Odds

Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, relies heavily on its government and local NGO’s to help the country develop and integrate with the global knowledge-based economy. However, as Rezwan and fellow Bangladeshi bloggers document here, there are also local social entrepreneurs out to make a difference on their own accord.

Arabisc: Job Hunting in Bahrain?

What’s the only thing more difficult than being a college student? Knowing what to do once you finish. Amira Al Hussaini introduces us to busy-blogger “Madas Ayatulla” who must certainly forgo sleep to find the time to post. And for all you graduates, “how to search for and get a job in the Kingdom!”

Americans in Moldova; Moldovans in Italy…

“Ours is a small country and I don’t understand who has stayed home if there are so many of us here.” So comments Snejana, a homesick Moldovan living in Italy who stays connected to her homeland through one of Moldova’s most popular weblogs. Read the rest of her eloquent comment, translated from Romanian by Lyndon Allin, in this, our first real look into Moldova’s blogosphere.

China: Nation’s first citizen reporter?

On Tuesday, a large photograph of Wu Ping’s now infamously isolated “nail house” in Chongqing covered the front page of the New York Times. You can be sure that Wu Ping’s humble abode would never have reached one of the world’s most widely read newspapers if it were not for the dedicated coverage of bloggers like Zola Zhou, dubbed by many of China’s “cyber-elite” as their country’s first citizen reporter.

Roundups

On Monarchy and Monarchs in Nepal, Estonia’s new coalition government, Sudan: is it genocide or civil war?, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

Turkey is Typing…the Weekly Favorites

In Turkey this week a political blogger gets passionate after switching hosts, Talk Turkey speculates on possible presidential candidates, Carpetblogger involves us in a clandestine mission to find forbidden white meat, and two bloggers cover the big screen with reviews of the new release Mutluluk and … the Turkish version of the Exorcist?!

Global Voices in Moscow

Does Russia need citizen journalism? Is participatory online conversation truly egalitarian or just a new space for younger elites? Are blogs becoming an instrumental factor in international relations? These are just some of the questions that brought journalists, bloggers, and academics together in Moscow for the First International Conference on Blogs, Media and Citizen Journalism. Global Voices Kazakhstan contributor Leila Tanayeva was there and provides us with this summary of the discussion.

Africa: Bloggers Differ on Reparations and Apology for Slavery

Two centuries ago, Britain passed the Slave Trade Act, abolishing the slave trade throughout the British empire. Commemorating that historical decision, writes Ndesanjo Macha, “a number of events such as art exhibits, lectures, church services, and parades have been taking place all over the world. In England, Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed deep sorrow, Mayor Kevin Livingstone made a formal apology. In cyberspace, the Archibishops Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu used YouTube to share their reflections on slave trade.” But are apologies enough? And what about Africa’s historical role in the slave trade? Macha helps us navigate through a truly vibrant discussion taking place in African cyberspace.

Arabisc: In Keeping with Fashion, Algerian Blogger Sued

The struggle for free speech continues in North Africa; this time in the courts. Amira Al Hussaini translates a post from Abdulsalam Baroudi, an Algerian blogger who has been sued by a government official for libel. We also get wind of a new campaign in Egypt protesting a proposal by Judge Abdel Fattah Mourad to block 21 blogs and websites deemed dangerous to national interests. Meanwhile, Moroccan blogger Mohammed Saeed Hjiouij continues to highlight his favorite Arabic blogs.

Iran: Connecting the Medical World and Norouz Inspires Reflection

The Iranian New Year celebration of Norouz served as a measuring stick for bloggers to reflect on their country’s progress over the past year. Hamid Tehrani links to the good, the bad, and the happy. Also, an Iranian-American video blogger who hopes to connect Iranian medical professionals with their colleagues around the world.

Arepa de Huevo from Colombia, Ceviche from Ecuador and Pupusas from El Salvador!

Let’s end the day on a tasty note. Or how about five tasty notes as Chef Melissa De Leòn Douglass fills our plates with recipes from around Latin America. Arepa de huevo from Colombia, ceviche from Ecuador, pupusas from El Salvador, gallo pinto from Nicaragua, and maracujá from Brazil. I’m stuffed.

Roundups

China’s spoofing controversy, reporting on arrested reporters in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan’s shortage of university spaces, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

Peru: Plagiarism at Every Level

As the internet does what it does best, finding links were previously none existed, will resourceful bloggers discover hitherto unknown instances of text theft by well-regarded journalists, columnists, and authors? That’s what has happened in several cases recently in Peru. Juan Arellano reports.

Nepal: Gaur Massacre

Who was responsible for the March 21 Guar Massacre which left 29 dead and more than 40 injured? Were the Maoists set up? Will the peace process go forward? Paramendra digs through Nepal’s blogosphere in search of the answers.

Russia: Variations of Dissent

Veronica Khokhlova keeps us abreast of continued reaction following this past weekend’s loosely defined “Dissenters’ March” in Nizhniy Novgorod.

France: Line Crossed in the Hunt for Immigrants

As French presidential elections come, undocumented immigrants are suddenly sent away. Lova Rakotomalala translates two posts about France’s anti-immigrant hysteria.

Bolivia: Bolivian Television’s Watchdog

Could a few independent-minded Bolivian bloggers help reform the sensationalistic coverage of evening news? What about the soap-opera scriptwriting of national films? Is it time for a new generation to take power behind the big screen?

The Israeli Blogs-Looking for an Advocate

Deborah Ann Dilley gives us a far-too-rare glimpse into the Israeli blogosphere, where pot is “not kosher” for Passover, 18-year-olds must head to the army … and then India, and several bloggers are posting for peace. Are you tired of reading the same dozen or so blogs? Why not find some “treppenwitz” and join new coversations?

Roundups

Cycles of a wartime blogosphere in Sri Lanka, on Putin’s article in The Times, picking cotton in Uzbekistan, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

The Oldest Blogger in the Balkans

“In the evening, Radmilo Ristic, a 74-year-old retired high school professor, likes to attend theater plays, gallery openings, literary nights, round-table discussions and other similar events that take place around Kragujevac, a city in Central Serbia. When Ristic comes back home, instead of the traditional paper and pen, his computer awaits him.” Find out what Ristic has been writing lately in Ljubisa Bojic’s excellent feature piece.

Egypt: Bloggers Among Egyptian Demo Detainees

In the first of two posts following the fates of Egyptian bloggers detained for protesting recent amendments to the constitution, Amira Al Hussaini describes the mood in downtown Cairo, both online and off.

Egypt: Arrested Activists and Bloggers Released in the Desert

Arrest them downtown and release them in the desert? In her follow-up post, Al Hussaini reveals what life is like behind bars in an Egyptian detention center and how one judge is hoping to silence cyber-dissent.

Mozambique: Blasts Kill Dozens in Maputo

“Citizens don’t seem to trust the media to find out the thruth about the tragedy,” writes Jose Murilo Junior in his coverage of online reaction to the deadly blasts at Mozambique’s largest arms depot in Maputo. As soldiers comb through the capital city’s working class neighborhoods for live munitions, bloggers want to know why 20 tons of obsolete explosives from the country’s civil war era were stockpiled in a dangerous depot.

Armenia off balance: Government resigns over PM’s death

Just a month and a half before parliamentary elections, Andranik Margaryan, Armenia’s longest serving Prime Minister and head of the ruling Republican party, died of a heart attack at a time, according to Artur Papyan, “when stability is crucial for the country.” Here are the initial reactions by local bloggers.

Lebanon: Spring, Art and Dilemmas

In a fitting homage to the rebirth that comes with spring, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the vernal equinox in Lebanon. “Bloggers tend to post more about love, nature and sunshine, reflecting the general upbeat mood,” says Moussa Bashir. “Even the political posts tend to be plans, strategies or analyses about how to make things better.”

Egypt: Free Kareem Rallies and What Kareem Wrote

We return to Egypt one final time today and return to the case of 22-year-old former Al Azhar University student, Abdulkareem Nabeel Sulaiman and his ongoing imprisonment for articles he wrote on his personal blog which allegedly insulted both Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Want to know just exactly what it was that Kareem wrote? Amira Al Hussaini points the way.

Tunisphere: March 20, Mayans and Arabs

Tunisia’s Independence Day fell on the fourth anniversary of the United States’ occupation of Iraq, inviting inspection into modern interpretations of “colonization” and “independence.”

Russia: User Guide

Veronica Khoklova’s brief post focuses on the rallies that took place over the weekend in various parts of Russia, and on one blogger, in particular, who gets hold of a promotional booklet from a pro-Kremlin rally and describes it as “a brief user guide. For an extremely simple device. . . .”

Roundups

Post-election analysis of Hong Kong politics, troubles facing Russian universities, advertisements from Pakistan’s past, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

Nepal: Roar against Internet Shutdown

What’s a blogger without internet access? Clearly not a happy individual. When the Internet Service Providers Association in Nepal, protesting the beating of a hotelier, decided to shut off internet access in the country for two hours each day, they learned what it was like to be on the business end of a wrathful blogger’s keyboard. Ujjwal Acharya reports.

Bahrain: Storms and D-cups

Two storms are making their way through the Bahraini blogosphere: one quite literal, the other with, shall we say, more figure. Two bloggers record their experiences of a sudden Thursday night dust storm. Ayesha Saldanha and company then fill us in on a debate over whether or not the American restaurant chain Hooters should be making its way to the Middle East.

Small taste of Chilean writers and poetry part I

“Chile is well known as a country of poets,” notes Rosario Lizana, “including Nobel Prize Winners Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature (1945) and Pablo Neruda, one of the most influential poets of the 20th century (1971).” But as tomorrow’s aspiring poets and novelists take to the internet today, are we witnessing a rise of Lit 2.0?

DRC: Violence, Bloggers Trapped and Sleeping on Floor, Soldiers Looting

“Bloggers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been providing first-hand accounts of clashes” in the capital city, writes Ndesanjo Macha following Thursday night’s flare-up between goverment soldiers and troops loyal to Jean-Pierre Bemba, a former warlord turned senator and leader of Movement for the Liberation of Congo.

Prosperous Armenia party everywhere!!!

While Armenia gets ready for this year’s parliamentary elections, Artur Papyan fills us in on what’s behind the writing on the wall. Also: 15 years after the fall of the Soviet Union, how has democratic capitalism treated Armenia?

Kuwait: Are Bloggers Such a Threat?

Find out why The Diwaniya, a popular talk show hosted by political analyst Dr. Shafeeq Ghabra and aired on the government-run Kuwait Television Channel One, was taken off air without warning after an episode featuring several Kuwaiti bloggers and Bahraini blogger, Mahmood Al Yousif.

Bachelor Degree for President and the MP’s Laptop

The People’s Representative Council of Indonesia is considering an amendment to the constitution which would require at least a bachelor’s degree as eligibility to be considered for presidential candidacy. As it so happens, this would disqualify former president and would-be presidential candidate, Megawati Sukarnoputri. Also, free computers for MP’s: good investment or taking money from the people?

Kuwait: A Week Goes by

From the changing dynamics of Middle East business to social segregation at Kuwait University, from a bookstore that just couldn’t make it any longer to the country’s newest shopping mall, Abdullatif Alomar’s latest dispatch from Kuwait City has a bit of everything.

Syrian Blogsphere on Culture: Old Damascus Campaign, Norouz Day and “Tleebeh”

Once again, we find a community of bloggers hoping to rescue history from the bulldozers of “progress.” This time Syrian bloggers speak out against plans by Damascus’ city council to build over two historic bazaars. Also, reflections on “Tleebeh”, the traditional way for a suitor (accompanied by his entourage) to ask for his love’s hand in marriage.

Roundups

Malawians turn to blogging, development of Choor Dhar Hills in India, potential uses for Twitter in Africa, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

It’s now been over four years since the United States and allies invaded Iraq under the alleged threat of “weapons of mass destruction.” Four years; longer than the United States was in Europe during World War II. How do everyday Iraqis look back over those four years? How do they measure the changes that have been forced upon their lives, their families? What fortune or misfortune do they see on the horizon? Salam Adil is here to tell you.

Uganda: Why didn’t Ugandan bloggers write about the nation’s biggest story?

Ugandan bloggers may have kept quiet this past week on Uganda’s biggest story, but they did serve up some sharp analysis on Uganda’s peacekeeping rolls in southern Sudan and Mogadishu as well as a light-hearted guide to “36 hours in Kampala.”

What Salvadoran bloggers are saying — about the passing of a witness

“If your only source of news was the main Salvadoran newspapers,” writes Tim Muth from San Salvador, you might have missed the passing of Rufina Amaya, the sole survivor of the 1981 El Mozote Massacre, which left 1,000 villagers dead in Morazan province. Salvadoran bloggers fill the void, honoring Amaya with eloquent blog tributes and YouTube homages.

Arabisc: Rebelling Bloggers from Syria to Tunisia

What happens when you speak your mind where free speech is oppressed? You pay the price. Amira Al Hussaini tells the stories of exiled Tunisian blogger (and Global Voices Director of Advocacy) Sami Ben Gharbia, Syrian blogger Roukana Hamour, and Egyptian cyber-activist Rami Seyyam.

Part One: Inside the school of the Egyptian blogosphere

Part Two: Inside the school of the Egyptian blogosphere

The Egyptian government has been making the headlines lately, for its now almost daily harassment of the country’s increasingly vocal — and organised — bloggers. In his two-part article, Sami Ben Gharbia explores the whys and wherefores of the situation, offering some much-needed context and getting an insider’s view from three of the Egyptian blogosphere’s young turks.

China: Homeowners hold their ground

Creative and resourceful Chinese netizens found a movement to rally behind when two Chongqing residents refused to evacuate their house in accordance with China’s new “all-property-is-public-property” law. Can a single couple and their army of internet supporters stop the bulldozers of modern progress in the name of private property?

Roundups

Military presence mars Navruz celebrations in Kyrgyzstan, Slovenia’s diabolical parking meters, from lowly-paid Filipina nurse to social media maven, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

300: More Than a Movie for Many Iranians

Zack Snyder’s film “300″, a Hollywood interpretation of Frank Miller’s comic book series, depicts a fictionalized account of the Battle of Thermopylae in which Sparta’s King Leonidas allegedly resists Persian King Xerxes and his million man army. The poetic license taken by scriptwriters outraged many Iranians, but others wonder if protests should be focused on less cinematic spheres of life.

Sudan: ICC on War Crimes in Darfur, USS Cole, Funky Hairstyle & More

The common view of of Darfur’s violence emanating from an Arab versus African conflict was shattered last month when the International Criminal Court accused two suspects of committing war crimes, including one very dark-skinned Ahmed Mohamed Haroun. According to The Sudanese Thinker, the view that “‘Darfur is a genocide perpetrated by Arabs against Africans’ is an oversimplification of what’s really happening.”

India: New Year Celebrations

One of the greatest parts of belonging to a global community is that there is always a party somewhere. Kamla Bhatt wishes readers a happy Ugadi/Gudi Padwa, a Hindu New Year’s festival celebrated in various states around India. Here is your guide on what to wear, what to eat, and how to behave.

Arabisc: A Mysterious Bug Gnawing at Middle Eastern Bloggers

“Something is amiss on the Middle Eastern blogging scene,” writes Amira Al Hussaini. “In addition to trouble with the law in their countries, which are closing in on freedom of speech and expression, bloggers have another demon to confront.”

Kurdistance: Newroz

Much like Ugadi in southern India, Kurds also celebrate “New Year” or Newroz on the vernal equinox. Deborah Ann Dilley is quick to point out, however, that “while the event is technically a cultural holiday, for the Kurds there is a political aspect to it as well” as “the holiday comes after a period of mourning for the 1988 Anfal campaign where thousands of Kurds died in gas attacks.”

German “Open Music” Band Dedicates a Concert for Peru

If YouTube can launch a truly terrible “techno-folklorist” from rural Ecuador into international cyber-stardom, then surely anything is possible, even a blog-by-blog world tour for Röntgenschall, a small German band with big dreams.

China: Book banned prior to printing

Will the Chinese rule of law save Dai Huang’s book, “A Narrow Escape From Death: My ‘Right-wing’ Life” from censorship? John Kennedy translates a forum posting by civil rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang explaining why he decided to represent Dai and the significance of the case.

Roundups

Estonia, Russia, football, and politics, “South Africa’s Technorati”, music, history, and censorship in Chile, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

Brazil: Women’s Petition for a ‘Right to Respond’

That massive protest which greeted US President George W. Bush on his recent visit to Brazil was also the unlikely catalyst of a new campaign by Brazilian woman seeking fairer and more accurate representation in the mainstream media and advertising world. Jose Murilo Junior, with the help of fellow Brazilian bloggers, explains how the campaign developed and what it hopes to achieve.

Zimbabwe: Man killed, opposition arrested and tortured

“The Zimbabwean government, backed into a desperate corner by a growing groundswell of protests, lashed out violently last week,” reports Zimpundit. That violence included the death of Gift Tandare on his way to a prayer meeting and the brutal beating of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. “Zimbabwe’s state-owned media only gave the violence and police brutality cursory mention,” writes Zimpundit, leaving the nation’s bloggers to get the stories out.

Global Voices en Français Celebrates Journée Mondiale de la Francophonie

I hope that everyone had a memorable Francophonia Day. If you would like to celebrate with more than just french fries, check out Alice Backer’s description of a new endeavour underway at Global Voices to get the global conversation translated into non-English languages. If you’re bilingual and willing to lend a helping hand, don’t be shy!

Filipino Bloggers Discuss Homeschooling

Preetam Rai tunes us in to a fascinating conversation among Filipino bloggers about the respective advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling versus traditional classroom education. Does new technology make homeschooling less of a burden for today’s busy parents? Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section.

Turkey is Typing….Business and Travel

The themes of travel and business wove a common thread this week in Turkey, where the cost of living is going up as are many new buildings in the bi-continental metropolis of Istanbul. Also: an intro to Turkey’s presidential race and one blogger’s fear of flying.

Non-Political Reactions to Bush’s Visit to Guatemala

While Brazilian feminists were upset by the media’s obsession with anti-Bush protests, Guatemalan bloggers responded to local protests against George Bush’s brief visit with bemused resignation. Renata Avila cites and translates key excerpts.

Roundups

Hip-hop in Palestine, the death of Pakistan’s cricket coach, Google Apps in Kenyan universities, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

South Africa: Podcasting Is Taking Off

Grab your headphones and get ready for Tyler Reed’s comprehensive introduction to South African podcasting. With a new competition offering major cash prizes, it seems likely that these early innovators will soon be joined by a new cadre of audiophiles.

Lebanon: Meanings and Consequences

Writes Moussa Bashir: “This week’s summary is a selection of posts that focus on meanings and on repercussions. For example, what does it mean to be a modern man or a leftist in Lebanon and what is the aftermath of not caring for rural communities and of not developing agriculture as a means of production? Other topics involve the new poverty rates in Lebanon and how political bickering is taking its toll on young students.”

Senegal Army: Face of Luxury, Back of Misery

“In its usual deadpan humor,” begins Francophone Language Editor Alice Backer, “Blog Politique du Senegal highlights an architectural anecdote about the military headquarters of Senegal to make a wider point about the army’s budget and priorities.”

Arabisc: A Pictorial Tour of the Middle East

Amira Al Hussaini’s illustrated tour of the Middle East this week begins on a road trip to Riyadh; then to Bahrain where we meet a rare bird that is anything but camera shy; to Egypt for a dose of farm life; and the United Arab Emirates, where “stove-cycles” keep the pizza warm.

South Asia: Cricket Victories and Upsets

I still say that cricket is an insect, not a sport. But who doesn’t love a good upset? Neha Viswanathan says that South Asian cyberspace is abuzz with excitement following Ireland’s upset win over Pakistan and Bangladesh’s unexpected victory over India this past weekend at the Cricket World Cup taking place in the Caribbean.

Egypt: Arrested Bloggers Released Following Constitutional Amendment Clashes

21 Egyptian activists, including three bloggers, arrested at a March 15 protest against recent constitutional amendments have since been released. Amira Al Hussaini has an update, including news that the same Kifaya opposition group has planned another protest for today at noon.

Bolivia: Taking the Coca out of Coca-Cola and Onto the Seal

If a single plant can symbolize national sovereignty, for Bolivia, that plant is surely coca. Though rich in proteins and vitamins, coca is better known throughout most of the world as the raw material in the production of cocaine. Now, a new proposal to add the coca leaf to Bolivia’s national seal has stirred debate throughout the country.

Roundups

Bloggers work together to protect the Losheng Sanatorium in Taiwan, pictures of homes of the wealthy in Armenia, paying tribute to Caribbean intellectual Lloyd Best, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.

Nepal: Abdication talks and the provocative CD

Nearly a year after Nepal’s pro-democracy revolution, which brought Maoist rebels together with a coalition of opposition political parties, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala upped the ante by suggesting that King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras should renounce the thrown. Ujjwal Acharya rounds up the reactions by fellow Nepalese bloggers. Also: much ado about compact disc propaganda.

Africa: Blogging business, investment, and entrepreneurship

Benin is back to follow up on his inaugural introduction to Africa’s business blogosphere. This week: a look at the seven Africans who appeared on Forbes’ 2006 list of billionaires; reflections from a young African fashion designer; a sneak peek at an exciting new online bridge between investors and African entrepreneurs; and thoughts on the rise of franchises in South Africa.

Malawi: Is homosexuality anti-Malawi?, Voices against former President, and Malawian blogger visits Yahoo!

Is there a cultural aspect to homosexuality? Is it un-Malawi to marry someone who is the same sex? Moving to elections, is it illegal for former president Bakili Muluzi to run for head of state again in 2009? And what went wrong at SAVoIP, an African voice over IP venture, to cause its closure?

Bachelet’s First year as President of Chile

Michelle Bachelet, single mother and social progressive, was elected as Chile’s first female president to much fanfare and high expectations a year ago. How did that first year go? According to Chile’s bloggers, Bachelet’s first year in office was more about crisis control than setting out to accomplish her ambitious campaign promises.

Russia: Who is “Maria Ivanova”?

When a March 11 Sunday Times piece on Maria Ivanova - a pseudonymous Russian journalist who allegedly received political asylum in the United States following several attempts on her life - entered Russia’s buzzing LiveJournal community, curiosity led to unintended consequences.

Jordanian Blogs: A Snow Day & Other Mid-March Tales

Naseem Tarawnah’s latest all-embracing dispatch from Syria breaks many stereotypes of the Middle East. First, we get a rare glimpse of snow; then, a personal look into “what it means to be a 30-something single woman in Jordanian society”; also, what’s behind the rising cost of living; and a look at the country’s growing design scene, including a newly established design center at Yarmouk University in Irbid.

China: Officer dismissed for blogging

According to John Kennedy, blogging in China is more likely to get you in trouble with the police than your boss. But then, what if your boss is a cop? Kennedy translates “Confessions of a canned cop” by Hubei-based Wu Youming, who we discover is a much more complex figure than your stereotypical Chinese police officer.

Roundups

Media for tolerance, campus “peacekeeping missions” by Philippine soldiers, Decoration Day in Liberia, and much more can be found in today’s Global Roundups.