Global Voices Digest for February 9th, 2008
Kenya: Bloggers rooting for peace and reconcilliation
“After many days of hatred and acrimony, Kenyans are now rooting for peace and reconciliation,” writes Rebecca Wanjiku from Nairobi. While blogs and other online forums had become new avenues of channelling tribal prejudices, bloggers are now using the same avenues to express the need for peace and justice.
Carnival: Videos from around the world
Carnival, a week of celebrations leading up to the Catholic day of Lent, has just culminated. Video Editor Juliana Rincon takes us for a YouTube tour of the festivities in Bolivia, French Guyana, Goa, India and Croatia.
China: Netizen Party announced
A former professor in China has announced a new political organization called the “Chinese Netizen Party.” Will the world’s most populous country leapfrog to democracy 2.0? John Kennedy translates the party’s initial manifesto as well as the thoughts of acting party chairman Zhang Buwei and netizens’ own reactions.
Russia: An Electrician’s View on Vasily Alexanyan’s Case
While Veronica Khokhlova’s previous translation dealt with the relative international silence that surrounded Vasily Alexanyan’s legal defense compared to the massive response from the Russian bloggers, here is a story of one Russian electrician who was not aware of Aleksanyan’s existence at all. Written by LJ user becky-sharpe, this sketch may (or may not) reflect on how Aleksanyan’s ordeal is viewed by those in Russia who do not rely on the online media as their primary sources of information.
Korea: Lunar New Year, do men also struggle?
“New Year Symptom” is a popular euphemism in Korea for a bout of depression that is said to be common among housewives. But what about men? Do they suffer from the winter holiday blues? Hyejin Kim translates from Korean.
Tanzania’s Cabinet dissolved after corruption scandal
Just three days after a report was released by a parliamentary committee investigating a controversial contract between the government and Richmond Development Company, Prime Minister Edward Lowassa stepped down, which led to a domino effect of other ministers mentioned in the report.
Roundups
An update from the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, a story of Soviet POW escaping from a Nazi forced labor camp during WWII, Chinese New Year festivities in Singapore … and lots more in today’s Global Roundups.