· February, 2009

Below are posts about citizen media in English. Don't miss Global Voices, where Global Voices posts are translated into English! Read about our Lingua project to learn more about how Global Voices content is being translated into other languages.

Stories about English from February, 2009

Armenia: 1 March Anniversary

  28 February 2009

Dispatches from Armenia comments on tomorrow's first anniversary of the post-election clashes which left eight opposition supporters and two policemen dead. The blog calls the incident a slaughter at the hands of the authorities.

Azerbaijan: Sumgait

  28 February 2009

The Armenian Observer posts video from 21 years ago showing rioters in Sumgait during an anti-Armenian pogrom which left 26 ethnic Armenians and 6 Azeris dead.

Armenia: No dollars in Yerevan

  28 February 2009

Life in the Armenian Diaspora reports that panicked citizens have been converting their local currency so frantically that there are now no dollars to be found at exchanges in the Armenian capital, Yerevan. The blog blames the artificial manipulation of the Armenian dram to benefit government-linked importers.

Hong Kong: Budget report: university students on sale!

  28 February 2009

Financial Secretary of Hong Kong John Tsang made the budget speech for the fiscal year 2009-2010 at the Legislative Council on 25 of February. This is the first budget report after Hong Kong felt the pain from the downturn of global financial crisis. Unlike other areas, our government's finance remains...

Azerbaijan: Popular website back — minus forum

  28 February 2009

After several days of closure, the popular semi-independent Azerbaijani news and discussion website, Day.az, is back. However, raising additional questions about its brief disappearance, the site's forum — known for its open and somewhat democratic discussion — is not.

USA: Activists Incensed after Fatal Shooting by Police

  28 February 2009

Several people recorded mobile phone videos of a police officer shooting and killing a young man named Oscar Grant on a train platform in Oakland, California, on January 1. Since then, citizen media have been central in the ensuing campaigns for justice.

Video: Community Radios Fill the Information Gap

  28 February 2009

In a highly globalized and digitalized world, sometimes we may forget that in many regions of the world, not even electricity is available, and the possibility of using internet as an alternative information source is still a distant dream. It is in locations like Guatemala, Chad and India that community radio rises as the alternative for native communities to speak about their concerns, hear news and stories, receive information and all this in their native languages.

Bangladesh: Why The BDR Massacre?

  27 February 2009

Shada Kalo analyzes the motives behind the BDR (Border guards) mutiny in Bangladesh and discusses the intelligence and negotiation failures as the horror of massacre of army officers by the mutineers came to light today.

GCC: Currency Dilemma for Arab Gulf Consumers

  27 February 2009

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) hopes to achieve a monetary union, with a common currency, by 2010. Bloggers from the region, which groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, debate the merits of the union and more importantly what name they want for their new currency.

Uganda: Fire destroys Owino Market

  27 February 2009

A massive fire gutted Kampala's Owino Market early Wednesday morning, seriously injuring five people and destroying thousands of stalls. As many as 25,000 traders, mostly women, are estimated to have suffered losses.

Bangladesh: Massacre Cannot be Justified

  27 February 2009

“What do you call it when a group of ‘disgruntled’ BDR soldiers [Bangladesh border guards] started their expression of grievances by open-firing on the commissioned army officers? Mutiny? Rebellion? Revolt? Uprising?” asks Kotha-Chilo. The blogger concludes the post with: “BDR soldiers – now I feel ‘disgruntled’ at your massacre. I...

Jamaica: Passion

  27 February 2009

Jamaican diaspora blogger Geoffrey Phlip republishes text from a lecture he gave about the importance of pursuing your passions.

India: Environmental Scholars On a Very Cool Mission

  27 February 2009

About two weeks ago, I read in Tom Friedman's column in the New York Times about two young scholars from the U.S who were on a very impressive mission in India. Alexis Ringwald and Caroline Howe are touring the country in an electric/solar powered car to raise awareness about the...

Armenia: 1 March post-election clash anniversary

  27 February 2009

As the opposition prepares to mark the 1 March post-election clashes which left at least 10 dead, The Armenian Observer says tensions are increasing in the capital, Yerevan. Meanwhile, writing for the Frontline Club blog, Global Voices Online's Caucasus Editor comments on the release of two damning human rights reports...

Armenia: Dollar Panic

  27 February 2009

The Armenian Observer reports that many in the country are rushing to change their local currency into dollars and limits have been introduced at currency exchanges.

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