Stories about French from December, 2009
The Year that Was in Madagascar: Part I
In part one of a three-part summary of the year in citizen media in Madagascar, Lova Rakotomalala recalls the turmoil that seized the country in the first four months of 2009.
D. R. of Congo : Human rights activist's house burnt down
Ouvertures website [fr] reports that the house of human rights activist, Emmanuel Kabengele Kalonji, in Congo has been burnt down while he is in Morocco to receive the Harubuntu Award from the Belgian NGO, Echos. His family was able to escape unharmed.
Lebanon: Don't Break the Egg!
The Beirut City Centre Dome, better known as "The Egg" has been threatened with demolition since 2006. Bloggers have been launching emotional appeals to save it from being destroyed. Katharine Ganly takes a look at the "Save the Egg" campaign.
Morocco: Another Blogger Imprisoned
On Monday, December 14th, Blogger Bashir Hazzam and Internet cafe owner Abdullah Boukhou were sentenced to four months and one year, respectively plus a fine of MAD 500 (USD 63) each, in a Goulmim court.
Controversies Surround French National Identity Debate
The national identity debate, launched by the French government a month ago, has had its critics on all sides of the debate: from those who speculate the official website is being run by Moroccans to intellectuals who have called for the closure of the Ministry of Immigration.
Madagascar's forests decimated for $460,000 a day
As the world's nations gather in Copenhagen for the UN Convention on Climate Change, Madagascar, having already lost 90% of its original forest, faces continued threats from black market logging, threatening to destroy what is left of one of the world's most diverse ecosystems.
Cameroon: Video Shows Harsh Conditions of Rural Medicine
As in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, doctors in Cameroon work without adequate training or equipment--a fact that in itself is not surprising, but is made disturbingly real by four young Americans who shot this amateur video of surgery in a rural hospital in Cameroon. Posted on 20mai.net, a Camerounian citizen media site, the video provoked a heated discussion.
Guinea: Attempt on Military Leader Dadis Camara's Life
According to several news sources, Captain Dadis Camara, leader of the military junta which seized power in Guinea in December 2008, was shot and wounded by one of his aides yesterday in Conakry. Many RFI readers, holding Camara responsible for the September 28th massacre of opposition protesters, call it justice.
Congo: Doctors without Borders tell people's stories through web video
Condition Critical is a website showcasing the stories of victims of the violence in Eastern Congo coordinated and launched by Doctors without Borders/Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF). With slideshows and first person accounts, they give a face to the conflict.
Climate Change Skeptics Incited by Leaked Emails
Hundreds of emails and documents from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia (UEA) have been hacked and posted online, adding fuel to the beliefs of climate change skeptics.
World AIDS Day: Fighting Discrimination Around the World
Millions around the world came together on Tuesday to show support for those living with HIV/AIDS. Online, in blogs and in forums, many assessed the progress made and the distance left to travel in the fight against discrimination and the spread of the disease. Here's a collection of text, images and video from those writing and speaking in French.
France: The Day Without Immigrants
With the embittering background of the French official debate about "national identity", a "Day Without Immigrants" was announced to take place on the 1st of March, 2010. How would the economy and society fare if so-called immigrants suspended all activity during 24 hours ?