Stories about French from April, 2012
Algeria: Tributes Paid to Late President Ahmed Ben Bella
Following the death of Ahmed Ben Bella, Arab netizens have remembered the man who was Algeria's first president.
Tunisia: Relief at Lifting of Protest Ban
Tunisian netizens have expressed their relief at the lifting of the ban on protesting on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, but some have vowed not to let the matter rest. Salah Almhamdi reports.
Senegal: No Slack for President Wade After Peaceful Election Defeat
While the outside world seems to celebrate Abdoulaye Wade's peaceful election defeat in Senegal, the Senegalese blogosphere is still critical of Wade's tenure as a president. Bloggers recall the victims of pre-electoral violence, the violation of press freedoms and the multiple examples of bad governance
Tunisia: Mixed Reactions to Hacking of Prime Minister's Emails
On April 8 Anonymous Tunisia hacked the emails of the Tunisian prime minister Hamadi Jebali. The movement dubbed it "Operation Touche pas à ma Tunise" ("Get Your Hands Off My Tunisia") which is part of the broader "Operation Tunisia Back".
Mali: Silence of the Local Blogosphere
While the internet is inundated with blogs, tweets and videos from other countries, Malian internet users remain silent. The capital, Bamako, is still affected by serious power cuts as the fuel required for power stations runs out. Under these circumstances, the priority is not sending messages, but finding information about the new leaders of the north.
France: Taking a Stand for Regional Languages
On March 31, several simultaneous events took place in France's major cities, driven by the overarching goal of showing support to regional as well as indigenous languages. Rayna St. reports.
Mali : Opinions of a Blogger on the Military Coup
On his blog Askia Mohamed [fr] reviews the military coup of March 21, 2012 and in a post entitled Un peuple-Un but-Une foi [fr] (‘One people – One Aim – One Faith’), following a brief summary of the current situation, puts the Tuareg rebellion in an historical context.
Tunisia: Martyrs’ Day Clashes Leave Many Wounded
Tunisia's netizens and activist community were shocked on April 6, by the police response to a planned protest to mark Martyrs' Day. It came a day after a smaller protest by jobless young people was attacked by the police.
Tunisia: Police Use Tear Gas and Batons to Disperse Jobless Protesters
On April 7, 2012 the Union for Unemployed Graduates staged a protest in downtown Tunis. When the protesters attempted to break a ban on demonstrating on Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the capital's main avenue, police used tear gas and batons to disperse them.
Tunisia: Anger at Protest Ban on Main Street of Tunis
Tunisian netizens have expressed their anger at a ban on protesting on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis, the capital's main street and the Tunisian equivalent of Cairo's Tahrir Square.
Mali: A War, a Declaration of Independence and Conflicting Objectives
Things have been moving rapidly in the civil war that is tearing Mali apart. On Friday, April 6, Tuareg rebels of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) proclaimed the “Independence of Azawad.” In this crisis that threatens to sweep across the entire Sahel region, several actors with conflicting objectives are playing a dominant role.
Mali: An Introduction to the Tuareg Population
The blog of the Tuareg movement Temoust Survie publishes a post (via information from l'Express [fr]) that provides [fr] a brief introduction to the Tuareg culture : “we are a nomadic people living from farming and trade. The Tuaregs are estimated to be about 1.5 million in a region that spans across Mali,...
France: Pirate Party Fields Candidates in Legislative Election
The Pirate Party, which was started in Sweden in 2006, has since spread to other countries in Europe. In Germany, the local elections of Sunday, March 25, 2012, allowed the party to enter the parliament of Saarland after an earlier victory admitted it to the Berlin Parliament. This result has...
Guinea: Of the “Good Old Days” and Guinea's Future
Ma Guinée Plurielle wrote the following [fr] on the Salte Afrique blog : “I became downright pessimistic about the future of Guinea. When I was a little boy, I heard that yesterday was better than today but tomorrow will be alright eventually. Twenty-five years later, I am still hearing the same...
Mali : Coup Leader Steps Down as Tuaregs Enter Timbuktu
As Junta leader Sanogo announces that he vows to “re-establish, from today, the Malian constitution of Feb. 25, 1992 and the institutions of the republic”, and set up a transition body with Malian political parties, Tuareg rebels claim to have control over the town of Kidal and have entered Gao...
