Stories about Citizen Media from May, 2009
East Timor: Thoughts on Abortion A Few Days Before Law Approval
A heated debate about the provisions of a new draft penal code pertaining to abortion is taking place right now in East Timor. If the law is passed, abortion will become a crime and those who perform it will be punished with 2 to 8 years imprisonment, even in cases of incest or rape. The blogosphere reacts, Timorese women raising their voices and questioning why the more pressing issue of underage prostitution is not being debated instead.
Africa: Remembering Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
Africa has lost one of its greatest sons, Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem. He died on the eve of Africa Day in a car accident in Nairobi on his way to launch a maternal health campaign in Kigali, Rwanda. Tajudeen was the Director of Justice Africa, General Secretary of the Pan-African Movement, Chairperson for the Pan African Development Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP), Chair of the International Governing Council of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and Outreach Coordinator on the Millennium Development Goals in Africa.
Africa: Most African Countries Do Not Recognise Africa Day
Africa Day is the annual commemoration on May 25 of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Ethiopia. Public events have taken place in different parts...
Japan: A brief review of the eco-technologies
In mid May the Japanese Government has launched a stimulus package to boost the demand for energy efficient household appliances with a new eco-points system, details of which will be...
Fiji: Reaction to detention of alleged bloggers
Global Voices previously reported that Fiji police detained and seized the laptops of three people who had been named as bloggers behind the anti-government site Raw Fiji News. The three lawyers had recently been named by the pro-government site Real Fiji News. While police confirmed the detentions and laptop seizures, a spokesman would not say why the three men were hauled in. All three have been released, but no word as yet on their laptops.
Iran: Blogging against homophobia
A few Iranian bloggers wrote comments on ‘International day against homophobia' on May 17 and shared their concerns about existing discrimination against homosexuals in Iran.
Philippines: Storytelling for Hunger Awareness
A few years ago, a short film won the public's approval at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival, and to this day, it is still making its rounds through internet, raising awareness on poverty and hunger. Chicken Ala Carte by Ferdinand Dimadura is one of the videos we bring you today about hunger past, present and future.
Iran: In presidential race, ex-revolutionary guard leader uses internet least
Former leader of the Revolutionary Guard in Iran, Mohsen Rezai, was among the lucky four candidates selected by the Council of Guardians to run in the presidential elections on June 12. Rezai's digital campaign is lightweight compared to that of his three rivals, but he has listed the names of bloggers who support him on his campaign website.
Fiji: EU cancels 2009 sugar subsidy
The European Union announced that it was suspending 2009 payment of 24 million Euro in subsidies to help prop up Fiji’s sugar industry. European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid,...
Malawi: Twittering Malawi Elections 2009
Seven candidates are running for president in the fourth presidential elections in Malawi, including the incumbent Bingu wa Mutharika for the Democratic Progressive Party and the main opposition figure John Tembo, standing for the opposition coalition. Voters are also choosing their members of parliament. Anyone interested in the elections can follow updates from Malawian micro-bloggers.
Japan: Hatoyama is the next DPJ leader
Following Ichirō Ozawa's resignation, it's Yukio Hatoyama‘s turn to be leader of the Democratic Party of Japan once again – Tobias Harris on Hatoyama's leadership abilities, Ampontan with ‘some morsels...
Video: 48 Hour Young Lions YouTube Contest and others you can join
Tonight could be your chance to make it big in the online video field, almost anywhere you live. All it takes is 48 hours to make, upload and get as many votes on your video, and you could go to the Cannes Film Festival. If you can't make it on time, don't worry: following is a list of other contests open for participants from all around the world.
Azerbaijan: Bloggers speak about Baku youth protest, detentions
Following a terrifying shooting spree at a Baku university which left 13 dead, students took to the streets to demand that a national day of mourning be declared in Azerbaijan. With the request falling on deaf ears, several youth activists, among them some bloggers, planned to protest the inaction, and specifically a festive holiday of flowers scheduled for 10 May. Many were detained.
Fiji: Convicted soldiers freed on supervision plan
Fiji’s government admitted that eight soldiers and one policeman who had been found guilty of manslaughter have been released from prison, two months into their four-year sentences. A government spokesman said the Minister of Justice ordered their release under a compulsory supervision order, which allows certain criminals to serve the remainder of their sentences outside of prison
Japan: Marriage Hunting!
Since autumn of last year, in Japan, a new term has been floating in the air. It is konkatsu 婚活 (an abbreviation of kekkon katsudô 結婚活動), based on the popular...
Japan: Opposition leader's resignation
At his blog, essayist Takeyo Shimura (志村建世) discusses [ja] about the resignation of Japan's opposition leader Ichirō Ozawa (小沢一郎).
Kenya: World Renowned Elephant Matriarch Dies in Amboseli
World renowned Amboseli National Park elephant matriarch, Echo, has died from what the Amboseli Trust for Elephants (ATE) believes to be a combination of old age and the long 3-year...
Madagascar: Behind the Scenes of Foko Ushahidi SMS Alert System
A growing community of bloggers in Madagascar have been helping a global audience understand the political struggle between a former mayor and a president that recently drove their country into national disarray. A new initiative led by Malagasy bloggers captures witness accounts of social unrest via SMS text messages and Google maps using the Kenyan web interface, Ushahidi.
Brazil: The Character Assassination of a Presidential Candidate
It seems that Brazilian mainstream media have set aside good journalistic standards when it comes to news stories about President Lula's preferred presidential candidate, Dilma Roussef. This has not been missed by Brazilian bloggers, who have dissected a series of false media reports, including the unabashed publication of a fake police file that has been circulating on the internet for more than a year.
Southeast Asia: Twitter reactions on H1N1 virus
In the previous post, I featured the reactions of Southeast Asian bloggers on the H1N1 virus. This time, I will highlight the twitter reactions from twitterers in the region. Twitter posts are alternative sources of information and news updates about the virus scare. They also help us figure out the sentiments and knowledge of ordinary citizens about the H1N1.
Tanzania: Dar es Salaam Armoury Explosion Death Toll Rises
The death toll from the military depot blast in Dar es Salaam has gone up to 22. Six service personnel and 16 civilians have been confirmed as killed by the military depot blast on Wednesday April 29, 2009, at the Mbagala Armoury, 15 kilometres outside the city centre of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city with a population of about 3.5 million. J. Nambiza Tungaraza visits Tanzanian Swahili blogs discussing the tragic accident.
