· June, 2009

Stories about Citizen Media from June, 2009

South Africa: To vuvuzela or not to vuvuzela?

  30 June 2009

Discussions about the popular instrument called the vuvuzela blown by South African football fans have dominated the blogosphere since the beginning of Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa, which ended last week. Journalists, TV viewers, coaches and some foreign players called for a ban of the instrument during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The debate is as loud as the instrument itself.

Angola: New highway code in action

  26 June 2009

Discussions around the changes brought by the new Angolan highway code have been taking place on the blogosphere and divided society. On one hand, the new code is seen as good because it will educate careless drivers, but some argue that the legislation contains costs that not everyone is able to meet.

Colombia: Living with Flooding in Barranquilla

  25 June 2009

Barranquilla in Colombia is the most important coastal city with a distinct characteristic: no rainwater drainage systems, so whenever it rains, the whole city floods with dangerous fast running rivers (called arroyos) replacing roads. On the following videos, taxis, cars and even buses float by on the streets as other citizens try to lend a helping hand to keep them from getting away.

Paraguay: Referendum on Performance of Congress

  25 June 2009

The relationship with the Paraguayan Congress has been difficult for President Fernando Lugo. His recent statements that he is analyzing the possibility of holding a referendum about the legislative branch's performance have raised suspicions about his true intentions. Critics claim that this shows his inability to come to a consensus with the parliament, while the ones who agree with this referendum are those who are far from satisfied with the Congress's performance.

Fiji: A roadmap towards elections?

  24 June 2009

Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama told an audience his government will soon begin work on the country’s new constitution and a “road map” to elections set to take place in 2014. He didn’t provide a timetable, or framework, but it is the first signs of the country gaining a new political and social code since April, when the President annulled the country’s 1997 Constitution.

Indonesia: Disappointing Election Debate

  23 June 2009

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim populated country, conducted its first ever presidential election debate. The country's three presidential hopefuls attended the debate. But many viewers and bloggers were disappointed with the debate.

Armenia: Opposition detainees released

Following a general amnesty agreed upon by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on 19 June, several senior opposition figures on trial and in detention for over a year since the 1 March post-election unrest in the country were finally pardoned and released. Many observers believe the trials were politically motivated.

Japan: On How to Perceive the Japanese Web (Part One)

  23 June 2009

Reporter Yuka Okada from the Japanese tech news site ITmedia brandished her well-regarded interviewing skills for a one-on-one session with Mochio Umeda. The result was “The Japanese web is ‘disappointing': An interview with Mr. Mochio Umeda” Part One and Part Two [ja]. In reaction, the Japanese blogosphere had to give...

Metropolis TV and Hivos: Independent People Videos

  23 June 2009

Metropolis TV is a Hivos and VPRO TV project based in the Netherlands, which brings together film-makers and civil video journalists from all over the world to record and transmit different aspects of life and culture in their homeland. Following, a few videos selected and played on the Netherlands TV station VPRO forWorld Humanist Day around a specific subject: to recognize individuals who live under the ideal of independence and being in control of their own lives.

Venezuela: The Relationship With Iran

  22 June 2009

The Venezuelan blogosphere has been both touched, and moved by the latest development in Iran. There have been blogger opinions that try to make comparisons with similar events in Venezuelan recent history, as well viewpoints on the support given by President Hugo Chavez to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, some point out that the relationship may not as simple as it may be portrayed.

Cambodia: Report outlines Khmer Rouge Tribunal's latest troubles

  22 June 2009

A report details the latest issues to plague the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. The report, released in late May 2009, states the Tribunal's legitimacy is threatened by charges of corruption and political interference. The Cambodian government has denied interfering with the Tribunal, including preventing judges of the court from interviewing witnesses who are current government employees.

Iran: Green Silent Protest Movement in photos

Protesters all over Iran continue their demonstrations against the June 12 presidential election result that declared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner. Supporters of Ahmadinejad's challenger, Mir Hussein Mousavi, and many Iranians who profess to believe in “change” continue to use the colour green as the symbol of their movement. Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi,...

Kenyans Race to Get Furadan Banned

  18 June 2009

Kenyan conservationists are making gains in their push to have Furadan, a carbofuran-based pesticide that has so far caused the death of 76 lions, banned in the country. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Naivasha Constituency, Honourable John Mututho, has now joined the call for a total ban on this...

Morocco: Beacon of Freedom of Speech?

Moroccan blogger Badr Al'Hamry on Agora [Ar], expresses his solidarity with Idriss Shahtan, director of Al Mishaal weekly newspaper, and president of the Khenifra branch of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights [Ar] who will stand accused of publishing a dossier that is discourteous to a relative of the king...

Moroccan Elections: The King's Party Triumphs

Whilst world attention was focused on the fiercely fought presidential election in Iran, communal elections held in June 12 in Morocco passed almost unnoticed by world media. The polls were officially hailed as crucial for the country's future and an important milestone in Morocco's protracted journey to democracy. Moroccan blogger's covered and commented the event, their hearts swaying between skepticism and full endorsement of the vote.

Azerbaijan: Persepolis

Global Voices Online author Ali S. Novruzov is interviewed by the OL! Azerbaijani youth movement on the movie Persepolis and comments on the role of women in post-revolution Iranian society.

USA, Singapore: On Buying Brides with Credit Cards

  15 June 2009

The Human Trafficking blog by Amanda Kloer at Change.org in the United States declared victory on Friday in their campaign to get the credit card company Diners Club International to stop doing business with a company in Singapore that sells Vietnamese mail order brides. More than 800 people signed a petition to get Diners Club to stop making it easier to purchase women for marriage.

Zimbabwe: Faces of the crisis and a cry for help

  12 June 2009

The CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation organization has published Time 2 Act, an online video in which people in Zimbabwe present the various ways in which the crisis the country is going through is decimating the population and the quality of life of the survivors. In the following 3 part video, citizens discuss how the mega devaluation the currency is going through affects their ability to eat and clothe themselves, speak about violence and plead for help from mediators such as the South African Development Community.

Indonesia: Deteriorating Primary Defense Weapon System

  11 June 2009

Another Indonesian military helicopter crashed on Monday in Cianjur, West Java, raising concerns among Indonesians regarding the country's deteriorating Primary Defense Weapon System. This issue is fast becoming a favorite agenda among presidential candidates. Election will be held next month.