Stories about Citizen Media from March, 2011
Cameroon: Government Interferes With Internet Service
Ingenieris.net [fr], a Cameroonian information website focused on ICT news, announced [fr] on March 24, 2011, that the Cameroonian government intends to request Internet Service Providers (ISP) in the country to register the IP (Internet Protocol) addresses of their users. G. Izane, the author of the article, explains that the same type...
Global Voices’ translator: Jean Saint-Dizier
Jean Saint-Dizier, aka "Juan", is a volunteer translator for Global Voices in French. Madly in love with Brazil, his second homeland, and with Portuguese, Juan translates from Portuguese to French every post about Brazil published on Global Voices because "Brazil is a chance for the world, and I want to share it".
El Salvador: Citizen Reactions to Obama's Visit
The visit of the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has sparked comments in favor and against his trip among Salvadoreans. The visit has also stirred up a heated debate on the Salvadoran blogosphere.
Japan: The Importance of Getting Back to Normal
As more time passes since the devastating Earthquake that shook Japan on March 11th, people in Japan are feeling the need to return to normal and put the disaster behind them. Although for many Japanese who lost their homes or loved ones this will be quite difficult, those who weren't as unlucky feel the need to do their part and help the economy get back on its feet.
Brazil: Satirical Video pokes fun at famous singer's blog
The Javipior blog has made video spoof on the upcoming poetry blog [pt] by Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia, estimated at R$ 1.3 million tax free (Brazilian reais – approximately US$ 777,000). The poem recited at the video criticizes using tax incentives to cover the blog expenses, “I know I'm taking...
Côte d'Ivoire: Laurent Gbagbo Facebook Fan Page Deleted
Claudus Kouadio revealed in a blog post [fr] on March 23, 2011, that the Facebook fan page of Laurent Gbagbo – the incumbent Côte d'Ivoire president who refuses to step down after losing the 2010 presidential election – has been deleted. The memory cache of the page on the social networking...
Paraguay: Photo Blog Reveals Dangers of Childbirth
Most Paraguayans are not aware of the high rates of death from childbirth and abortion in the country. These issues are rarely reported on mainstream media. This is why running into Rodrigo Alfaro’s photo blog post on death from childbirth in Paraguay is horrifying and shocking --even for a Paraguayan.
Côte d'Ivoire: “Why is no one intervening in Ivory Coast?”
Violence continues in Ivory Coast. Charles Blé Goudé has called for the Young Patriots, supporters of the outgoing president, Laurent Gbagbo, to enlist in the army. Now thousands of young men have turned up at the headquarters of the Ivorian Army in the capital Abidjan. Having seen how the United Nations agreed on a military intervention in Libya, some Ivorian netizens are wondering how far the situation is going to degenerate before the international community intervenes.
Venezuela: Learning to Play the Cuatro on the Web 2.0
The cuatro - an instrument in the guitar family - is the principal icon of traditional Venezuelan music. A love for the cuatro has also reached citizen media, where songs are shared, and its history, musicians and even how to play the instrument, are widely discussed.
Brazil: Obama's Visit Marked by Protests, Repression and Criticism
Intended to be a party, US President Obama's first visit to Brazil was marked by the controversial decision for his country to intervene militarily in Libya, in addition to the "covering up" of the favelas and protests followed by violent police repression.
Russia: Human Bots Fight Opposition
As Internet control becomes more and more sophisticated, new techniques join the arsenal of online deception and discreditation. Vadim Isakov analyzed the phenomena of 'human bots,' paid commenters willing to turn any constructive conversation into the mess.
Zambia: Opposition Leader Risks His Political Neck Over Gays
Leader of Zambia’s biggest opposition party, the Patriotic Front, Michael Sata is in political hot water because of an interview he allegedly gave to a Danish newspaper in which he stated that Zambian laws in fact recognise homosexuality.
Mexico: U.S. Drones Gather Intelligence on Drug Cartels
A story first reported on March 15 by The New York Times has garnered strong responses from Mexican netizens based at home and abroad. Citing American and Mexican officials, the paper reported that "the Obama administration has begun sending drones deep into Mexican territory to gather intelligence that helps locate major traffickers and follow their networks."
Guinea: Miss Guinea France 2011 Speaks Out against Excision
Interviewed by Mrs Nenette Baldé on the blog nenehawa.com, Binta Diallo, the winner of Miss Guinea France 2011, thinks [Fr] that: “The worst is that little Guinean girls associate excision with purity and believe that this is what will make them honorable, exceptional women. That's why I evoked the risks...
Togo: The Regime facing the Media
Bernard Bokodjin wrote [Fr] on his blog pambazuka.org: “In a country where the opposition is not strong enough [yet] nor well structured to counterweigh a repressive regime that violates the principles of democracy and good governance, the press remains one of the spaces where freedom of expression can counter the...
Pakistan: Investigating Loan Write-offs A Bad Idea
Feisal Naqvi at Monsoon Frog explains why the investigation into loan write-offs was a bad idea.
Côte d’Ivoire : Terror in Abidjan
Abidjan a connu avant le début de la guérilla qui sévit depuis quelques jours une série de violences inédites, des attaques contre les domiciles privés des adversaires politiques de Laurent Gbagbo. De plus des actes de lynchage ont été pris en vidéo dans la commune de Youpogon. Ces actes de violence publiés sur le web ont provoqué de vives réactions.
Costa Rica: Netizens Discuss Wikileaks Cables
Newspaper La Nación of Costa Rica is the first Central American media outlet to receive and publish diplomatic cables related to the country. The content of these cables has provoked different reactions in Costa Rican blogs and social networks; opinions are as diverse as the topics covered in the cables.
Ecuador: New Developments and Cyber-Activism in Chevron Case
On February 14, 2011, an Ecuadorian judge ruled that oil company Chevron had to pay US$9.5 million in environmental damages. Almost a month later, Chevron has appealed the sentence; citizens and activists are sharing information and taking part in online campaigns for this case.
Georgia: Journalists Dismissed Because of Facebook Hate Speech
On 18 March 2011, the Georgian Public Broadcaster dismissed two of its journalists, Giorgi Tukhareli and Giorgi Gabrichidze, because of offensive comments they made on Facebook against homosexuals as and the Vatican as well as the Catholic Church.
Pakistan: Citizens In Action After Minority Minister's Assassination
On the 2nd of March, an unknown gunmen shot and killed Pakistan's Federal Minister For Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti. He was assassinated for their stance on the blasphemy law. A letter writing campaign initiated by a blogger to protest this received responses from over 15,000 people from different walks of life.
