Stories about Citizen Media from March, 2013
Guyana: Hole in the Wall
The Seawall in Georgetown is a unique social hub – a place to see and be seen – so naturally, Guyana-Gyal is concerned about a massive hole “on top of the wall where people walk or jog…long, from left to right…almost one foot wide at one end.”
Migration a ‘Tragedy’ for Kyrgyzstan
About 2,000 young and well-educated professionals leave Kyrgyzstan every year. Begimai Sataeva on NewEurasia.net calls the outward migration of the bright and skilled young people a ‘real tragedy’ that affects Kyrgyzstan's economy and international competitiveness.
Senegal Releases Influential Religious Leader Charged in Disciples’ Murder
Accusations of injustice are flying after a Senegal court granted provisional release to Islamic leader Cheikh Bethio Thioune, a once privileged presidential ally in the predominantly Muslim country who was arrested in April 2012 on charges of ordering his followers to beat two men to death.
African Cinema Honored at Film Festival
Boukari Ouédraogo wrote [fr] about the 23rd Pan-African Film Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO, Festival Panafricain du Cinéma de Ouagadougou). The festival took place from February 23 to March 2, 2013: What I did notice is that African filmmakers are true messengers, real educators, historians, storytellers, etc. They speak directly to...
Regime Critic Goes Missing in Tajikistan
An outspoken regime critic and leader of a minority ethnic community has gone missing in Tajikistan. The country's internet users have largely missed his disappearance. The reactions from those who have paid attention to this case show that xenophobic attitudes run deep within Tajik society.
Interview: Brazil's Indigenous Before Eviction
Brazilian activist Nayana Fernandez interviewed some of the former dwellers of the indigenous settlement known as Maracanã Village, in Rio de Janeiro, days before they were violently evicted by the state government.
Chinese Couples Divorce to Dodge Property Tax
A capital gains tax hike in China has couples rushing to file for divorce to avoid paying a steep rate on the sale of their second home.
‘Good Morning Earth!': Tweets from Space
Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield), a Canadian astronaut “currently living in space aboard ISS as Commander of [Expedition 35],” has been tweeting his amazing photos of the Earth daily since Dec. 2012.
‘Thinking Big': Gambian IT Teacher Talks Moving the Classroom Online
Ousman Faal, a young computer instructor and IT professional from The Gambia, has traded the classroom for a blog. Global Voices recently caught up with Faal, the man behind Faal Academy, a website that offers video lectures, presentations, and tips on various computer programs.
Film Exposes Madagascar's Child Sex Trade
The journeyman.tv published on March 25 a detailed investigation using undercover filming to expose the booming child sex trade in Madagascar: One mother in the film testifies: My daughter was at school, I had no money and no job so she decided to become a prostitute. I finally decided not...
Exploring New Approaches For Poverty Reduction
The quest is on for solutions to poverty reduction with the approach of the 2015 deadline for the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDG). Many organizations are exploring new avenues for answers.
Venezuela Gears Up for Upcoming Elections
After the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, online conversations are focusing on the country's next political episode: the April 14 presidential elections. Although electoral campaigns have not officially kicked off, candidates and their supporters are already on the move.
Russians Can't Agree on Billionaire's Suicide
When Alexander Dobrovinsky, lawyer to Russia's rich and famous, announced on his Facebook that Boris Berezovsky, controversial Russian oligarch living as a refugee in London, had committed suicide, RuNet reacted with disbelief.
Nigeria's Chinua Achebe Remembered as ‘Trailblazer’ for African Literature
The world mourns the death of Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, whose internationally praised writing gave Africans a voice by destroying the mold cast by colonialism. He was 82. In a testament to the profound impact of his body of work, Achebe's death has been mourned around the world.
South Koreans Blast Authorities Over Hack Attack Handling
Nearly a week after a massive cyber attack against major websites in South Korea, the identity of the attackers remains unknown. Frustrated South Koreans have slammed authorities in their comments online for their incompetence in blocking such attacks and for taking political advantage of the situation by blaming North Korea.
Global Dialogues Seeks Stories for Short Films
Global Dialogues is promoting an international contest that challenges all young people worldwide (under 25 by April 10, 2013) to pitch an idea for a short film about HIV/AIDS and sexuality or about violence. Besides the prizes listed in the rules of the contest, Global Dialogues promises that “the best...
Maldives Rape Victim's Flogging Sentence Touches Off Anti-Tourism Campaign
Global outrage is growing against a Maldives court's verdict to flog a 15-year-old girl who is originally a victim of rape and sexual abuse. More than one million people have signed a petition created by the campaign website Avaaz.org, urging Maldivian authorities to protect the girl.
Barbados: Shutting People Out?
Has Barbadian society become more exclusionary? Code Red cites a report that suggests it might have.
How Will St. Lucia's Civil Servant Strike Turn Out?
A civil service strike in St. Lucia has dominated online conversation in the country, as netizens discuss issues like the size of the public service, St. Lucia's debt burden and the state of the trade union movement.
