· April, 2009

Stories about Digital Activism from April, 2009

Kosovo, Ukraine, Russia: Social Media and Politics

  23 April 2009

Blogging Balkanistan writes that Kosovo’s PM Hashim Thaci is planning to join Facebook and that “several leading opposition party candidates already have accounts.” Petro's Jotter explores the Ukrainian political Twitter-sphere, here and here. Siberian Light explains how to connect with Twitter users interested in Russia. Window on Eurasia believes that...

Sri Lanka: Internet Strengthens Democracy

  22 April 2009

ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) comments: “the Internet and web can and will be used for democracy and human progress and that more, not less, information in the hands of citizens strengthens democratic governance.”

Brazil: Judicial decisions, a growing threat to online freedom

  22 April 2009

When it comes to freedom on the Internet, Brazil is a free country according to recent report. However, bloggers face a growing threat from judicial decisions leading to content censorship and the risk of prosecution for libel and defamation. News of blogs being closed down, bloggers having to delete posts or receiving threats abound, appearing on a near monthly basis.

Caribbean: Earth Day

  22 April 2009

A few regional bloggers acknowledge the significance of Earth Day: Grenada's Spicewriter, Jamaica's Life, Unscripted, on the Rock and Bermuda's cartoon blog, The Devil Island.

Bahamas: Check Your Contents

  22 April 2009

On the subject of Bahamian cultural heritage, Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith says: “The real issue here is one of judgment. We already spend huge amounts of taxpayer dollars on packaging the Bahamas overseas, while very little thought or money is invested in the product we are selling.”

Cuba: The Outside World

  22 April 2009

“The Summit of the Americas ended yesterday and it doesn’t appear that an urgent meeting of parliament…is being convened to discuss the proposals made by Obama”, writes Cuba's Generation Y, adding: “I can’t help asking myself, then, if all this ‘olive branch’ and the willingness to touch on broad themes,...

Barbados: Maloney Inquest Verdict

  22 April 2009

Barbados Free Press blogs about the upcoming inquest verdict on the death of I’Akobi Maloney, saying: “No matter what the findings of the coroner, the big losers in this inquest are every officer of the Royal Barbados Police Force.”

Iran: Islamist bloggers’ poems in praise of Ahmadinejad

While several Iranian bloggers criticized President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the United Nations conference on racism in Geneva yesterday, some Islamist bloggers praised his performance. Hamed Talebi, on his blog Khabarnegar Mosalman (“Muslim Reporter”) says [fa] “our artist friends beautiful are writing poems to support Ahmadinejad. During revolutionary and pro justice speeches’ of Ahmadinejad...

Haiti: Senate Elections

  21 April 2009

Alice Smeets posts a series of photographs of Haiti's senatorial elections this past weekend, while My Life, an Open Book… says: “It turned out to be a terrible election…not because people were killed, but because the voice of the people was not heard.”

Trinidad & Tobago: Return on Investment?

  21 April 2009

“Trinidadians always buy into this idea that hosting something will get us lots of free press. Thing is: no-one really cares all that much who hosts the summit. Perhaps you get a few extra googles…but the idea that these things pay for themselves is delusional”: Club Soda and Salt is...

Guyana: Doing His Part

  21 April 2009

Guyanese blogger Imran Khan is doing his part “to help save electricity, thereby saving fuel, thereby saving the environment.”

China: Impact of New Media

  21 April 2009

China Digital Times reports on Liu Jianqiang, Zhang Ping, Wang Lixiong's sharing on the impact of new media in a round table discussion at the University of California, Berkeley.

Azerbaijan: Student protest

  21 April 2009

Following the expulsion of Parviz Azimov from his university in Lankaran State University, the Dalga youth movement have staged an action demanding his reinstatement. Video of the protest at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Sport and Youth is available on YouTube.

China: Free Wu Baoquan

  21 April 2009

A netizen has been sentenced to 2 year imprisonment for criticizing Ordos city government (in Inner Mongolia) for illegal land requisition. Spontaneous Online campaign calling for justice to Wu has been harmonized. (more in GVA).

Lebanon: Activists Experiment with Social Media

The use of social media tools such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and mobile technology has become increasingly popular in activism and advocacy work worldwide in recent years. In Lebanon, a group called Social Media Exchange teaches activists how to utilise social media to promote their work and reach a wider audience. Mohammmad Azraq digs into the Lebanese social networking and online scene to find out more.

Iran: Diplomats walk out at Ahmadinejad's speech

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today made headlines once more, when he referred to Israel as a “racist state” during a address at United Nations conference on racism in Geneva, Switzerland. Delegates from several European nations walked out of the conference in protest at Ahmadinejad's remark. Jomhour has published the following video...

Americas: 5th Summit Reactions

  20 April 2009

The much-hyped Fifth Summit of the Americas is now over, culminating with the Hemispheric leaders' adoption of the Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain - albeit with one signatory - the Prime Minister of host country Trinidad and Tobago, who purportedly signed on behalf of all participating leaders. This signaled to many a clear lack of unanimity on the final declaration, hardly surprising given the differing agendas of the 34 participating nations. Bloggers were quick to post their impressions of the three-day engagement.

Malawi Politicians Campaign in Cyberspace

  20 April 2009

The presidential and parliamentary race in Malawi is seeing innovative use of the Internet that Malawi's politics has never witnessed before. Parties and individual contestants have established themselves online through websites, Facebook and blogs to get voters' attention.