Stories about Digital Activism from March, 2009
Egypt: Waves of Workers’ Strikes
Like in 2008, this year is witnessing waves of strikes and demonstrations by Egyptian workers in various sectors and organizations. Students, pharmacists, lawyers [Ar], railway drivers, media people and, last but not least, Egyptian street cleaners have all been demanding more just rights, protesting against their decreasing incentives or trying to rebel against their poor economic status. Eman AbdElRahman gives us a snap shot of what's happening on the ground and how bloggers are giving those workers a voice in their struggle.
Cuba: Six Years After “Black Spring”
March 18-20 marks the sixth anniversary of the Cuban Black Spring. Cuban bloggers remember...
Barbados: Attack Victim Succumbs to Injuries
Earlier this month, Barbadians awoke to the disturbing news that two Canadian visitors were viciously attacked while walking along one of the island's beaches. The crime of assault has now become murder: Terry Schwarzfeld passed away yesterday at an Ottawa hospital as a result of her injuries. Bloggers continue to be outraged that such a crime could happen in their country.
Bermuda: Answers and Questions
Vexed Bermoothes finally gets some answers about the government's plans “to protect Bermuda’s interests amidst the tax-haven scapegoating going on amongst global leaders”, but maintains that it “must begin some concerted steps to mend bridges with the international business community here.”
Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, Iranian blogger Dies in Prison
Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, a 29-year old Iranian blogger and journalist died in Evin Prison in Tehran on March 18. In December, he was sentenced to two and half years in prison for allegedly insulting religious leaders, and engaging in propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
China: 10 handy tools to bypass GFW
Ya, I Yee has translated Essential Blog's post on 10 handy tools to bypass GFW.
Pakistan: The Way Ahead
The whole Pakistan is overjoyed with the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and a happy end to the Lawyers’ Long March movement. Although apparently president Zardari is in back foot by giving the nod to to reinstate Chaudhry, it had prevented the possible chaos and anarchy if the protesters’...
Iran:”anti religion network destroyed”
According to [fa] several Iran based sites and blogs, Iranian Revolutionary Guards claims that it has destroyed anti religion active networks on the internet. Revolutionary Guards says these networks got supported by foreign countries.
Iran: Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, jailed blogger died
Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, who had been sentenced to 30 months prison for insulting Islamic Republic Leaders last month, died in prsion today.Human Rights Activists in Iran site says[fa] the reason for his death has not been announced but he was in very bad psychological condition.
Maldives: Dissident And Anti-Islamic Sites Blocked
Several dissident and alleged anti-Islamic websites were filtered recently in Maldives. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs ordered the Telecommunication Authority of Maldives (TAM) to block access to those websites. Maldives Dissent informs: A week after President Anni announced his intention of turning the Maldives into a sanctuary for oppressed writers,...
China: Goodbye Grass Mud Horse
Last week the story of Grass Mud Horse has traveled to the U.S.A via the New York Times and re-imported back to China with new ideas for reproduction, such as the marriage of two legendary creatures: Grass Mud Horse and FaKe Squid into FaKe Mud Horse. As imagethief pointed out,...
Bahamas: To the Mothers…
Bahamian blogger Womanish Words missed International Women's Day and pays a late but meaningful tribute to the mothers of the world “who are most at risk globally, because of poverty, war and victimization”.
Martinique: Moving Memorial
Repeating Islands’ Blog introduces us to the Anse Cafard Memorial in Southern Martinique – “a deeply moving monument to the losses imposed on African peoples through the slave trade.”
Barbados, Montserrat: Mountain Chickens
Blogging from Barbados, Gallimaufry is concerned about the fate of the Montserrat mountain chicken.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Eye of God
“The folks at AIG are proceeding as if it’s business as usual, paying out, and accepting, large bonuses, and that from public monies…how is it that some people…can’t grasp that we are…between the Devil and the deep blue sea?”: Jamaican blogger Pamela Mordecai says that the Eye of God image...
Tunisia: Remembering Tunisia's First Internet Prisoner
Tunisian Zouhair Yahyaoui will always be remembered among Tunisian activists as someone who had sacrificed his life for the struggle for freedom of speech. Four years after his death from a heart attack at the age of 36, after serving time in prison for articles he had published online, bloggers remember him as a role model and cyberactivism pioneer.
Jamaica, Dominica: Carbon Neutral?
The President of the Maldives plans to make the territory carbon neutral in 10 years; Jamaica Salt sees similarities between the islands and is “looking around for environmental action in JA”, while Steve's Dominica‘s first thought was: “Dominica, ‘Nature island’, Green-globe nation etc etc, should be aiming for this.”
Cuba: Six Years After
Blog for Cuba maintains that six years after the island's Black Spring, “there has been no easing of the harsh repression of dissent in Cuba.”
Bermuda: Transparency Progress
Vexed Bermoothes says that the Attorney General's promise that the Bermudian public will have the opportunity to comment on a draft freedom of information law (which should allow for modifications before it goes to Parliament for debate) is “positive news.”
Jamaica: Being Positive
Iriegal sees hope for Jamaica when it comes to curbing crime, but would like to see “more success stories on the front page” of the local media.
UAE: YouTube Ban Possible, Goodbye Flickr
Bloggers in the UAE are worried that YouTube may be banned in the Emirates, after access to photography hosting site Flickr has been totally blocked. According to Press reports, YouTube is ranked among the top 10 most popular sites in the UAE and news about its possible censorship has sparked debate in the blogosphere.
