Stories about Governance from March, 2013
Trying to Get Through: Hungarians Send Video Messages to Prime Minister
Young Hungarians are shocked by the government's stubborn refusal to acknowledge their protests and their demands for a more democratic decision-making. To get their message across, four young people launched a new blog on March 22, asking fellow citizens to send short video messages to the Prime Minister with their thoughts on his governance.
Blackout has Trinidad & Tobago Bloggers Seeing Red
Good Friday in Trinidad and Tobago was suddenly dubbed “Black Friday” as the country descended into darkness, thanks to a nationwide blackout. Most people were communicating via Facebook and Twitter, but soon the conspiracy theories started to fly...
Majority Religion In A Country Is A Curse
Sri Lankan blogger Patta Pal Boru opines that the majority religion in a country is a curse as the simple weight of the established religion (inertia) gets people thinking about the wrongs rather than the rights favoring the fringe or the other religions.
Status of Vietnam's Civil Society Organizations
The Asia Foundation estimates that there are about 2,000 Civil Society Organizations or CSOs in Vietnam. It recently published a survey on Vietnam's CSOs: The nature of civil society in Vietnam is muddled by complex regulations and quasi-governmental organizations claiming to be, and sometimes behaving like, independent CSOs
Brazilian LGBT Advocates Beaten, One Arrested
On March 27, a protest against the recent election of congressman and controversial evangelical preacher Marco Feliciano as chairman of the Committee for Human Rights and Minorities in the Brazilian Deputy Chamber ended with repression against LGBT rights advocates. On Youtube, Rodrigo Grassi shared the moment when one of the protestors...
Official Fine Dining Goes Underground as China Curbs Excesses
China's crackdown on extravagance and banqueting has sent official fine dining underground. Local governments have turned in-house cafeterias into fine restaurants and hosted lavish private dinners in their homes in order to avoid being seen indulging in public.
China Government's Growing Weibo Footprint
The number of Chinese government Weibo accounts has soared over the past few years and will continue to be so. Via China Digital Times: The survey by the Chinese Academy of Governance found that by December 20, 2012, a total of 176,700 Weibo accounts had been opened by government organs...
Trinidad & Tobago: Warner's Woes
The headlines in Trinidad and Tobago's mainstream media over the last couple of days have focused on a Reuters exclusive report that Daryan Warner, son of former FIFA Vice-President (and now the country's controversial Minister of National Security) Jack Warner, is allegedly assisting the FBI with its investigations into corruption allegations in the international football governing body. Social media users weigh in.
Brazilian Military Enters Indigenous Lands
On March 22, the Brazilian Government deployed [pt] 60 forces of the police and army to the lands of the Munduruku indigenous people, at the Tapajós river basin. Activists and bloggers believe that the mission is to ensure the realization of studies of impact of the construction of yet another...
China's Feel-Good Viral Photo Wasn't Real
A feel-good viral photo showing a young girl on her knees helping an elderly homeless man eat has turned out to be a publicity stunt and netizens feel cheated. More from Off Beat China.
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...
Despite Bans, China's Uyghurs Wear their Identity with Pride
A viral photo showing Uyghur students being punished for wearing Muslims caps in Xinjiang's Urumqi city has been labelled by the authorities as a "rumor" and a "plot" by "outside forces." But many Uyghurs wonder when the government will show some respect for their culture.
Crisis in Sabah After Malaysia's Standoff with Armed Filipinos
Sabah is part of Malaysia but the Sulu Sultan from the Philippines insists its part of his kingdom. His armed followers occupied parts of Sabah in February but the Malaysian military ended the 'invasion' quickly. The standoff is over but the crisis continues.
Drones and Drug Politics in China and Myanmar
Burmese drug lord Naw Kham was executed by China through lethal injection last March 1 after being found guilty of killing 13 sailors on the Mekong River in 2011. His death sparked discussion about his criminal activities, drug politics in Myanmar, and an admission on the part of China that it has acquired drones.
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.
Why China's Real-Name Microblog Rules Fail
The real-name registration regulation of micro-blogs in China has been implemented for more than a year, but a majority of netizens just ignore the regulation. David Caragliano from Tea Leaf Nation explains why the regulation has failed.
Shades of Communism in New Russian Registration Law
On the evening of March 18, 2013 group of around 12 people [ru] unveiled a long black-and-white poster in the Red Square, reading “Go f*ck yourself with your registration”. They set off flares and shouted slogans, among which were “Down with the Chekist government!” and “Putin will be executed!”
Latin America after Chávez: Change and Continuity
As a staunch critic of the United States and a leading figure of the left-wing revival across Latin America, Hugo Chávez Frías has undoubtedly left a remarkable footprint on contemporary international politics. But what will come of his legacy?
Tunisia: “No to IMF Loan”
As Tunisia works to secure a US$1.78 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund to cover next year's budget, the government has ignited anger across the country raising taxes and cutting subsidies at a time when the economy is struggling to recover from the country's Arab Spring uprising.
INFOGRAPHIC: More Money for Ukraine's Bloated Police Force
The infographics on Ukraine's law enforcement that many Ukrainian Facebook users have been sharing this month tells us that the country's police force is a bit too numerous and has been receiving more and more state funding over the past few years.
Trinidad & Tobago: Falling Apart?
The Eternal Pantomime sees disturbing parallels between the late Chinua Achebe's famous novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ and the political and social climate in Trinidad and Tobago.
