Stories about Governance from September, 2017
Africans in Solidarity Online With Rohingya People Over Their Persecution in Myanmar (Burma)
"Silence is consent. Our silence is troubling. We need to speak out about this, we need to get angry, we need to help them."
Sri Lanka Condemns Mob Attack Against Rohingya Refugees by Buddhist Monks
"I condemn these actions as a Buddhist who is very proud of the fact that Buddhism is a religion of non-violence & compassion."
A 20 Billion Dollar Trade Agreement Between China and Guinea Raises Concerns
"Will this be a mutual agreement? At the moment, we are hanging on the government's every word as they negotiate this without providing many details."
#WhereIsMySchool? Parents Fight for Proper Education for Children with Disabilities in Bosnia
"More and more parents...refuse to accept the social stigma that comes with developmental difficulties, and reject the misguided notion that they have to carry all the weight themselves."
Puerto Rico, Trapped Between Colonialism and Hurricanes
Irma and Maria's passing and aftermath have once again brought to light Puerto Rico’s primordial conundrum: colonialism.
Myanmar Government Vows to Address Refugee Crisis in Rakhine State, but Avoids Saying ‘Rohingya’
"Aung San Suu Kyi today demonstrated that she and her government are still burying their heads in the sand over the horrors unfolding in Rakhine State."
Is Ex-Soviet Georgia Backsliding on Justice?
While Georgia still scores respectably in international rule of law rankings, public confidence in the justice system is dipping.
Mozambique's President Answers Citizens’ Questions Online, but Avoids Difficult Ones
"Questions and criticism, although they may be badly formed and cause us some irritation at first, are better than compliments, because they oblige us to reflect."
Criticism of Trinidad & Tobago's State Enterprise System Follows Fraud Allegation Against Oil Supplier
"The State enterprise system is the vehicle by which the unholy facilitations are carried out [...] It has been destructive of honesty, accountability and transparency."
Lawmakers From Uganda's Ruling Party Want to Remove the Country's Presidential Age Limit
"20 or even 30 years from now, President Museveni will be asking for more terms...At that time, you will look back and wish you did something today."
Mexico's Appeal for an Impartial Federal Prosecutor General
Mexico's ruling party wants one of its members to become the Federal Prosecutor General. Many believe this represents a conflict of interest.
Estonian President Warns of ‘Self-Occupation,’ Prompting Praise and Political Spin
Estonian president's remarks against close-minded nationalism received different political interpretations abroad, obscuring her focus on the real challenges -- technological change, including the globalization of workforce.
Thousands of Indians Take to Streets Seeking Justice for Murdered Journalist Gauri Lankesh
"There has rarely been a period of such constructed, deliberate terror and hatred. We are up against the largest machine of hate."
Twitter Tells Kashmiri Journalists and Activists That They Will Be Censored at Indian Government's Request
"It is an attempt at intimidating those who post the truth that will never be shown by Indian media."
China Makes Chat Group Administrators — i.e. Regular Users — Criminally Liable for Unlawful Messages
Chat group administrators are becoming a key human resource in China's internet control infrastructure.
Singaporeans Face Police Investigation After Holding Candlelight Vigil for Executed Migrant Worker
When a nonviolent vigil for a man about to be hanged is deemed 'illegal assembly' worthy of a police investigation, it's time to rethink public order and freedom of assembly.
The Endless Conflict That Plagues the Central African Republic
The signs of a foreseeable genocide are present everywhere at the moment with limited support available from the international community on the ground.
As Myanmar Violence Spikes, Why Is India Threatening to Deport 40,000 Rohingya Muslims?
"Surely Modi's government must know of the terrible suffering these Rohingya have fled from."
Simon Ateba Is Not Ahmed Abba, but He Too Has Experienced Persecution as a Journalist in Cameroon
Media outlets, including Global Voices, have mistakenly identified a photo of Simon Ateba as Ahmed Abba. Both are journalists whose reporting on Boko Haram got them into trouble in Cameroon.
On WhatsApp, Fake News Is Nearly Impossible to Moderate. Is That a Bad Thing?
People are keen to tackle fake news on Facebook. But picture becomes more complex when news and information spread through WhatsApp.
Iran's Foreign Minister Says He Won't Tweet in Persian Because of Twitter Censorship
The rhetoric of the Rouhani administration is giving off less hope for online freedoms, and the popular foreign minister's statements about not tweeting for Iranian audiences has increased concerns.