Stories about Governance from April, 2007
Somalia: Mogadishu Tech Massacre
Espresso Royale Commentaries discusses “Mogadishu tech massacre”: The Mogadishu massacre was bigger in number but lesser known to most people because it didn’t make to be a prime media piece. This massacre was even worse. It was Virginia Tech shooting multiplied by 100 and it is repeated daily and ongoing....
Armenia, Georgia: Comparing Local Governance
Social Science in the Caucasus compares local governance in Armenia and Georgia.
Kazakhstan: Investment & the Court
An American businessman in Kazakhstan, Marc Seidenfeld, has been arrested in what appears to be a frame-up by local business interests to retaliate against him for selling his business in an open auction, raising its final sale price. Bonnie Boyd says that this points to a serious problem with rule...
Russia: Pieces by Illarionov and Gevorkyan
La Russophobe posts two translations: pieces by Andrei Illarionov and Natalya Gevorkyan.
Russia: Media Freedom
There're 32 comments to Sean Guillory's post on a Russian radio station that seems to have become “exactly” like Fox News in the U.S.
Russia: Kasparov's Foreign Funding
As the Kremlin begins looking for Gary Kasparov's foreign sponsors, Sean's Russia Blog reports that a reporter for an expat paper in Moscow may have already completed the job.
Conference on France's Support of African Dictatorship
Le Pangolin has been posting video from a conference called “From ‘françafrique’ to ‘Mafiafrique'” which looks at France's post-colonial support of African dictators.
Syrian Independence Day and Elections
Syria celebrated it's independence and Parliamentary elections with a lot of official fanfare, but very little excitement from bloggers as a reported two per cent of the constituents turned up at the polling stations. Yazan Badran sums up the reactions as bloggers debate the results and updates us about the jailing of a prominent human rights lawyer.
Arabeyes: Palestinian Jordanian Anyone?
Jordanian blogger Hareega is furious that people avoid discussing racism in his society. He is particularly angry about the discrimination Jordanians of Palestinian origin go through in a country he claims they have helped build and project to the level it is today. يبدو أن الناس بشكل عام تتفادى الخوض...
Japan: Analysis of election results
Matt Dioguardi at Japan in amber has posted commentary, tabulated data, and study notes on Japan's recent by-elections and local elections. Matt writes: “the DPJ strategy in Okinawa seemed confused, switching midway. First they focused on local union issues, then switched to national issues.”
Iran:Government puts economic pressure on Iranian journals
Tirouj says[Fa] government controls 80 percent of country's economic and it uses this advantage to push some journals to shutdown.The blogger says it is easy for Iranian government to cut advertising money to targeted journals and push them to go out of business.The blogger adds it happened to Ayandeh No...
Romania: Politics
Two blogs comment on the situation in Romania. Transatlantic Politics: “Four months after Romanian accession, it is clear that not even the post-accession monitoring mechanisms imposed by Brussels and the threat of safeguard clauses are real means of pressure for the Romanian politicians.” Romerican: “I often sense a deep hopelessness...
Russia: Media Freedom
Robert Amsterdam writes about (lack of) media freedom in Russia.
Blogs and the Nigerian Elections: Will We Stop Talking About Our Cats And Shoes For One Day?
Nigeria has one of the most vibrant and dynamic blogospheres in Africa. It is no wonder that the Nigerian state and presidential elections were heavily blogged by Nigerians at home and abroad. New information and communication tools such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, and social networking sites have the potential to...
Barbados: Analysing 2007 CWC
Adrian Loveridge, guest authoring at Barbados Free Press, believes that “as the 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC) event draws to a close, with the hosting of the final in Barbados on 28th April, it is perhaps now time to analyse in-depth, exactly what economic benefits it has brought to the...
Guyana: Society Producing Murderers?
“In light of this (Virginia Tech) incident and other such brutal attacks, like the one at the Kaieteur News printery last year”, The Guyana Groove thinks that “the debate at hand should not be about gun control, security measures or what could have been done different. The necessary debate should...
Japan: Revision of customs and trade regulations
Japan Observer reports on plans by the Abe government to revise its rules and regulations to comply with international standards, commenting that such plans do not “much to change the structure of the Japanese economy over the long term, nor […] address the concerns of Japanese citizens about their future...
Zimbabwe: police brutality against activists
Police brutality against members of Zimbwabean women's civic movement, WOZA: “By 7pm on Tuesday, all 56 members arrested on Monday at the Kuwadzana ZESA sit-in had been assualted in police custody and forced to pay admission of guilt fines to ‘buy’ their freedom. Lawyers served police with orders to allow...
China: Regulate Online Magazine?
Josie from China in Transition highlighted the report from China Business News that China’s administration of press and publication will require online magazines to obtain license from the government before publishing.
Japan: Toyama Kouichi calls for revolution, bloggers reflect on freedom of speech
“Registered voters! I am Toyama Kouichi. My countrymen! This country is an abomination!” So began the five minute political speech of gubernatorial candidate and street musician Toyama Kouichi, aired live on Japan's public broadcaster NHK as part of a series of election broadcasts formally allotted to each contender in the...
Ukraine: Chernobyl
MoldovAnn takes photographer Michael Forster Rothbart along on a trip to the Chernobyl-affected areas and posts an account that's both informative and poignant, and comes just days before the 21st anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl Catastrophe: “I felt very sad walking around, looking at the crumbling walls, thinking of everything...
