· September, 2007

Stories about Governance from September, 2007

Myanmar: Voices from the Region

  25 September 2007

Myanmar's government is warning the protesters to stay off the streets following a large demonstration in Yangon yesterday. The protesters are being led by monks and they are demanding more freedom and roll-back of price hikes announced earlier this month. Bloggers from the neighboring countries are posting their thoughts and...

Iran:Bahai's in Trouble

  24 September 2007

Iranian Truth says Bahai’s are a discriminated class in Iran and are often ignored by the Diaspora completely. In Iran, they have in many cases been uprooted from their homes, denied access to resources equal and on par with other Iranians, and even violently attacked strictly on the basis of...

Bahrain: Corruption No Longer Condoned

  24 September 2007

“Like everyone else in Bahrain, I was thrilled to read our Crown Prince’s unequivocal statement that corruption will no longer be condoned and that even if a minister was implicated in corruption, he or she will get their just dessert,” writes Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif.

Ukraine: The Language Issue

  23 September 2007

Victor Yanukovych's Party of the Regions is pushing for a referendum on granting Russian official status as a national language, in addition to Ukrainian. Below is a selection of views on the "language issue" from the Ukrainian blogosphere.

Russia: Conference on Renewable Energy Sources

  23 September 2007

Web 2.0. is finally coming to the Balkans: SeminarskiRad.com, a portal based on the share principle and offering free resources to Serbian students, has become really popular very quickly. A few days ago, the portal's blog supplement opened on Blogger, dedicated to the topics relevant to Serbia's youth. The first post is a report from a recent Moscow conference on renewable energy, whose aim was to educate young scientists in order to make this planet greener.

Morocco: Morocco Welcomes New Prime Minister

  22 September 2007

Following the September 7 elections, Moroccan King Mohammed VI appointed a new prime minister, Abbas el-Fassi, to replace Driss Jettou, who had served in that position since 2002. El-Fassi, who may be best known for a failed business operation involving an Emirati cruise ship (which left many hopeless young men vying for jobs and lead a few to commit suicide), is a member of the winning Istiqlal (Independence) party. Read how the Moroccan blogopshere reacted in this post by Jillian York.

Japan: Nuclear Power and Discrimination

  22 September 2007

An English translation of an interview with Koide Hiroaki, a researcher and long-time anti-nuclear power activist, has been posted at gyaku. Mr. Koide talks about how he joined the movement against nuclear power in Japan 40 years ago, the contrast between the dream of nuclear power and the reality, and...

Ukraine: Serhiy Kalinovskyi's Escape

  21 September 2007

Foreign Notes writes about Serhiy Kalinovskiy, “a member of Kyiv's ‘gilded youth'” and a reckless driver, who killed his girlfriend and a police officer, and then escaped from a private hospital: “Much has been made of stripping criminal immunity from VR deputies recently, but everyone knows that in reality, if...

Ukraine: Troubles Ahead; Kivalov Interview

  21 September 2007

Foreign Notes writes about political troubles that may await Ukraine following the Sept. 30 parliamentary election. Also, LEvko translates an interview with former head of the Central Election Commission, Serhiy Kivalov, whose “literary skills seem to exceed the numeracy skills that he demonstrated in 2004.”

Serbia: March Against Crime in Kosovo

  20 September 2007

“After the shooting of the police officer, about 5 000 residents of Prishtina […] marched peacefully through the city to show their disgust at crime in the city,” Prishtine: Independence and Kanun reports and posts photos.

Thailand: Thaksin's Letter

  20 September 2007

Real Life in Thailand makes a point by point rebuttal of statements made by the former prime minister Thaksin on the anniversary of the coup that ousted him. The letter attacks the current administration in Thailand.