· May, 2009

Stories about Governance from May, 2009

Bangladesh, India: No To Tipaimukh Dam

  27 May 2009

The Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project is being constructed near the confluence of Barak and Tuivai rivers, in Manipur, India and within 100km of Bangladesh border. The project will submerge a huge portion of land, thereby making thousands of people homeless and threatening the habitats of Indigenous population in India. The downstream neighbor Bangladesh will also face severe environmental and economic consequences.

USA: The battle over medical marijuana

  27 May 2009

In the United States, 13 states currently allow citizens to use marijuana for medicinal purposes, but even these limited rights are under threat. In response, many Americans have created blogs to support and extend the legalization of marijuana.

Mozambique: House of the Flying Azagaias

  27 May 2009

In Mozambique, rapper Azagaia has continued to fascinate and infuriate bloggers. His critics claim his political lyrics amount to demagoguery. Others defend his music, to which many Mozambicans happily provide the chorus, and say his critics speak in exclusive, academic terms.

Maldives: Controversy Regarding Presidential Arrest Warrant

  26 May 2009

Mohamed Nasheed discusses the recent decision by the President of Maldives to arrest certain politicians in the country. Some Maldivians were disappointed by this decision and there are unconfirmed reports that former President and Opposition Leader Mamoun Abdul Gayoom may be on the list.

Trinidad & Tobago: Summit Spend

  26 May 2009

Trinidad and Tobago's The Undisputed Truth links to a story which, to him, “highlights how the Summit [of the Americas] is a total waste of money.”

Taiwan: Comparisons of Chen and Roh

  26 May 2009

Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyung tragically commited suicide over the weekend. Some have made comparisons between Roh and former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian who is currently in detention on charges of corruption. The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato asks if both men were subject to character assassination by the judiciary and...

Japan: Ministry of Health posts YouTube video

  26 May 2009

Kotori Piyopiyo praises the progressiveness of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for posting a video on YouTube and observes with irony that they have turned off the embedding function. The video introduces preventive measures for swine flu.

Venezuela: Keeping the Internet as a Priority

  26 May 2009

When the Venezuelan government emitted Decree No. 6649, it raised red flags within the online community concerned about the possible effects to development. The decree seeks to eliminate “luxuries” or “superflouous expenses” among the public expenditure, among which includes the Internet. As a result, the online campaign Internet Prioritaria was created with the opinion that Internet is a basic need and is pushing that research and other educational programs not be affected by budget cuts.

Pakistan: Healing The Wounds Of The Past

  25 May 2009

Action For A Progressive Pakistan apologizes to Bangladeshis for the atrocities committed by Pakistan army in 1971 and criticizes the Pakistan government: “We find it unconscionable that the Pakistani state has steadfastly refused to acknowledge these atrocities for the past 38 years, leave alone hold those responsible for them accountable...

Trinidad & Tobago: Where's the Integrity?

  25 May 2009

Transparency and good governance have been popular topics in the Caribbean blogosphere of late. The latest debacle over integrity (or lack thereof?) comes from Trinidad and Tobago, where, in the last few weeks, a second attempt to establish an Integrity Commission has come to a crashing halt amidst revelations that the Chair of the Commission, a Catholic priest, had committed acts of plagiarism. To add even more fuel to the fire, the journalist who drew attention to the plagiarism in the first place, appears to have been fired. Bloggers speak out.

Malawi elections: Upending the pundits’ predictions

  25 May 2009

With the elections over and the incumbent president Bingu wa Mutharika sworn in for his second and last term, Malawian bloggers (Mabloga) are awed by two developments that went against the predictions of many, especially the punditry. First was the suggestion that the presidential contest would be very close. It...

Russia: North Ossetia's Superstitious Law Enforcement

North Ossetian journalist Liza Valieva writes about an incident that could have prompted a lighthearted reaction had it not occurred in North Ossetia, an autonomous republic in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation, whose people have seen much violence since the collapse of the Soviet Union, including the Sept. 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis.

Brazil: Petroleum, elections and poverty matters

  24 May 2009

Discussions of an investigation into the nation's biggest state-owned company and its possible political motivation fill the Brazilian blogosphere. This debate takes place in a Brazilian society which sees 'black gold' as a solution to the country's economic and energy problems.

Brazil: Fighting against cyber surveillance

  24 May 2009

Brazilian cyberactivists are again taking action against online surveillance in defence of the netcitizen rights. The Mega Não! protest has been triggered by the controversial digital crimes bill which aims to control cybercrime, raising serious issues on digital rights management and the free use of digital devices. There will be...

Influenza A(H1N1) cases in Southeast Asia

  24 May 2009

Several Southeast Asian countries have confirmed that some of their citizens have tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1) infection. The region is no longer swine flu-free. Bloggers react as the virus continues to spread from one country to another.

Bangladesh: Tipaimukh Dam Threatens Lives

  24 May 2009

Despite protests from within India and Bangladesh, India is going ahead with the construction of the massive Tipaimukh barrage on the Barack river near the border, which will reduce the water flow in Surma and Kushiara rivers in Bangladesh. Onnesha.tk brings up this concern that by depriving Bangladesh of life-giving...

Ukraine: Russian Ads; PM's Hairdo; Crimea

Russian ads in Ukraine; Yulia Tymoshenko's hairdo; labor minister's text message interaction with her daughter regarding a government job offer for her father; the Crimean Tatars’ situation and the mess in the Crimean capital's city council – at Ukrainiana.