Stories about Governance from March, 2011
China: In Defense of the NY Times and Paranoia
Many bloggers and netizens criticized a recent New York Times article on cell phone monitor in China as false as it could not be reproduced by others. C. Custer from ChinaGeeks points out that we could not assume the reporters making thing up because of failed tests.
Madagascar: Reactions to the New Members of the Government
Blogger Thierry Andriamirado listed the names of all the members of the newly formed government in Madagascar [fr] as it was announced on national radio. Political blogger Ndimby provides an analysis of the composition of this alleged government of national unity and the potential acceptation of the Malagasy administration by the international community[fr].
Russia, Japan: Sakhalin Residents’ and Chernobyl Survivors’ Reactions to Fukushima
Ksenya Semenova writes on OpenDemocracy.net about the reactions of Sakhalin residents to the situation in Japan: “I have some friends in Japan […]. From their relations and from the internet they have discovered what's going on in the Russian Far East at the moment. They sigh deeply and smile ruefully,...
Russia: BBC Russian Service's Last Broadcast
Christya Riedel writes on Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog that on March 26, “the BBC Russian Service ceased its radio broadcasts after 65 years on the air because of drastic budget cuts implemented by the British government.”
Ukraine: Reasons for Targeting Ex-President Kuchma
LEvko of Foreign Notes explains possible reasons – here and here – for targeting Ukraine's ex-president Leonid Kuchma, against whom a criminal investigation has recently been opened on suspicion of his involvement in the 2000 murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze.
Russia: Heroin Epidemic; Attitude to Sex
Posts about heroin epidemic and attitudes to sex in Russia – at OpenDemocracy.net.
Russia: Voina Art Collective
At OpenDemocracy.net, writes about the Voina art collective (RUS: @free_voina; ENG: @free_voina_en) and “explains how their controversial methods have made it difficult to mobilise support.” Kevin Rothrock (@agoodtreaty) re-posts a video of Voina‘s recent prank action (1,178,969 views, 3,023 likes, 658 dislikes): “unwelcomely, without warning kiss female cops on candid...
Ukraine: Lukyanivka Pre-Trial Detention Facility
Journalist Kristina Berdinskikh writes (RUS) at her Korrespondent.net blog about Kyiv's pre-trial detention facility SIZO #13/Lukyanivka: the conditions (general capacity is 2,800 detainees, the actual number is around 4,000; cells for 40 people house 60-80, inmates take turns sleeping; “60 people sometimes smoke all at once, if a non-smoker ends...
India: Arms Yes, Bread No
Dheera Sujan at South Asia Wired comments on the news that India has become the world’s largest arms importer: “yes arms by all means, more arms. So we can have a few more millionaires and a few million more poor people.”
Iran: Syrians Protest “Neither Iran Nor Hezbollah!”
Several Iranian bloggers react to the slogan of Syrian protesters during Wednesday's march where people chanted “Neither Iran, nor Hezbollah!” Syria is an ally of Iran and is also friendly with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Syria: Protesters Demolish Symbols of Regime
In Syria, the faces of President Bashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are regularly seen on billboards, buildings, and in the form of statues. Visitors to the country are often surprised by the prevalence of such images, while Syrians have grown used to them as a daily feature of life. Yesterday, a number of videos surfaced in which protesters tear down the symbols of the regime: posters and statues of the ruling family.
Russia: Life With Autism
At OpenDemocracy.net, Dmitry Golubovsky and Svetlana Reiter write about the lives of autistic people in Russia.
Egypt: The Constitutional Amendments
About one month after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians went to vote on constitutional amendments, on Saturday, March 19. The referendum is on a group of articles in the constitution that discuss the Presidency and Parliamentary elections and the requirements for candidates. Here, new and old voters alike share their stories.
South Korea: Controversial Memoir Mixes Art, Sex and Politics
An art curator who shocked South Korea with her fake Yale diploma and government connections released a memoir on March 22, 2011, rocking the nation once again with her revelations. Called the 'art world Cinderella', Shin Jeong-ah's alleged relationships with high-profile political and social figures have made her something of a celebrity.
Bahamas: Untimely Justice
“We can construct a state of the art airport, dredge our harbour, and expand our seaports. We can tax and spend like there is no tomorrow. But yet, we cannot deliver and administer an effective justice system!”: Weblog Bahamas‘ Jerome Pinder blogs about “a travesty of Justice.”
Cuba: Ex-Prisoner's Travel Restricted
Pedazos de La Isla reports that one prisoner of conscience who was freed on condition of exile to Spain expected “his new life in Spain…to be full of freedoms and opportunities, but his case has proven otherwise.”
Barbados, Jamaica: Improper Search?
Barbados Free Press is livid about an incident in which a Jamaican traveler was subjected to a cavity search and then deported, saying: “Even if [the visitor] was suspected and then deported for good reason such as gang affiliation or crimes committed in Jamaica, she deserves to be treated with...
Bermuda: Government Admits Error
politics.bm is fascinated by the fact that “the PLP realizes that the PLP's policies have been bad for Bermuda” and wonders about the resulting challenges and opportunities.
Portugal: Esoteric analysis to Prime Minister's resignation
The astrologer and author of the blog Cova do Urso (Bear's Cave), Antonio Rosa, frames the political crisis in Portugal – triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister Jose Socrates on March 24 – through the analysis of his astrological chart [pt].
Ukraine: Myroslava Gongadze on Media Freedom
Viktor Kovalenko writes about the views of Myroslava Gongadze – who is the widow of the slain Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze – on the freedom of the press and other issues in Ukraine.
Portugal: Is there still Government?
In order to aggregate the latest tweets on the political crisis in Portugal, Rui Ramos created the website aindahagoverno.com (Is there still Government?) [pt]. The Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned on March 24, after the Parliament rejected the government's latest proposal for an austerity package aimed at avoiding an economical...
